Matthew 24: 37-44
Jesus said to his disciples:
“For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.”
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.
Awaiting His Arrival
Happy Advent!
And how lucky are we?! We have the benefit of knowing how the next part of the story goes… We know what follows this beautiful season: the hour is coming, Christmas is in reach, Christ will soon be born. How can we use this time to prepare ourselves for the Prince of Peace who is on his way?
Whether they put it into words or not, children are incredibly perceptive and sensitive to their surroundings. Into what sort of environment do we want to welcome Jesus? Is there reconciliation that needs to take place before his arrival? Forgiveness that needs to be offered? Depth that needs to be explored, or a word of love that needs to be extended?
Many of us are rarely willing to take these steps for ourselves. Let's take them for the Child who longs to transform our lives.
—Joe Ertle, SJ, is a Jesuit scholastic of the Midwest Province currently studying philosophy at the ITESO, a Jesuit university in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Prayer
God, you who long to bring peace into my life, I want what only you can offer. Give me the grace I need: ____________ (the willingness to open my heart to the people I have hurt or who have hurt me; the courage to say how I truly feel; the boldness to set aside whatever doesn’t lead me to you, who matter more than all else).
I know that today likely won't bring all of the peace that I desire, but I trust that a glimmer of it is a glimpse of you. And for that I’m grateful.
Amen.
—Joe Ertle, SJ
Pray with the Pope
Pray with the monthly prayer intentions of the pope.