Reading 1
Rv 22:1-7
John said:
An angel showed me the river of life-giving water,
sparkling like crystal, flowing from the throne of God
and of the Lamb down the middle of the street,
On either side of the river grew the tree of life
that produces fruit twelve times a year, once each month;
the leaves of the trees serve as medicine for the nations.
Nothing accursed will be found anymore.
The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it,
and his servants will worship him.
They will look upon his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.
Night will be no more, nor will they need light from lamp or sun,
for the Lord God shall give them light,
and they shall reign forever and ever.
And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true,
and the Lord, the God of prophetic spirits,
sent his angel to show his servants what must happen soon.”
“Behold, I am coming soon.”
Blessed is the one who keeps the prophetic message of this book.
Ps 95:1-2, 3-5, 6-7ab
Responsorial PsalmR. (1 Cor 16: 22b, see Rev. 22: 20c)
Marana tha! Come, Lord Jesus!
Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD;
let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us joyfully sing psalms to him.
R. Marana tha! Come, Lord Jesus!
For the LORD is a great God,
and a great king above all gods;
In his hands are the depths of the earth,
and the tops of the mountains are his.
His is the sea, for he has made it,
and the dry land, which his hands have formed.
R. Marana tha! Come, Lord Jesus!
Come, let us bow down in worship;
let us kneel before the LORD who made us.
For he is our God, and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.
R. Marana tha! Come, Lord Jesus!
Gospel
Lk 21:34-36
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy
from carousing and drunkenness
and the anxieties of daily life,
and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.
For that day will assault everyone
who lives on the face of the earth.
Be vigilant at all times
and pray that you have the strength
to escape the tribulations that are imminent
and to stand before the Son of Man.”
Meditation: Luke 21:34-36
“Be vigilant at all times.” (Luke 21:36)
This past week many of the Gospel readings have included Jesus’ warnings about the coming day of the Lord. And many of the first readings have included visions from the Book of Revelation about the age to come. Together, these have been a pathway leading us to the season of Advent, which begins tomorrow. As we stand on the threshold of a new season and a new liturgical year, today’s Gospel calls us to be vigilant and to stand firm.
Perhaps you feel that you lose sight of the Lord as you go about your day. Life can be so demanding—and so distracting. Maybe your daily routine has created a false sense of security. Maybe the battle against temptations has become discouraging. Perhaps even the devil is trying to convince you to give up, saying that you probably won’t make it anyway. But no matter how many forces come against you, don’t give up the fight! Don’t let your heart grow drowsy (Luke 21:34). Keep on being watchful and vigilant!
Simeon (Luke 2:25-32) and Anna (2:36-38) are inspiring Advent models for us. Like sentries at the post waiting for the coming of the dawn, they kept looking for the Messiah. Neither their vision nor their hope dimmed as they patiently remained on the lookout. They waited for the fulfillment of God’s promises with perseverance. They stayed attentive to the Holy Spirit because they were so eager to see God’s salvation. All their prayerful pondering and steadfast watching enabled them to recognize that salvation when Mary and Joseph brought the infant Jesus to the Temple. God’s ways had become their ways, and his thoughts had become their thoughts.
Let’s greet this coming Advent season of grace with determination, confidence, and perseverance. Let’s remember that we are looking forward both to Jesus’ coming as an infant on Christmas and his final return at the end of time, when he will bring us fully into his kingdom. As Pope Benedict XVI has said: “Advent is par excellence the season of hope in which believers in Christ are invited to remain in watchful and active waiting, nourished by prayer and by the effective commitment to love.”
“Jesus, you are my Messiah and Savior! Give me the grace to keep my eyes and my heart fixed on you as I look for the day of your coming.”
No comments:
Post a Comment