Just after the "Parable of the Fig Tree" (Lk. 21: 29-33), Jesus reminded his disciples to be prepared for the coming of the Kingdom.

Today's Gospel reading is an exhortation to vigilance and prayer. Here Jesus appealed to his audience to be alert, for the day of the Lord would come unexpectedly, and people would be taken by surprise. For us, who are disciples of Jesus, we should be vigilant and pray earnestly to be ready for the coming of the Kingdom.

Great advice! Pray-focus-pray-and more prayer. We each have our unique set of tribulations. The remedy, recipe, antidote is simply to acknowledge those challenges, isolate them and pray that we will have the strength to escape, avoid, or minimize these tribulations. Keep in mind that these tribulations will always be with us; they come with living.

As the first reading from Daniel notes: "I, Daniel, found my spirit anguished within its sheath of flesh, and I was terrified by the visions of my mind."

We are all Daniel. We all have these same fears, these same internal visions.

Only prayer, rooted in faith, hope and love, will relax these visions and soothe the anguished spirit.