ATURDAY DECEMBER 2, 2023
SATURDAY OF THE THIRTY FOURTH WEEK OF THE ORDINARY TIME A
Daniel 7:15-27
Luke 21: 34-36
OVERCOMING THE EVIL DAYS WITH ITS VARIED ANTICS
Our world is becoming so complex and encumbered with many things. Life is becoming filled with so much anxiety and worries that are really empty and confusing. We become entangled with so much things that are ephemeral and unwarranted. We pursue happiness at all cost and tend to find it in things that are hopelessly entangling to our eternal salvation.
Jesus warns us against such type of busyness that takes away our focus and portends danger to our eternal salvation. And Jesus mentioned two very likely things that may derail our lives. He tell us today in the gospel, “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.
He warns us first on becoming drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the other is so much anxiety arising from daily life. These two great dangers and grave situations can derail our eternal salvation and we are warned against them.
Beginning with carousing and drunkenness, it must be noted that, the idea that life must be enjoyed at all cost is what Jesus is pointing at. So we indulge in our appetite and give in to everything that comes our way or that appeals to us. The whole slogan of “I cannot kill myself” comes to mind. We begin an empty life of making everything and every time an experience of enjoyment. We turn all things into entertainment and amusement. Even our worship of God turns to our entertainment and self aggrandizement. We begin to live as if life itself begins and ends with us. We forget or rather neglect to recourse to God as the beginning and end of all we are and have. We pursue happiness as the end to which our lives revolves. Such is found in excessive and overwhelming eating , drinking, merry making, partying, leisures, and all other kinds of things that seduces the mind and keeps us always focused on ourselves. We even go to the extent of following inordinate enjoyment and explorations that goes against God’s ordinances, like sexual exploits to the extremes; guy, lesbianism, and we tend to rationalize and make them look morally upright and permissible in our time and age.
The other grave slide into self inflicted wrath is anxiety, worries and all forms of headaches that we inflict on ourselves just to satisfy the longings and yearnings of our ever consuming appetite and longings. We engage in business that are inordinate. We dwindle people, scam others and tend to be satisfy with such atrocities. We go as far as engaging in illicit business that keeps us guessing if we are still human with conscience.
We engage our time and energy in many ventures that take away our time and sap our resources and energy. We are so focused on these things that we hardly have time for our God, for prayer, for meditations, for church activities, for soul searching, and for other thing necessary and important, like care of our family, children, and even our health and spiritual well-being. We are so absolves in our business and longing to make money, to build houses, to pursue our business venture that we forget every other thing that matters.
Remember that in middle lies virtues. A little to the right and a little to the left. Nothing is as wasteful as pursuing shadow. Follow the essence of life, and being contented with what you have. Life is not measured by possession neither by such happiness. But life can be enjoyed and lived in total trust and commitment to God the creator. Build yourself and your life in God and this is the ultimate. For life must continue after this earthly journey. Store your treasures in heaven and work for your salvation. This is the most important of all. No wonder the saints gave up everything to win life in eternity.
Heavenly Father, we are sometimes troubled and derailed on all sides of life by the lure of the heart and the pleasure of the flesh. From all these Lord, deliver us. Save us from inordinate desires and wants. Help us to be focused on you, build our lives around your grace and always trust in you our God for strength, to live well and for our eternal heritage through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Fr Norbert Uchuno
