Daily Readings - Sat Dec 01 2018
Revelation
1And he showed me the river of the water of life, shining like crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb2In the midst of its main street, and on both sides of the river, was the Tree of Life, bearing twelve fruits, offering one fruit for each month, and the leaves of the tree are for the health of the nations3And every curse shall be no more. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants shall serve him4And they shall see his face. And his name shall be on their foreheads5And night shall be no more. And they will not need the light of a lamp, nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illuminate them. And they shall reign forever and ever6And he said to me: "These words are entirely faithful and true." And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, sent his Angel to reveal to his servant what must occur soon7"For behold, I am approaching quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.
Luke
34But be attentive to yourselves, lest perhaps your hearts may be weighed down by self-indulgence and inebriation and the cares of this life. And then that day may overwhelm you suddenly35For like a snare it will overwhelm all those who sit upon the face of the entire earth36And so, be vigilant, praying at all times, so that you may be held worthy to escape from all these things, which are in the future, and to stand before the Son of man.
Sermon
In today's readings, we are presented with vivid imagery from Revelation and a call to vigilance from Luke. The First Reading from Revelation 22:1-7 paints a breathtaking picture of heaven, with the river of life and the Tree of Life bearing fruit for all nations. This vision reassures us of God's promise of eternal life, where His presence is ever-present, and all suffering ceases. The Gospel from Luke 21:34-36, part of Jesus' Olivet Discourse, urges us to remain vigilant and prayerful, lest we be distracted by worldly concerns and unprepared for His return.
Both readings, though from different contexts, converge on the theme of spiritual preparedness. Revelation, written to comfort persecuted Christians, offers a future hope where God's throne is central, and His people worship Him without hindrance. Luke's passage, part of Jesus' teachings on the end times, emphasizes the need to stay alert and focused on spiritual matters. Together, they remind us that our ultimate hope is in eternal life with God, and we must actively prepare for this by maintaining a prayerful and vigilant stance.
In our daily lives, this means being mindful of our spiritual state, avoiding the entanglements of worldly indulgences, and nurturing a deep relationship with God through prayer. The moral lesson here is the importance of trust and preparedness. We are called to live with hope, knowing that God's promises are faithful, and to remain vigilant, keeping our eyes fixed on the eternal life He has promised. Let us embrace this call to live with purpose and hope, trusting in God's plan and striving to stand before Him with hearts ready and true.