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.

Occasionally, people ask me whether priestly celibacy leads to loneliness. Sometimes, they even quote that same passage: “It is not good for the man to be alone.” Without entering into the theological discussions of celibacy and the century of church teachings on the issue, I reply to them, quite honestly, that I have never felt alone as a priest.