In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus tells us to be vigilant (Luke 12:35-40). To be vigilant means to stay alert to threats and dangers, anticipate problems before they escalate, and act swiftly to seize opportunities. Yet vigilance alone does not always guarantee success. Often, despite careful preparation and patient endurance, the desired outcomes fail to materialize.

For example, within each of us is an instinctive desire for justice. As human beings, our empathy is stirred when others are mistreated, urging us to do something. Yet, even when we are consistently vigilant in combating injustice, our best efforts can be undermined by those who perpetuate systemic inequality through ruthless and cunning means. This tempts us to take matters into our own hands. Our vigilance can deteriorate into vigilantism.

History shows that in extreme circumstances, particularly when legal systems are flawed or when those in authority are complicit in wrongdoing, people are compelled to intervene. Many feel the need to stand up and resort to extra legal measures for protection and survival. They release the vigilantes in them to annihilate criminal elements in society and restore peace and order.

Perhaps this explains the popularity of movies about superheroes. As glorified vigilantes, they fulfill our yearning for swift and effective justice, especially when corrupt leaders, sluggish judicial systems, or ineffective law enforcement allow criminals to flourish. They are often masked and typically operate outside the formal boundaries of the law.

However, the vigilantism of superheroes can be deeply problematic. While they may offer quick fixes, they erode the foundations of justice by replacing due process with personal vendetta. Vigilantism can trigger cycles of violence and lawlessness, weakening society’s trust in the rule of law. What begins as a quick response to injustice can quickly spiral into a vicious cycle of revenge.

So, even when certain situations seem to justify it, vigilantism should never replace a fair and effective legal system that protects the rights and dignity of all, especially those on the margins of society. What we truly need are not vigilantes, but vigilant citizens committed to strengthening and reforming our judicial systems through peaceful and constructive means.

It is this kind of vigilance that Jesus wants us to embrace. It is not merely physical alertness, but a deeper spiritual attentiveness, rooted not in fear, but in moral clarity based on faith, hope, and love. As Jesus teaches, to be vigilant is to live with purpose, recognizing that our present actions bear eternal significance. It is a daily commitment to integrity, humble service, and fidelity to God’s commandments.

Jesus likens us to servants who are not passively waiting for their master’s return, but who recognize His presence in the here and now, responding with loving action and a spirit of readiness. Jesus does not call us to wait in idle anticipation for His final return, but to actively engage in His ongoing work of redemption because He Himself declared: “The Kingdom of God is already within and among you” (Luke 17:21).

True vigilance requires a steadfast surrender to the mysterious workings of God, even when His timing seems slow by human standards. Turning ourselves into vigilantes reflects a lack of trust in God's sovereignty and wisdom. God's ways are not our ways. He sees the complete picture, while we do not.

Ultimately, vigilantism often reveals more about our impatience than our discomfort with God’s seeming absence. While we are indeed called to stand against injustice, we must remember that lasting and redemptive justice flows from our conviction that even in the darkest moments, God is still at work.

This is why vigilance must be accompanied by perseverance in prayer. Prayer protects our hearts from despair and strengthens our commitment to justice. It sets in motion a ripple effect of hope and transformation that reaches everyone we encounter.