Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 21, 20-28
Jesus said to his disciples:
“When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies,
know that its desolation is at hand.
Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains.
Let those within the city escape from it,
and let those in the countryside not enter the city,
for these days are the time of punishment
when all the Scriptures are fulfilled.
Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days,
for a terrible calamity will come upon the earth
and a wrathful judgment upon this people.
They will fall by the edge of the sword
and be taken as captives to all the Gentiles;
and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles
until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
“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.”
When you see
1) The signs. You may notice that Jesus is very insistent, but it is necessary. There are signs that we must learn to see. We must learn to see signs that call our attention. For example, young people that believe in God, but not in the Church, and people who belong to the Church and who are constantly fighting among themselves and not giving testimony of our faith. Today, we must see and challenge ourselves to bring God’s peace to many.
2) God never leaves you. Jesus is always by your side and encourages you to fight on, reminding you that he is always with you. He wants to share everything with you and to have a personal and living experience with you. He awaits your initiative.
3) Hold your head high. This is to remind you that you have dignity and a life to live with courage. Your life is worth a lot, do not let others diminish it and do not let it be manipulated by anything or anyone. Give yourself the chance to be happy.
God bless you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. And remember, Heaven is Our Goal !
