Pray, and pray more. It may seem odd to say that now when you are taking examinations and working harder. But you need prayer, and not only the habitual prayer as an exercise of devotion; you also need to pray during odd moments, to pray between times, instead of allowing your mind to wander on stupidities. It does not matter if, in spite of your effort, you do not manage to concentrate and be recollected. That meditation may be of greater value than the one you made, with all ease, in the oratory.
~~St. Josemría Escrivá
Pray, and pray more. It may seem odd to say that now when you are taking examinations and working harder. But you need prayer, and not only the habitual prayer as an exercise of devotion; you also need to pray during odd moments, to pray between times, instead of allowing your mind to wander on stupidities. It does not matter if, in spite of your effort, you do not manage to concentrate and be recollected. That meditation may be of greater value than the one you made, with all ease, in the oratory.
~~St. Josemría Escrivá
November 28, 2020
Saturday of the
Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 508
Reading 1
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.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (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!
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Be vigilant at all
times and pray
that you may have the strength to stand before the Son of Man.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
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.”
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Stand Firm against Complacency
Encountering Christ:
1. Effects of Sin: Jesus tells us to “beware” of drunkenness, anxiety, and carousing because these behaviors can seriously impede our holiness. If we sin mortally in these ways, we cut ourselves off from God and must contritely repent through the sacrament of reconciliation. If our sins are venial in nature, the consequences can still be serious. “The repetition of venial sins insensibly weakens the fear of God, hardens the conscience, forms evil attachments and habits, gives fresh strength to the temptations of the enemy of our salvation, nourishes and develops the passions,” according to St. Ignatius (The Spiritual Exercises). We must “be on your guard, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, be strong” (1 Corinthians 16:13).
2. Be Vigilant: If we look back to the first time we experienced an encounter with Christ, we might recall a swirl of excitement and euphoria like one who has fallen in love. For some, the mere memory of that first encounter is enough to keep them on the path to a continually deepening relationship with Christ indefinitely. But for many of us, after years of growing in the interior life, the emotions can fade away. The humdrum of day-to-day routine can leave us feeling dry and ill-motivated to say our prayers or receive the sacraments, a state described by St. Ignatius as spiritual desolation. We avoid this trap of becoming complacent in our spiritual life by practicing the virtue of perseverance. St. Ignatius wrote, “In time of desolation never make a change; but be firm and constant in the resolutions [of] the day preceding such desolation” (Discernment of Spirits, Fifth Rule, St. Ignatius).
3. Judgement is for Everyone: “Once saved, always saved” is a Protestant belief, but many Catholics can subconsciously allow ourselves to believe this as well. In this passage, we are reminded “that day will come for everyone who lives on the face of the earth.” There is no escaping the day of judgment. Am I ready if Christ comes today to pass judgment on my soul? Am I striving to know the Lord more through prayer and the sacraments? Do I rely on the grace God gives me to sanctify me, so that I can hope to one day meet him in heaven? Come Holy Spirit, prepare me to live with you eternally!
Conversing with Christ: Lord, thank you for the gift of faith and calling me into relationship with you. I am often tempted, but I want to stay vigilant and not fall into complacency or spiritual sloth. “Lead me not into temptation, and deliver me from evil. Amen.”
Resolution: Lord, today with the help of your grace I will make a good examination of conscience, and ask for the grace to persevere in holiness, for your glory.
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God Bless You.....
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