Daily Gospel Reflection for December 3, 2023: First Sunday of Advent

Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.

Today's Gospel: Mark 13:33-37

We are a security-minded society. It’s common now for homes to have motion sensor lights, cameras, and even video doorbells that constantly watch for any impending danger. At any time, the owner can connect to the cameras with their smartphone to see who is crossing their property or ringing their doorbell. We want to assure our safety. We are always watching.

In this Gospel, Jesus is telling us to always be alert and watchful. He wants us to be like the homeowner who puts his servants in charge of watching over his property, keeping an eye out for any impending danger. But Jesus isn’t asking us to watch for danger but rather for Him. Just as we don’t want to be caught off guard when a thief or murderer approaches our property, we don’t want to be caught off guard when Jesus comes to determine our eternal fate. That could occur at any time no matter our age or health status. Jesus comes, not to make our lives miserable and scare us but to encourage us to live our lives in joyful anticipation of his coming.

In the spiritual realm, we don’t have the luxury of security cameras or video doorbells that show us exactly who is coming and when. The time and the place are known only to the heavenly Father and no one else. We must depend, then, not on digital devices but on the teachings and precepts of the holy Catholic Church. If we devote our lives entirely to God and take every precaution to live according to His will, we can be assured that we are as prepared as possible for the day of the Lord’s coming. We want Him to find us fully awake and yearning for Him, not spiritually asleep.

Ponder:

If our Lord came today, right now, would I be prepared for His judgment?

Pray:

Jesus, I spend far too much of my time spiritually asleep. Please wake me up before it is too late and help me be fully prepared for Your coming.

Click to tweet:
We don’t have the luxury of security cameras or video doorbells that show us exactly when Jesus is coming. The time and the place are known only to the heavenly Father and no one else. #DailyGospel

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