You know the sign of the times.

Today, Jesus tells us about how we look and follow the sky. For example, we can say: “This morning, after three days of continuous rain, the sky appears clear and bright, as if it were one of the most beautiful days of this autumn.” From day to day, we can become increasingly aware of the weather changes that meteorologists report to us. Jesus tells us today: “You understand the signs of the earth and the sky, but you do not understand the present age” (cf. Lk 12:56). Those who listened to Jesus did not discover in him a unique chance in the history of humanity. They did not recognize him as the Son of God. In other words, they did not recognize the time, the hour of salvation.

II. The Vatican Council in the constitution Gaudium et Spes (No. 4) updates today’s Gospel: “The Church in every era bears the responsibility of examining the signs of the times and interpreting them in the light of the Gospel (… ) The Church must therefore know and understand the world in which it lives: its expectations, efforts and its sometimes dramatic character.”

When we look at history, it is relatively easy to pinpoint the opportunities we lost because we did not discover the times we lived. But, Lord: what opportunities are we wasting today, now, nowadays, if we don’t read the signs of the times, or if we don’t read today’s problems in the light of the Gospel? Today, Jesus reminds us again: “How is it that you do not know how to judge the present time?” (Luke 12:57).

In conclusion, let’s recall the words of St. John Paul II, which he said at the beginning of the new millennium: “our Christian communities must become authentic “schools” of prayer, where the encounter with Christ is manifested not only by asking for help, but also by giving thanks, praise and obeisance , meditation, listening, warm feelings, up to the “in love” of the heart. It should therefore be an intense prayer, but it does not free us from the binding task of engaging in the history of salvation: by opening the heart to love God, opening it also to love our brothers and enabling us to build history according to God’s plan.”

Today, I will be more receptive to the signs of the times and my surroundings. ▪ I can ask myself these questions during the day in individual situations, but also at the end of the day during the evening prayer: How is God speaking to me through all this? What is he inviting me to do? What is fair to do? How can I be involved in the history of salvation? ▪ Each of us can discern what is good. That’s why the conviction falls from the mouth of Jesus today: “Why don’t you judge for yourselves what is righteous?” Let’s not expect that others will make decisions for us or that someone else will represent us in this matter.