Yesterday at Sunday Mass we heard Jesus’ clear call to “gird our loins and light our lamps.” (Luke 12:35). Our Lord expects His followers to be dressed for action and prepared for His arrival each and every day.
The heroic minute nicely positions us to be ready for God’s glorious presence and power breaking into our daily living.
Coined by Saint Jose María Escríva (d. 1975), the heroic minute refers to our first waking moment of the day. We are presented with an immediate decision whether to greet God and His gift of a new day or to hit the snooze and burrow underneath the pillow in pursuit of self-comfort.
According to Saint Jose María, the moment is decisive and serves to set our readiness for encountering the Risen Lord Jesus throughout the new day.
The heroic minute. It is the time fixed for getting up. Without hesitation: a supernatural reflection and… up! The heroic minute: here you have a mortification that strengthens your will and does no harm to your body (The Way, 206).
