0:07
reading of the book of The Prophet
0:09
Jeremiah behold the days are coming says
0:12
the Lord when I will fulfill the promise
0:15
of future good things for the house of
0:17
Israel and for the house of Judah in
0:19
those days at that time I will cause the
0:22
seed of righteousness to sprout in David
0:25
which will make the law and Justice in
0:27
the land in those days Judah will be
0:30
saved in Jerusalem will have a confident
0:32
population this is the name that will
0:34
serve to designate it the Lord is our
0:37
Justice word of the Lord thank
0:47
God reading of the first letter of St
0:51
Thessalonians Brothers may the Lord
0:54
grant that the love between you and
0:55
towards everyone will increase and
0:57
overflow ever more following the example
1:00
of the love we have for you may he thus
1:02
confirm your hearts in faultless
1:04
Holiness in the eyes of God our Father
1:07
on the day of the coming of our Lord
1:09
Jesus with all his Saints finally my
1:12
brothers this is what we ask and exhort
1:14
of you in the Lord Jesus you learn from
1:17
us how you should live to please God and
1:20
you are already living like this make
1:22
even greater progress you know in fact
1:26
the instructions that we have given in
1:28
the name of the Lord Jesus word of the
1:39
God proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus
1:42
Christ according to St Luke Glory To You
1:45
Lord at that time Jesus said to his
1:48
disciples there will be signs in the sun
1:51
in the moon and in the stars on Earth
1:55
the Nations will be in anguish terrified
1:58
of the noise of the Sea and the waves
2:01
men will faint with fear just thinking
2:03
about what will happen to the world
2:05
because the forces of heaven will be
2:07
shaken then they will see the son of man
2:10
coming in a cloud with great power and
2:13
Glory next take care that your hearts do
2:16
not become insensitive because of
2:17
gluttony drunkenness and the cares of
2:20
life and that day does not fall upon you
2:23
suddenly for that day will fall like a
2:25
snare on all the inhabitants of the
2:27
whole earth be alert and pray at all
2:30
times so that you may have the strength
2:32
to escape everything that must happen
2:34
and to stand before the son of man word
2:37
of Salvation Glory To You
2:46
Lord dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ
2:50
imagine yourself on a dark and stormy
2:53
night the wind howls lightning cuts
2:56
across the sky and in the distance you
2:59
see a light it is not a light of
3:01
Destruction but a Light Of Hope a beacon
3:04
that cuts through the deepest Darkness
3:07
this image captures the essence of our
3:09
readings today a call to Hope in the
3:11
midst of chaos to light in the midst of
3:14
Darkness Jeremiah brings us a prophecy
3:17
of restoration and promise behold the
3:21
days will come declares the Lord when I
3:24
will make a righteous Chute Sprout for
3:26
David what words of Hope for a people
3:28
who had experienced so much suffering so
3:31
much Exile the prophet is speaking of a
3:34
promise of justice of restoration of a
3:37
future that transcends the dark present
3:40
think about the image of the sprout a
3:43
small seed apparently fragile but
3:46
carrying within it the potential of a
3:48
majestic tree such is the hope that God
3:51
offers not a grand immediately visible
3:54
hope but a small Sprout of promise that
3:57
in time we'll grow into some something
4:00
extraordinary the prophet continues he
4:03
will practice Justice and Justice in the
4:05
land it is not an abstract or distant
4:08
justice but an incarnated lived
4:11
concretely experienced Justice a Justice
4:15
that not only speaks but acts a Justice
4:18
that restores that heals that reconciles
4:23
moving on to the second reading Paul
4:25
writes to the Thessalonians with a heart
4:27
overflowing with love and Hope
4:30
may the Lord make you grow and overflow
4:32
with love for one another notice how
4:35
Paul sees love not as a passive feeling
4:37
but as something that grows that
4:40
overflows that expands continuously this
4:43
love is not a Sentimental or superficial
4:46
love it is a love that translates into
4:49
concrete actions into mutual care into
4:52
dedication Paul exhorts them to live in
4:55
a way that pleases God not out of fear
4:58
or obligation but out of a transforming
5:00
love that drives them to pursue Holiness
5:03
and then we come to the Gospel of Luke
5:06
where Jesus talks about the signs of the
5:08
end times at first glance it seems like
5:11
a scary text there will be signs in the
5:14
Sun and in the moon and in the stars and
5:17
on the earth there will be distress
5:19
among the Nations images of cosmic chaos
5:24
disintegration but listen carefully in
5:27
the midst of this apocalyptic
5:32
extraordinary when these things begin to
5:34
happen stand up and lift your heads for
5:37
your deliverance is near what a
5:39
revolutionary message when everything
5:42
seems to be falling apart when chaos
5:44
seems to Rain Jesus tells us to stand up
5:48
to lift our heads not to hide not to
5:51
panic but to rise up with hope that
5:54
doesn't mean there won't be challenges
5:57
Jesus warns us to be vigilant
6:00
not to let our hearts be weighed down
6:02
with the cares of this life vigilance is
6:05
not a state of fear but of active hope
6:08
of conscious preparation my dear ones
6:11
these readings speak to us today of a
6:13
hope that goes far beyond the immediate
6:16
circumstances a hope that does not deny
6:18
the reality of suffering but which
6:21
refuses to be defined by it a hope that
6:24
Springs not from naive optimism but from
6:27
a deep trust in God we live in times
6:30
that may seem Bleak we look around us
6:32
and see divisions conflicts injustices
6:37
we can feel small in the face of global
6:39
challenges climate change economic
6:42
inequalities political tensions it's
6:45
easy to feel like that little seed of
6:48
Jeremiah seemingly fragile and
6:50
insignificant but today's readings tell
6:53
us don't be discouraged just as David sh
6:57
will grow to bring Justice just as love
7:00
can overflow among you so hope can
7:02
germinate in the midst of the deepest
7:04
Darkness Christian hope is not a feeling
7:08
it is a lived reality it's choosing to
7:11
love when it's easier to hate it is
7:13
Seeking Justice when Injustice seems to
7:16
Prevail it is remaining Vigilant not out
7:19
of fear but out of a deep trust that God
7:22
is transforming all things how can we
7:25
live this hope first cultivating love
7:29
not an abstract love but concrete love
7:33
love that translates into actions into
7:35
care into dedication second Seeking
7:39
Justice wherever we are third keeping
7:42
ourselves Vigilant not in a state of
7:45
anxiety but of hopeful expectation when
7:49
the storms of life seem most intense
7:52
remember you are the ones who can lift
7:54
your head you are those who know that
7:56
even in the midst of chaos liberate is
7:59
near May the little Sprout of Hope grow
8:02
in your hearts may love overflow from
8:05
you may vigilance keep you in tune with
8:08
God's transformative work in the world
8:11
and May the grace of our Lord Jesus
8:13
Christ always be with you
8:24
amen St Michael the Archangel defend Us
8:28
in battle be our protection against the
8:30
wickedness and snares of the devil may
8:33
God rebuke him we humbly pray and do
8:37
thou oh Prince of the Heavenly Host by
8:39
the power of God cast into hell Satan
8:43
and all the evil spirits who prowl
8:45
throughout the world seeking the ruin of
