34th Week in the Ordinary Time - Saturday (Year II)
26th November 2022 (Saturday) Readings and Reflection
Dear Brothers and Sisters, we are on the Saturday of 34th week in the ordinary time. Today's gospel reflection is on the theme Get ready!
For more certainty the Readings are posted from the Latest Catholic Lectionary{alertInfo}
Reading of the Day
First Reading: Revelation 22:1-7
The angel showed me, John, the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign for ever and ever. And he said to me, "These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place." "And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book."
Psalm 95:1-2, 3-5, 6-7abc (R. 1 Cor. 16:22b; Rev. 22:20c)
Response: Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!
Come, let us ring out our joy to the Lord;
hail the rock who saves us.
Let us come into his presence, giving thanks;
let us hail him with a song of praise. Response
A mighty God is the Lord,
a great king above all gods.
In his hands are the depths of the earth;
the heights of the mountains are his.
To him belongs the sea, for he made it,
and the dry land that he shaped by his hands. Response
O come; let us bow and bend low.
Let us kneel before the God who made us,
for he is our God and we
the people who belong to his pasture,
the flock that is led by his hand. Response
Gospel : Luke 21:34-36
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, "Watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man."
Daily Gospel Reflection
The Reflection by Fr. Thumma Mariadas Reddy MSFS{alertWarning}
Main Theme: Get ready!
Indicative: Behold, the Lord is coming soon. Therefore, be prepared and ready so that we are not caught unawares and shocked{alertSuccess}
1. We have a series of admonitions from Jesus. They concern our preparation to meet the end times and God’s judgment. The day of judgment and reckoning will be sudden and unexpected. It will come like a trap. It will spare no one and none can escape it.
2. Therefore there should be a fitting preparation. How? We must follow three main directives: Be watchful. Be awake. Pray at all times. Many times many get entangled with the affairs of the world. Their hearts become weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness, and cares of this life.
3. This implies unnecessary worries and tensions that dissipate us, pleasures and gratifications that keep us drunk and blurred, and unworthy worldly affairs and pursuits that deviate and divert our focus. Often worldly concerns and interests make us lose our focus and our foresightedness. They make us very short-sighted and self-demarcated. They make us hopeless and despairing. They make us easy victims of evil.
4. Our watchfulness and praying will guard us against such harmful leanings. They will keep our hearts light, sober, and unpreoccupied. They will give us the strength not to succumb and fall prey to such temptations and negative pressures. They will make us stand worthy before the Lord.
5. Our constant striving must be to conduct ourselves as people of heaven. We must always remind ourselves that we are destiny-oriented people, meant for higher things and the highest eternity. We must always cleanse and refresh ourselves from the river of the “water of life.” We must feed ourselves on the ever-producing “tree of life.” We must seek “healing” from its leaves.
6. Further, we must unceasingly contemplate the beatific vision and joy of eternal life and its bliss. “His servants will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more… The Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.”
Imperative: Payer is the only and the greatest weapon and equipment that enables us to stand firm and withstand all the discouraging, frightening, and deviating forces and pressures. Blessed are they that will be found worthy before him!{alertSuccess}
Video Reflection
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