Twenty-Seventh Saturday of Ordinary Time

For near is the day of the LORD in the valley of decision. Sun and moon are darkened, and the stars withhold their brightness. The LORD roars from Zion, and from Jerusalem raises his voice; The heavens and the earth quake, but the LORD is a refuge to his people, a stronghold to the children of Israel.

It is important for us to live our lives as if the day of the Lord is near. We never know when our time on this earth will end. Some live long lives, others short ones. There are no guarantees we will have a tomorrow to make amends for our sins or to do the good we are called to do. However, if we take refuge in the Lord each and every day, through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, through acts of charity and mercy, and through the resistance of temptation, then we shall be able to stand against evil and choose good above all.

Do we live our lives as if we might die or Christ might return at any moment? How can we live in anticipation of the second coming? In what ways do we seek refuge in God?

O Lord, help us make the right decisions. The ones that will lead us closer to you.

Amen.