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.