Luke 17: 26-37
Just as it was in the days of Noah, so too it will be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking, and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed all of them. Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot: they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but on the day that Lot left Sodom, it rained fire and sulfur from heaven and destroyed all of them —it will be like that on the day that the Son of Man is revealed. On that day, anyone on the housetop who has belongings in the house must not come down to take them away; and likewise anyone in the field must not turn back. Remember Lot’s wife. Those who try to make their life secure will lose it, but those who lose their life will keep it. I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. There will be two women grinding meal together; one will be taken and the other left.” Then they asked him, “Where, Lord?” He said to them, “Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.”
New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989, by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. USCCB approved.
Spiritual Equilibrium
The mundane activities of life can easily get out of balance. Jesus speaks of the times of Noah and Lot when our ancestors were perhaps overly involved in the simple and ordinariness of life— eating and drinking, marrying and planning, buying and selling. Then with little advance warning or time for preparation the unimaginable happened. We are being warned to look beyond these daily routines and fix our eyes instead on the things that really matter: ways to love, honor, and serve God.
Ignatius gave us the tool of indifference to help us along with this balancing act. We maintain our spiritual equilibrium by allowing earthly things to fall as they may. We do not cling to money, health, status, or comfort. Instead we focus only on things that lead us closer to God. Thinking of poverty, illness, or suffering as neither positive nor negative does not come easily. The added step to accomplish this is to put our trust in God.
Is there something or someone I am clinging to that has distracted me from God lately? Help me open my closed fist and meet life with open hands.
—Tere Allen is a retired vice principal from Sacred Heart Nativity Schools in San Jose, California, who is now contemplating God through her Substack writing.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, you remind us that the day of the Son of Man will come suddenly. Awaken our hearts and keep us from being distracted by the noise around us or clinging too tightly to earthly things. Teach us to let go of our pride and self-reliance and put our trust in God.
Grant us watchful and faithful spirits. Fix our eyes upon your mercy and help us to live each day ready to meet you just as we are.
Through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
Amen.
—Tere Allen
Pray with the Pope
