Hope And Preparation

De hoc audistis modo Evangelium, quid monuerit nos, cautos nos faciens, et volens esse expeditos et paratos ad exspectanda novissima: ut post novissima, quae sunt in hoc saeculo metuenda, succedat requies, quae non habet finem. Beati qui participes facti fuerint. Erunt autem tunc securi, qui modo non sunt securi: et iterum tunc timebunt, qui modo timere nolunt. Ad hanc exspectationem et propter hanc spem christiani facti sumus. Nonne spes nostra est de hoc saeculo? Non amemus saeculum. Ab amore saeculi huius vocati sumus, ut aliud saeculum speremus et diligamus. In hoc abstinere nos debemus ab omnibus illicitis concupiscentiis, hoc est, lumbos accinctos habere debemus: et fervere et lucere in operibus bonis, hoc est, lucernas ardentes habere. Dixit enim ipse Dominus discipulis suis alio loco Evangelii: Nemo accendit lucernam, et ponit eam sub modio, sed super candelabrum, ut luceat omnibus qui in domo sunt. Et ut ostenderet unde dicebat, subiecit et ait: Sic luceat lumen vestrum coram hominibus, ut videant bona facta vestra, et glorificent Patrem vestrum qui in coelis est.  Ideo lumbos nostros accinctos esse voluit, et lucernas ardentes. Quid est, lumbos accinctos? Declina a malo. Quid est lucere? quid est lucernas ardentes habere? Hoc est: Et fac bonum. Quid est quod adiunxit et ait: Et vos similes estote hominibus exspectantibus dominum suum quando veniat a nuptiis: nisi quod in illo psalmo sequitur: Inquire pacem, et sequere eam ? Haec tria, hoc est, abstinentia a malo, et operatio boni, et spes praemii aeterni, commemorata sunt in Actibus Apostolorum, ubi scriptum est, Quia docebat eos Paulus de continentia, de iustitia, et spe vitae aeternae. Ad continentiam pertinet: Sint lumbi vestri accincti. Ad iustitiam pertinet: Et lucernae ardentes. Ad exspectationem Domini pertinet, quae est spes vitae aeternae. Ergo: Declina a malo, haec est continentia, hi sunt lumbi accincti: Et fac bonum, haec est iustitia, hae sunt lucernae ardentes: Quaere pacem et sequere eam, haec est exspectatio futuri saeculi: ergo: Similes estote hominibus expectantibus dominum suum quando veniat a nuptiis. Sanctus Augustinus Hipponensi, Sermo CIX, De Verbis Evangelii 'Sint lumbi vestri accincti et Lucernae Ardentes' Source: Migne PL 38.441

Concerning the words of the Gospel, 'Let your loins be girded and your lamps lit', 1 the reason He has warned us to be cautious, even wishing us to be eager and prepared for the expectation of last things, is that after them, which in this world must be feared, we may come to the peace which has no end. Blessed are they who are made sharers of this. They indeed shall be secure who were not yet secure, but they shall fear who had not yet feared. To this expectation and on account of this hope we are made Christians. Is our hope in this world? Let us not love the world. 2 From the love of this world we are called, that we hope for and love another world. Because of this we should withdraw ourselves from every unlawful desire, that is, we should have our loins girded, and be fervent and bright in good deeds, that is, we should have our lamps lit. For the Lord said to His disciples in another place in the Gospel, 'No one lights a lamp and places it beneath a bushel, but on a stand, that it give light to everything in the house. ' 3 And that He might show why He said it, He then adds, 'That your light shine out before men, and they see your good deeds and glorify your Father who is heaven.' 4 So he wanted our loins to be girded and our lamps to be lit. And what is it to have the loins girded? 'To decline from evil.' 3 And what is it to shrine? What is it to have lamps lit? It is: 'to do good'. 5 And why did He then say, 'And you be like men waiting for their lord when he is to come from a wedding.' 6 unless for that which follows in the Psalm: 'Seek peace and follow it.' 5 These three, that is, abstinence from evil, and the doing of good, and the hope of eternal reward, are commemorated in the Acts of the Apostles when it is written: 'Because Paul taught them continence, righteousness and hope of eternal life.' 7 Now to continence pertains: 'Gird your loins.' To righteousness pertains: 'Lamps lit.' To waiting for the Lord pertains: 'hope of eternal life.' Therefore, decline from evil, that is, be continent, gird your lions. And do good, that is, be righteous, and have the lamp lit. And seek peace and follow it, which is the expectation of the coming world. Thus be like men awaiting their lord when he comes from the wedding feast. Saint Augustine of Hippo, from Sermon 108, On The Words of the Gospel, 'Let your loins be girded and your lamps lit.' 1 Lk 12.35  2 1 Jn 2.15 3 Mt 5.15 4 Mt 5.16 5 Ps 33.15 6 Lk 12.36 7 Acts 24.25