FIRST READING
“Night shall be no more, for the Lord God will be their light.”
A reading from the Book of Revelation (Revelation 22:1-7)
Then the angel of the Lord showed me, John, the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. There shall no more be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and his servants shall worship him; they shall see his face, and his name shall be on their foreheads. And night shall be no more; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they shall reign for ever and ever. And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place. And behold, I am coming soon.” Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 95: 1-2.3-5.6-7abc (R. 1 Corinthians 16:22b; Revelation 22:20c)
R/. Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!
Come, let us ring out our joy to the LORD;
hail the rock who saves us.
Let us come into his presence, giving thanks;
let us hail him with a song of praise. R/.
A mighty God is the Lord,
a great king above all gods.
In his hands are the depths of the earth;
the heights of the mountains are his.
To him belongs the sea, for he made it,
and the dry land that he shaped by his hands. R/.
R/. Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!
O come; let us bow and bend low.
Let us kneel before the God who made us,
for he is our God and we
the people who belong to his pasture,
the flock that is led by his hand. R/.
ALLELUIA Luke 21:36
Alleluia. Watch at all times, praying that you may be able to stand before the Son of man. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
“Watch at all times, that you may have strength to escape all these things that will take place.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Luke 21:34-36)
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “Take heed to yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a snare; for it will come upon all who dwell upon the face of the whole earth. But watch at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of man.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
TODAY’S REFLECTION
St Johns describes magnificently the city where the throne of God and of the Lamb are. The beautiful description arouses the desire to be in that city. The world in which we live today has lost the sense of reverence for God. Technology is deified and worshipped by many in place of God. Many people do not even pray, or even talk of going to church. Many Christians go to church/worship God only when they want something from God. After they get what they seek, they mind their business and leave God out. Those who serve God in Spirit and in Truth are persecuted by religious fanatics in different ways. In the midst of all this evil, one cannot but cry out Maranatha – come! Come Lord Jesus!