Daily Gospel Reflection
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November 28, 2021
Jesus said to his disciples:
“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars,
and on earth nations will be in dismay,
perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves.
People will die of fright
in anticipation of what is coming upon the world,
for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
And then they will see the Son of Man
coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
But when these signs begin to happen,
stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand.
“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.”
A beautiful August years ago, I hiked Flattop Mountain in Alaska. I remember hiking quite a distance on a steep dirt trail and scrambling hands and feet up a craggy mountain side. When we finally reached the peak, I remember planting my feet and raising my head to look up at the clear Alaskan sky. I stood victorious.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus invites his disciples to this same posture of victory. He gives them the strength to stand erect with heads raised even at tumultuous events which precede the Son of Man’s second coming. This Advent, we, too, are included in this invitation to stand tall and victorious as we await Christ’s coming.
But, honestly, I don’t always feel like standing tall.
When I think of my “anxieties of daily life,” as I anticipate the stress of all I need to accomplish before Christmas, I do not stand tall—I trudge. When I think of my deepest fears, most of which come from what is unknown or uncontrollable in my life, my head is not held high but droops down.
But we have a God who does not leave us to trudge or to cower in anxiety or fear. We have a God who assumed the humble posture of a helpless infant so that we could assume the victorious posture of the redeemed. We have a Savior who let his posture become cruciform so that our posture could become erect. We can stand tall in the midst of the battle because Christ has already won the victory.
So whatever craggy mountain we have to climb, whatever fear and anxiety we are bringing with us into this Advent, let us stand tall. Let us ask for the grace to stand tall in victory, not because we have the answers or can see the future, but because we have a God who is our answer and our future.
Prayer
Lord, it seems that every year there are floods, wildfires, hurricanes, and other disasters causing significant damage and suffering. These natural turmoils can mirror interior chaos from anxieties, self doubt, or the realization of harm we have caused. Help us today as we begin this season of Advent to prepare for the coming of the Prince of Peace. May we be vigilant and attentive to your presence that enables us to weather every storm. Give us strength to pray all season long: “Come, Lord Jesus.”
Saint of the Day
St. Catherine Laboure is famous for spreading devotion to Jesus and Mary—especially through their sacred hearts—by a medal that was revealed to her in a vision.
Zoe Laboure was born in 1806 to a farm family in Burgundy, France. She was ninth of eleven children and at the age of nine, her mother died and she and a younger sister were sent to live with an aunt. Later, when other siblings left the household (some for religious life) she was forced to return to care for the household.
She never learned to read or write, and later worked as a waitress in her uncle’s café in Paris. She visited a hospital run by the Sisters of Charity, and felt a tangible call to work with the sick. She eventually joined the order, taking the name Catherine.
When she was a novice in the community, Mary appeared to Catherine three times. In one of her visions, Mary showed Catherine a medal to be worn around the neck. The medal depicts Mary as the Immaculate Conception, and has become known as the “Miraculous Medal.” On one side is an image of Mary with the words, “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.” On the other side is a depiction of the sacred hearts of Jesus and Mary. She told Catherine to have medals made as a source of prayer and grace. Devotion to the Miraculous Medal has since spread worldwide.
Catherine died after many long years as a nun, working in kitchens and gardens and taking care of elderly people in a nursing home. Her relics rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica.
St. Catherine Laboure, faithful visionary who passed on to us the image of the Miraculous Medal—pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Catherine Laboure is in the public domain. Last accessed November 15, 2024 on Wikimedia Commons.
