Maranatha!

“Be on guard lest your spirits become bloated with indulgence and drunkenness and worldly cares.” Luke 21:34

In yesterday’s Catholic readings, we have the same set of verses but it is expanded to include Jesus’ description of His Second Coming. “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of the sea and waves. People will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heaven will be shaken. And they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But when these signs happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.” (Luke 21:25-28)

I don’t think Jesus is prone to exaggeration, do you? If ever, I believe he is limited by human language that does not have the power and capability to describe what is going to happen. But Jesus tells the disciples, “...stand erect and raise your heads...” This means they are not to be dismayed but actually hopeful. But only if they are ready, only if their hearts were not drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life. 

Perhaps like me, you do not go out carousing and get drunk, but my heart can become “drowsy from the anxieties of daily life”. In Luke 8, there is a story about how the family of Jesus could not get near him because there was a crowd about him. There is always a crowd around us as well. A “crowd” of tasks to do, a “crowd” of people to talk to, to pray for, to visit, a “crowd” of activities in church, in our organizations. There’s always the “crowd” of irresistible distractions like Facebook, Netflix and Twitter. As Christmas nears, and we are now in the 1st Sunday of Advent, we should be intentional in following Jesus’ advice. Let us not let all these crowds keep us from Him. Come, Lord Jesus, come! Maranatha!