Prepare Your Heart

A Reading from the Gospel according to Luke
     Jesus said to his disciples:
     “There will be signs in the sun, the     
     moon, and the stars, 
     and on earth nations will be in dismay, 
     perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves.
     People will die of fright 
     in anticipation of what is coming upon the world, 
     for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
     And then they will see the Son of Man 
     coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
     But when these signs begin to happen, 
     stand erect and raise your heads 
     because your redemption is at hand.

     “Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy 
     from carousing and drunkenness 
     and the anxieties of daily life, 
     and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.
     For that day will assault everyone
     who lives on the face of the earth.
     Be vigilant at all times 
     and pray that you have the strength 
     to escape the tribulations that are imminent 
     and to stand before the Son of Man.”

     Full transparency, this is the second time I’ve written this reflection. I suppose God needed to lay something new on my heart to share with you (and also I lost my original reflection). 

     Being pregnant for the first time, a lot of new things have happened this year! God’s blessings have been in full force in my life; however, like so many others over the past almost two years, so have the hardships, anxieties and fears. 

     While reading through the Gospel narrative for the first Sunday of Advent, I was honestly confused. Why in the world is Jesus Christ talking about His second coming? Aren’t we supposed to be preparing for His first coming during Advent? Shouldn’t this reading focus on the Baby Jesus, not on Jesus during His time with his disciples? However, as I reflected on the passage for a second, third, and even fourth time, it finally dawned on me: This is how we should prepare our hearts for remembering the way the Lord came to Earth as a baby. 

     How often do we get lost in the everyday hardships of life? Personally, it’s much more often than I would like to admit. It’s so much easier to make excuses or “become drowsy from…the anxieties of daily life.” But living a life filled with strife, pain, anxiety, fear, and so on is not what God has called us to; we are called to “…strengthen our hearts, to be blameless in holiness before God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus.” (Reading II)

     When Jesus came to Earth as a newborn baby, very few people were aware of what had happened. Yes, there were wise men and shepherds and even angels rejoicing, but Christ didn’t come “in a cloud of power and great glory” (Gospel Reading) the first time. He came as a small human born to an Immaculate Mother and a carpenter father in a manger filled with hay. As we prepare our hearts and minds for remembering that first coming of Jesus, we should take heed of Christ’s words to His disciples. We should pay attention to the changes around us, prepare our hearts by giving our daily struggles over to God, and remain vigilant in the face of evil. Brothers and sisters, I pray that this Advent season you are able to strengthen your heart in preparation of the coming of Christy Jesus.


About the Author: Rebecca Gruntz is a convert-Catholic, having grown up Southern Baptist. In college, after a difficult first two years of school, she stepped into a mass for the first time her junior year and felt the presence of God whisper “Welcome Home.” She loves to share her convert story, so if you want more details please don’t hesitate to reach out! Rebecca is from a little bit of everywhere; born in Texas, did a lot of growing up in New Mexico, went to high school in Bossier City, Louisiana, and most recently lived in Ruston, Louisiana, where she graduated from Louisiana Tech with a Bachelors in Psychology. However, “home” is now South Louisiana and she loves being close to family. Rebecca has been married nearly two years and is currently expecting her first child, Sarah Elizabeth. She is currently working for Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University (FranU) as an Admissions Recruiter and hopes to one day work in marketing and social media, as she continues to progress in her graphic design skills. 

Learn More About Red Stick Catholics


The Well is a weekly reflection series from Red Stick Catholics that was created to allow young adults from the Diocese of Baton Rouge to reveal how God is speaking to them through prayer and Scripture. Each reflection contains the upcoming Sunday’s Gospel, a reflection written by a young adult from the Diocese of Baton Rouge and prompts for how to pray with the Gospel and reflection during the week.