This does not seem like a joyful Advent reading! But in the end, it is definitely good news. Because for those who remain “vigilant” and who do not “become drowsy,” not only from drunkenness and carousing but from the “anxieties of daily life” (a kind of moral stupor), there will be vindication. In other words, for those who remain resolute, the end times or the end of our lives are nothing to fear. Instead, they are a source of joy and redemption.
But what enables us, in the face of the “tribulations” we face—whether it’s anxiety over our families, our jobs, our health, our politics or our church—not to grow drowsy?
One answer comes from Pope Francis, who has a wonderful insight on this reading. “Prayer is what keeps the lamp of our heart lit. This is especially true when we feel that our enthusiasm has cooled down. Prayer re-lights it because it brings us back to God, the center of things.”
--Fr. James Martin,
Outreach, November 30-
December 1, 2024
Outreach, November 30-
December 1, 2024
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