Be vigilant at all times. Today’s Gospel reading from the Gospel of Luke foretells the days when humankind will be witness to many inexplicable signs, both from the sky and here on earth. But even though the events of these days will be unlike any we have ever witnessed, we are to stand tall, ever prayerful, ever vigilant, in anticipation of the coming of the Son of Man.

We know that prayer is both a gift of grace and a determined response on our part. Prayer is, in fact, a battle against the possessive and dominating self, which requires a strong vigilance on our part. Though we face many distractions in our lives, distractions which interfere with our prayer lives, to be truly vigilant we need only to offer our hearts God.

With the light of faith, we look beyond the trials of this earthly life to the glory of our redemption.