Saturday in the 34th Week of Ordinary Time, November 26, 2022

Luke 21, 34-36

Jesus said to his disciples: “Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap. For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth. Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.”

The Lord Jesus spoke these words in person to his disciples two thousand years ago, and he speaks them to us today through the Church, who gives us the Gospels.  He tells us to take care not to become “drowsy”, that is, complacent, to three dangers: carousing, drunkenness, and the anxieties of daily life.  By “carousing” he means abandonment to the pleasures of the flesh; by “drunkenness”, through escapism of any kind, especially that which becomes addictive, as alcohol and drugs; and our daily anxieties.  The first two of these we can safely avoid altogether.  The third, not so easily, for we are all beset by the cares of life.  Yet, the Lord tells us not to be: “Do not be anxious therefore, saying: What shall we eat: or what shall we drink, or wherewith shall we be clothed? For after all these things do the heathens seek. For your Father knows that you have need of all these things. Seek ye therefore first the kingdom of God, and his justice, and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6, 31-33).  That is, serving God comes first, and he will take care of his servants.  We do this by following the vocation to which he calls us and performing well the work within that vocation.  In doing so, we edify those among whom the Lord places us by our virtues and are afforded opportunities to spread the Gospel.  

“For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth.”  The Greek word translated here as “assault” actually means “come upon” or “overtake”:  That day will overtake everyone who lives, etc.  The Greek does not imply violence, only motion.  The Greek future tense, though, is much more emphatic than the English, as in, That day will most definitely come upon everyone, etc.  “Pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent.”  We are exhorted to pray for spiritual strength so that we may hold onto our faith with an unbreakable grip.  If we do not pray for this we will put ourselves in the position of those who do not study before taking a critical exam.  These tribulations are imminent: they were imminent for the Lord’s disciples two thousand years ago, and for all his disciples since, even for us today.  Some of these imminent tribulations may be very apparent and some may not be.  We pray to be ready for all of them so that we may stand before the face of the Lord not in fear, but in joy.