It's the last week of the liturgical year - next Sunday will be Advent Sunday, the start of a new cycle. As the liturgical year come to a close, the texts of the mass meditate on the end of the world.
The preparation for both Advents of Christ engrossed the Church's care during the Season of Advent: His first advent of mercy, and his second advent of justice. The Gospel of this Sunday was, in ancient times, an Advent Gospel, when that season had more than four Sundays. The collect bears the same character. The shortening of Advent made of them a prophetic reading and an appropriate prayer for the last Sunday of the year. The Apostle exhorts us to behave in a manner worthy of the Saviour and to bring forth all kinds of good works, in order that we may bear all trials with patience and joy.
The Gospel today, our Lord's sermon predicting both the fall of Jerusalem and the End of the World, is called the 'Eschatological Discourse.'
In England, this Sunday is often called popularly "Stir Up" Sunday, from the first words of the Collect, Excita. There is a popular tradition of making Christmas puddings at this stage - stirring them up. Some of the other Advent collects also start with the word, Excita. So this is a season for stirring - both ourselves, and puddings.
Dicit Dóminus: Ego cógito cogitatiónes pacis, et non afflictiónis: invocábitis me, et ego exáudiam vos: et redúcam captivitátem vestram de cunctis locis. * Benedixísti, Dómine, terram tuam: avertísti captivitátem Jacob.
The Lord saith: I think thoughts of peace, and not of affliction: you shall call upon Me, and I will hear you; and I will bring back your captivity from all places. * Lord, Thou hast blessed Thy land: Thou hast turned away the captivity of Jacob.
(Jeremias 29:11-12,14 and Psalm 84:2 from the Introit of Mass)
Excita, quaesumus, Dómine, tuórum fidélium voluntátes: ut, divíni óperis fructum propénsius exsequéntes; pietátis tuae remédia majóra percípiant.
Stir up, we beseech Thee, O Lord, the wills of Thy faithful people, that they more earnestly seeking the fruit of divine service, may receive more abundantly healing gifts from Thy tender mercy.
(Collect)
