In the epistle, the second reading of todays’ Mass, we hear from the Letter to the Hebrews. It is always amusing to hear lectors at Mass state: “A Reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Hebrews,” and I must admit that I have at private Masses when I have no readers and I have to proclaim the epistle myself, I also have slipped into this!

Look for the prophets in our midst — they are there if only we have the eyes to see and the ears to hear.

In the Gospel we proclaim this day with which the Lord has blessed us, we see the true beauty of the work of the Evangelist whose telling of the Good News we have this liturgical year — St. Luke. Look at all the details he gives us in the Gospel today, all meant to situate the reader in the time period.

The imagery in today’s Gospel from Saint Luke should sound a bit familiar. Saint Mark’s version of the same discourse was the Gospel two Sunday’s ago. Although there are some differences, the basic message is the same: Stay alert, Christ is coming again at a time that we cannot predict.

Our acclamation of Christ as King today demands its implicit awareness that we are, by that very proclamation, servants, called to obedience.

The Gospel invites us to an “edge of our seats” attitude towards the kingdom. This does not mean an attitude of fear but of awareness of its inevitability.

Real giving, like Christ’s ultimate gift of self on the Cross, comes from the heart’s sense of purpose and brings its own reward.

Our journey to holiness is a life-long one that requires constant attentiveness to our human weaknesses. Humility is a key part of our spiritual life. It is through his gift of God that we recognize our failings and begin to perfect the imperfect.

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel “The Beautiful and the Damned” is the story of a young socialite couple that lives recklessly in pursuit of happiness. Their story turns tragic as their marriage disintegrates under the weight of their expectations, jealousy, and aimlessness.