Embolism

I noticed that some priests revise the embolism by modifying anxiety with the word "useless".

So the revised embolism goes this way: "Deliver us Lord from every evil and grant us peace in our day. In your mercy, keep us free from sin and protect us from all useless anxiety as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ".

Yes, I only found out now that this part was called the embolism (interpolation). Thanks Wikipedia. And Wikipedia cites the 1913 Catholic encyclopedia which says that the embolism can be traced back to the 1st century.

Which makes perfect sense because the early Christians were anxiously waiting for "the coming of our Savior Jesus Christ" back then. The early Christians thought that Jesus would be returning soon after his ascension thus the anxiety about when He would return and why he was taking so long! 

Some of the readings these past few days have been about the Kingdom of God and this person or that asking when the Kingdom of God will come and Jesus answering with some variety of "It's not for you to know. I don't even know myself. Just be ready". I guess that's why the early Christians had to pray for protection from anxiety and had to pray that they could wait in joyful hope.

It's been tough going reflecting on these end-of-times passages because I can't relate. I don't think we think this applies to us. I certainly don't find myself waiting and easily disregard fellows like Howard Camping or others declaring that the end of the world is nigh. Maybe we'll just be a little more anxious in 2012 when the Mayan calendar supposedly ends. But I guess it's not an anxiety brought about by impatience but dread.

So maybe the lesson of the ten virgins with lamps waiting for the bridegroom applies to us more. (Matthew 25:1-3; the Gospel for last Sunday, November 6) But then again, even those virgins fell asleep. Maybe not waiting is like falling asleep. The trick is to be prepared (with oil) at anytime for when the bridegroom comes.