Daily Catholic Mass Readings for December 1, 2018
First Reading: Revelation 22.1-7
1Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb2through 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.3No 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.4They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.5And 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 forever and ever.6And 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."7"And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book."
Psalm 95
1Oh come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!2Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!3For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.4In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also.5The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.6Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!7For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today, if you hear his voice,8do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,9when your fathers put me to the test and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work.10For forty years I loathed that generation and said, "They are a people who go astray in their heart, and they have not known my ways."11Therefore I swore in my wrath, "They shall not enter my rest."
Gospel: Luke 21.34-36
34"But 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.35For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth.36But 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."
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.