We Know Not the Hour

Gospel Reflection for Wednesday, October 22, 2025

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Be sure of this:
if the master of the house had known the hour
when the thief was coming,
he would not have let his house be broken into.
You also must be prepared,
for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”

Luke 12:39-40

Today’s Gospel exhorts us to prepare our souls. We live in a world that is overrun by spiritually corrupting things, and most people do not consider the truth of two essential realities:

1. We could die today and face judgment

2. The Lord could return today, and we would face judgment

Both of these possibilities come as the thief in the night, and we are rarely prepared for them. Certainly, the second coming, of which today’s Gospel speaks specifically, is not something that we will necessarily expect. The idea of the thief in the night is that we are not going to see it coming, and it will come upon us suddenly.

This expectation ought to ring out in our spiritual lives. How many times do we tell ourselves that we will begin to pray tomorrow, or we will go to confession tomorrow, or we will begin to live a moral life tomorrow? How many people are waling around right now living a life contrary to God with the presumption that we can just make it right with God on our death bed?

The sin of presumption clouds much. We must have the humility to know that conversion is a daily requirement. Repentance from sin is a daily requirement. Mental prayer is a daily requirement. We must frequent the sacraments and continually turn towards God through living a moral life in accord with the teachings of the Church and daily self-denial of certain goods of this world.

St. Augustine teaches us, roughly paraphrased:

Take care of your body like you will live forever, and take care of your soul like you will die tomorrow.

Our Lord is coming soon. Death may be coming sooner. Either way, we must be prepared to face the just judge. Nothing will remain hidden. Let us prepare ourselves so that, aided by divine grace, we can have the confidence to echo the words of St. John:

“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” Revelation 22:20

For more from Dr. McGovern, visit his Substack at A Thomist, Dedicated to the Theological tradition of St. Thomas Aquinas. Exploring Thomas’ Spiritual Theology and topics in Christology and Mariology.