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.
Jesus predicted a perennial problem, as present in our own age as it any time in history. The risk is to forget that life has a definitive meaning and history a definitive direction. This risk is to forgot that, as Saint John Paul the Great put it, "Jesus Christ, is the centre of the universe and of history" (see Redemptor Hominis, 1).
When we forget about the larger meaning of history we also forget about the new life we have been given in baptism. When this happens we revert to living as centered in our old and sinful selves, not guiding ourselves by minds renewed in Christ, not manifesting the new hearts his Holy Spirit has given us. When we forget about these things and no longer live as though they are true it is the result of culpable negligence on our part. It begins as mere indifference, as when we make the seemingly harmless decision not to return with the leper to give thanks. But the world around us is all too ready to conspire with any indifference on our part. It will try to cast a spell over us, leading us to believe that this life is the entire horizon, with nothing eternal beyond. That is not to say we explicitly entertain such a thought. Rather, we begin to live like it is true while still talking and thinking of heaven, no longer as an impetus to holiness and evangelization, but rather as one more tranquilizer to put our hearts back into worldly slumber.
The world conspires with our fallen nature to put us to sleep, to make us forget that history is not just an endless succession of gain and loss, pleasure and pain, but that it is heading somewhere, heading toward someone. At first we are complicit through our negligence. But when we forget about our hope we tend to do things beyond mere omissions. We do inevitably respond to the pressures of this world in one way or another. We either bring the anxieties of daily life to Jesus or we find ourselves taking up carousing and drunkenness or any other way that we can numb ourselves, since dealing with these things without Jesus is a fundamentally hopeless proposition.
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.
We need the strength to remain steadfast, engaged in our faith, and ready to welcome Jesus into any situation at any time. But we do not gain this strength by gritting or teeth and trying harder. It is a gift of the Holy Spirit given- and here is the secret- when we ask. Let us listen to Saint Paul encourage us. Hear how confident he is that we will be empowered to make this stand.
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery (see Galatians 5:1).
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand (see Ephesians 6:13).
We stand in the face of all that the world can throw at us precisely because we are ready to kneel and to fall on our faces before the coming of the Son of Man. When we are tempted to forget about the big picture the Spirit will nudge us to remember. He himself will "bring to your remembrance" all that Jesus said (see John 14:26). It isn't merely human weakness that puts us at risk. It is when we neglect these offerings of grace that we expose ourselves to the danger that could ultimately overwhelm us. May we always avail ourselves of these graces that he never ceases to offer us!
When our identities are centered on our renewal in Jesus Christ, when his Holy Spirit helps us to stay awake and attentive to his word, we do not fear though the powers of the world seem to be terrible beasts, though their dominion seems absolute. We see beyond the narrow horizon of secular narratives of power because we realize that they are temporary, indeed the blink of an eye in the face of eternity.
Then the kingship and dominion and majesty
of all the kingdoms under the heavens
shall be given to the holy people of the Most High,
Whose Kingdom shall be everlasting:
all dominions shall serve and obey him.
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