Daily Reflection _ saturday of 34th week OT


AN ENCOURAGEMENT OF LIVING FULLY
Do we have the temptation to diminish our efforts and to become spiritually idle, lazy, indifferent, or inattentive to God's word and guidance for our lives? We can fall asleep spiritually if we allow distractions to divert us from the reality of God in our lives. It is very easy to get caught up in the things of the present moment, or to be weighed down with the anxieties, cares, and concerns of life. Jesus knows our struggles, weaknesses, and shortcomings. He assures us that we do not need to carry our burdens and temptations alone. Jesus is there to help and guide us through these difficulties.
The responsorial psalm today calls for Jesus Christ to come. The reading from Luke's Gospel is also positioned in the setting of waiting for Jesus. Jesus tells us that as His followers we are not to become so absorbed in temporal pursuits that we lose contact with the things of heaven and His second coming. Luke's Gospel encourages us to lift up our heads and eagerly await the coming the Son of Man (Lk 21:20-28). 
The Lord Jesus tells us, "Be vigilant" and be awake. That message itself is an encouragement to live fully. To be awake means to be eager, alert, attentive, and even expectant of good things and of opportunities that are ahead of us.