Saturday, November 28, 2020 - 34th week of Ordinary Time - Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 21, 34-36 - Stay awake and pray at all times: so that you may stand before the Son of Man.
Jesus teaches his disciples temperance. Those who follow Him must fight against all kinds of temptation. When the heart and soul are taken up with food, drink and the worries of life, they will forget heaven and the happiness it has to offer. The heart and soul must be turned towards God. This teaching is still relevant today. Many forget, do not know or deliberately ignore the life God promises and cling to this life here below.
Jesus said: "Watch and pray, for you know neither the day nor the hour when the Son of Man will come". He also announced, "Men will die of fear waiting for what is to come to the world, for the powers of heaven will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud, with power and great glory". It takes determination to face this situation. Those who look up to heaven and pray but do not fix their eyes on the earth are the ones who are ready to face it. So Jesus commands us to always pray; a prayer of trust in God full of humility and patience. There is no substitute for prayer in life because it is the means to communicate with God who is the source of all good. In the Gospel, prayer is the means to get rid of all evil. Jesus, even in difficult times, prayed and encouraged his disciples to pray. Prayer is therefore the source of the power we have to face life. Amen!
