Stand Erect and Look Up!

Isn't it a strange instruction: while all the catastrophic disaster are happening, the sun and moon falling, the earth shaking, perhaps with buildings crumbling, something like what happens in the film 2012, one is to stand erect and look up to the sky. The important details, however, should not be missed: the Son of Man coming in great power, bringing liberation to his people, to those who believe in him.

Amidst the turmoils in the world today, perhaps not (as yet) in the scale of cataclysms and catastophes, we are told by Christ to stand firm and raise our eyes to him, who is our hope and our strength. So that no matter what happens around us: volcanoes erupting, rivers overflowing, global warming, we do not lose faith because our eyes are fixed on the Lord.

We are reminded of Peter who started sinking when we paid attention, not to the Lord who was calling him, but to the waves surrounding him. May we begin this Advent season, this new liturgical year with an affirmation of our trust in the Lord, as we say in the psalm response; To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul!