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TODAY’S WORD…

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Jesus said,

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

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Be careful not to let yourselves become occupied with too much feasting and drinking and with the worries of this life,

or that Day may suddenly catch you.”

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– Luke 21:33-34 (GNT)

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REFLECTION…

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Our Lord Invites us to be watchful and careful

and He says this knowingly and lovingly

because He knows only too well about our tendencies towards lethargy, comfort-seeking,

egocentric self-satisfaction, and self-centeredness.

If we allow our tendencies to get their way,

then we will stifle and lose that supernatural outlook

with which we would otherwise give life to everything we do.

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Keeping watch is above all a matter of loving.

We may have difficulties in keeping our love awake:

selfishness, a lack of mortification and temperance always threaten to extinguish the flame that our Lord lights time and again in our hearts.

That is why we need to constantly revive the flame,

to shake ourselves out of any repetitive routine,

to struggle.

We must never allow ourselves to be taken by surprise.

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For Christians who gladly keep the Lord in focus

and who have many meetings with Him each day:

through the Sacraments

and also during ordinary events of the day – all filled with love, compassion and friendship –

that Day will not come as a surprise.

Such Christians will not be caught unawares

…because they have been careful;

because they are prepared and their hearts are always full of hope and expectation.

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REPETITIVE PRAYER FOR TODAY…

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Come, Lord Jesus, come!

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[*] Today’s reflection is sourced from the seven-volume work “In Conversation with God” by Padre Francisco Fernández Carvajal.