Saturday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Today's Mass Readings

Every year, as we draw near to the end of the liturgical year, the Church in her wisdom gives us a series of readings like today’s readings, which speak of the fantastic events surrounding the End Times and remind us of the coming of God’s Kingdom. But why does she do this?

Holy Mother Church does not give us these readings to scare us, but rather to remind us that we are mortal and that we know not the day nor the hour of our deaths (Matthew 25:13). Mother Church is looking after us, like any good mother, because she does not want us to put off our spiritual affairs until it is too late. She wants us to act now.

Now is the most important moment—the only moment we have control over. The past is done and beyond our control, and there is no promise that the future will come before death takes us. Thus, now is the only time we know we have, so now is the time to follow the Lord, to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him, to repent, and to follow Him. Now is our most valuable possession, and the only moment we can use to change our lives forever.

The Church has given us this reminder, asking us to act today, right now, to follow the Lord, lest we be caught in our sin like the Arrogant Beast in today’s reading, and be cast into the fires below.

Reflection by Robert, seminarian