Luke 17:26-37
“Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.
“It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulphur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.
“It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. On that day no one who is on the housetop, with possessions inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. Remember Lot’s wife! Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it. I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left.”
“Where, Lord?” they asked.
He replied, “Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather.
The Gospel of the Lord
The Mass Intentions is for a Novena Mass
Commentary
Jesus is telling us that his coming cannot be predicted. He is challenging our day to day lives. What kind of life does God want us to live then ?
We read somewhere that he knew us through and through before we were born.
We need to focus our attention more on our relationship with God rather than paying attention to the things of this earth.
Many times, we are caught up by overwhelming events and forget we need to think what we are living for. God created us and is always with us on our journey. He gives each the grace accordingly to help us keep focused on him.
We get distracted by what is not important, but Jesus warns us how we can be caught unawares when the time comes.
Just as in Noah’s time people were engaged in their normal life and everyday activities and forgot there would be no warning, no time to plan to escape.
We need to know that this life will pass away and so stay focused. Lot’s wife looked back and what happened to her? Surrender all to God and pray unceasingly. Losing and saving is in God’s hands.
So the only way to get prepared is to keep strong in our faith, living a good life based on love, then his coming will not be a disaster, but joy.
The Gospels help us know who we are,
What we are for,
Where we are going.
Today’s Gospel has challenged us to live our daily lives focusing our attention on our relationship with God rather than the passing things of this earth.
Jesus, may you find us ready when our lifespan is over. Amen.
