Strength to Stand - reflex on Luke 21:34-36

Read today's readings.Last Sunday we celebrated the great Solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, the last Sunday of the liturgical year. Tomorrow, we will observe the First Sunday of Advent, the first day of the new liturgical year, and the beginning of our preparation for Christmas, our celebration of the Incarnation of the One Who comes among us to save us.Today, as we remain still before the mystery of the eschaton (the Greek word for the final event in the Divine Plan, the apocalypse, the moment when the true Lordship of Christ will be fully manifest and He takes His place on His everlasting throne to reign over all), we listen to the Lord’s warning.What does the Lord warn us against? “Carousing and drunkenness,” first. You may well be thinking, “Well, that’s not a problem for me, so I’m ok.” But then Jesus warns us about “the anxieties of daily life.” Who among us does not experience some daily anxieties, big and small?! Our daily lives are filled with deadlines, urgencies, the needs of the people around us, the tasks that remain unfinished, interruptions, to-do lists… None of these are unimportant, and most of them are not some kind of selfish indulgence; we are eager to help others and serve, to fulfill the duties of our daily life, to keep things in order. Why does Jesus warn us about these things, sometimes the very things he has put in our lives?What Jesus says is to be careful that these things do not make our hearts “drowsy” (other translations use “weighed down” or “overcharged”), distracting us from the most important things. We might think of the story of Mary and Martha here: Martha’s heart was surely somewhat “weighed down” and distracted in that moment, while Mary remained focused on Jesus. The Lord wants us to maintain hearts free of distraction and to remain prayerfully vigilant, so that the spiritual things – and the spiritual side of all things - are not forgotten amidst our busy-ness. He does not want us to be found unready for His return, “for that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth.”As we enter into the special kind of “busy-ness” of holiday preparations and celebrations, let us also remain prayerfully vigilant, careful to prepare our minds and hearts as well as our homes for Christmas celebrations. We might also find ways in our own circles to turn the cultural trend around, so that Advent is truly a time of preparation and we begin our true celebrating on December 25, and even observe the 12 Days of Christmas, to the Feast of the Epiphany!Pray now about ways to do this in your family, so that you will “have the strength…to stand before the Son of Man” when he comes, both at the gentle birth of Christmas, and at His final coming in glory.