November 28, Saturday Weekday

Give glory and eternal praise to him.-- Daniel 3:59

Mass readings: Daniel 7:15-27 / Luke 21:34-36

Alert to Anxiety

Carousing (i.e., riotous behavior). Drunkenness. Anxiety. Which is the odd one out? Anxiety, of course. It just doesn't seem to fit together with the other two, does it? Yet in today's Gospel, when Jesus warns His disciples about things that might stand in the way of their being ready for His Second Coming, He places ''the anxieties of daily life'' right beside carousing and drunkenness. We need to be alert to anxiety because anxiety may slowly, subtly, gnaw away at our joy and peace in Christ. Worry can weigh us down and draw us away from God almost as surely as sin.

So what do we do with our worries? Our anxieties need not be suppressed, but are to be expressed to the One who not only cares, but is more than able to help.

Prayer: Father, when I lay my anxieties at Your feet, help me to leave them there.