Friday of the
Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 507
Lectionary: 507
In a vision I,
Daniel, saw during the night,
the four winds of heaven stirred up the great sea,
from which emerged four immense beasts,
each different from the others.
The first was like a lion, but with eagle’s wings.
While I watched, the wings were plucked;
it was raised from the ground to stand on two feet
like a man, and given a human mind.
The second was like a bear; it was raised up on one side,
and among the teeth in its mouth were three tusks.
It was given the order, “Up, devour much flesh.”
After this I looked and saw another beast, like a leopard;
on its back were four wings like those of a bird,
and it had four heads.
To this beast dominion was given.
After this, in the visions of the night I saw the fourth beast,
different from all the others,
terrifying, horrible, and of extraordinary strength;
it had great iron teeth with which it devoured and crushed,
and what was left it trampled with its feet.
I was considering the ten horns it had,
when suddenly another, a little horn, sprang out of their midst,
and three of the previous horns were torn away to make room for it.
This horn had eyes like a man,
and a mouth that spoke arrogantly.
As I watched,
Thrones were set up
and the Ancient One took his throne.
His clothing was snow bright,
and the hair on his head as white as wool;
His throne was flames of fire,
with wheels of burning fire.
A surging stream of fire
flowed out from where he sat;
Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him,
and myriads upon myriads attended him.
The court was convened, and the books were opened.
I watched, then, from the first of the arrogant words
which the horn spoke, until the beast was slain
and its body thrown into the fire to be burnt up.
The other beasts, which also lost their dominion,
were granted a prolongation of life for a time and a season.
As the visions during the night continued, I saw
One like a son of man coming,
on the clouds of heaven;
When he reached the Ancient One
and was presented before him,
He received dominion, glory, and kingship;
nations and peoples of every language serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not be taken away,
his kingship shall not be destroyed.
the four winds of heaven stirred up the great sea,
from which emerged four immense beasts,
each different from the others.
The first was like a lion, but with eagle’s wings.
While I watched, the wings were plucked;
it was raised from the ground to stand on two feet
like a man, and given a human mind.
The second was like a bear; it was raised up on one side,
and among the teeth in its mouth were three tusks.
It was given the order, “Up, devour much flesh.”
After this I looked and saw another beast, like a leopard;
on its back were four wings like those of a bird,
and it had four heads.
To this beast dominion was given.
After this, in the visions of the night I saw the fourth beast,
different from all the others,
terrifying, horrible, and of extraordinary strength;
it had great iron teeth with which it devoured and crushed,
and what was left it trampled with its feet.
I was considering the ten horns it had,
when suddenly another, a little horn, sprang out of their midst,
and three of the previous horns were torn away to make room for it.
This horn had eyes like a man,
and a mouth that spoke arrogantly.
As I watched,
Thrones were set up
and the Ancient One took his throne.
His clothing was snow bright,
and the hair on his head as white as wool;
His throne was flames of fire,
with wheels of burning fire.
A surging stream of fire
flowed out from where he sat;
Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him,
and myriads upon myriads attended him.
The court was convened, and the books were opened.
I watched, then, from the first of the arrogant words
which the horn spoke, until the beast was slain
and its body thrown into the fire to be burnt up.
The other beasts, which also lost their dominion,
were granted a prolongation of life for a time and a season.
As the visions during the night continued, I saw
One like a son of man coming,
on the clouds of heaven;
When he reached the Ancient One
and was presented before him,
He received dominion, glory, and kingship;
nations and peoples of every language serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not be taken away,
his kingship shall not be destroyed.
Responsorial PsalmDN 3:75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
“Mountains and hills, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
“Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
“You springs, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
“Seas and rivers, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
“You dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
“All you birds of the air, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
“All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
“Mountains and hills, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
“Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
“You springs, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
“Seas and rivers, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
“You dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
“All you birds of the air, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
“All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.”
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
GospelLK 21:29-33
Jesus told his disciples a parable.
“Consider the fig tree and all the other trees.
When their buds burst open,
you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near;
in the same way, when you see these things happening,
know that the Kingdom of God is near.
Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away
until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away.”
“Consider the fig tree and all the other trees.
When their buds burst open,
you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near;
in the same way, when you see these things happening,
know that the Kingdom of God is near.
Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away
until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away.”
Meditation: "My words will not
pass away"
Do you recognize the
signs of God's presence and action among us today? Jesus used the
image of a fig tree to teach his disciples an important lesson about reading
the "signs of the times." The fig tree was a common and important
source of food for the Jews. It bore fruit twice a year, in the autumn and in
the early spring. The Talmud said that the first fruit came the day after
Passover. The Jews believed that when the Messiah came he would usher in the
kingdom of God at Passover time. The early signs of a changing season, such as
springtime, summer, or autumn, are evident for all who can see and observe the
changes. Just so are the signs of God's kingdom and his return in glory on the
day of judgment. The "budding" of God's kingdom begins first in the
hearts of those who are receptive to God's word. Those who trust in God's word
will bear the fruits of his kingdom. And what are the fruits of that kingdom?
"The kingdom of God ..is righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy
Spirit" (Romans 14:17). The Lord gives the firstfruits of his kingdom to
those who open their hearts to him with expectant faith and trust in his word.
We do not know the
day nor the hour when the Lord Jesus will return again in glory. But the Lord
does give us signs, not only to "wake us up" as a warning, but also
to "rouse our spirits" to be ready and eager to receive his kingdom
when he comes in all his power and glory. The "Day of the Lord" will
strike terror in those who have ignored or rejected God, but it will be a day
of joy and rejoicing for those who long to see the Lord face-to-face. The Lord Jesus
wants us to be filled with joyful anticipation for his coming again. While we
wait for the Lord's physical return in glory, we can know his presence with us
through the work and action of the Holy Spirit who dwells in our hearts. The
Lord Jesus comes daily and frequently to those who long for him and he speaks
tenderly to our hearts like a lover who whispers in the ear of the beloved. He
comes to show us the way to our heavenly Father and to give us the hope of
eternal life. Do you recognize his presence and do you listen to his word?
"Lord Jesus
Christ, you are the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end of all
history, and the lord of all creation. Give me joyful hope and assurance that I
will see you face to face and be united with you forever when you return in
glory."
 The Kingdom Is Near |
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Friday of the
Thirty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
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Father Edward
Hopkins, LC
Luke 21:29-33
Jesus told his
disciples a parable. "Consider the fig tree and all the other trees.
When their buds burst open, you see for yourselves and know that summer is
now near; in the same way, when you see these things happening, know that the
Kingdom of God is near. Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass
away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass
away, but my words will not pass away."
Introductory
Prayer: Dear Jesus, I
believe in you and in the Kingdom you are building in and through me. I
believe in the value of my sacrifice and struggles united to yours. I hope to
arrive to heaven when you say it is time. I wish to spend myself for those I
should love the most.
Petition: Thy kingdom come, now and forever!
1. See for
Yourselves: In today’s Gospel,
Jesus is responding to the disciples’ anxious plea for a “when” and a “with
what warning” the end will come (Luke 21:7). He tells them some signs that
will precede the imminent fall of Jerusalem as well as the coming of the Son
of Man “on the clouds.” But these will all be very apparent, like the coming
of summer. So don’t be obsessed with figuring out the “when.” Focus on living
and knowing the Kingdom of God now. How easily we are distracted with all
that happens around us, yet how difficult it is to be aware of the Kingdom
and its demands in my heart and my relations to others in my life! What
efforts do I make to discover and know the present demands of his Kingdom in
my life?
2. The Kingdom of
God Will Come: Jesus has used many
images to describe the Kingdom of God. Like the mustard seed, it is hard to
recognize at first. It begins small and grows slowly. But it will come, and
this must be our daily prayer of desire: “Thy Kingdom Come!” We must resist a
very real temptation. Almost unconsciously we want it to be a worldly Kingdom
that will come during our lifetime. We work and pray as though we will soon
arrive at our goals and rest from all our spiritual labors. This leads us to
get easily discouraged at our lack of progress in prayer and virtue, no less
than with the problems that surround us. No, we must live with hope, pushing
forward with growing confidence that the Lord will bring his Kingdom to
fulfillment, both in us and in the world – when the time is right. Whose
kingdom am I seeking?
3. My Words Will Not
Pass Away: Another temptation
in awaiting the Kingdom is to despair of the times of trial through which we
must pass. But in the words of St. Theresa of Jesus, “all things pass,” only
God remains. Nothing we suffer will remain as the Kingdom approaches. And yet
all these “trials” are the most valuable and powerful means to bring about
the Kingdom in our own souls and in the lives of others, especially in those
who wander. Use the tools of the Kingdom: Suffer trials with faith, and respond
with a love that gives them an eternal value. May we never lose a moment in
which to merit graces and build the Kingdom that comes. In the end, only what
we have done for God and for our brothers and sisters remains.
Conversation with
Christ:Lord Jesus, give me
a greater faith and confidence that every cross and burden, no matter how
trivial or small, is a means to love. I want to build your Kingdom with you.
Keep me focused on the opportunities and demands of the present moment.
Resolution: I will make one small sacrifice at a meal
today for someone I wish I could help more.
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29, LUKE 21:29-33
(Daniel 7:2-14; Psalm: Daniel 3)
(Daniel 7:2-14; Psalm: Daniel 3)
KEY VERSE: "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away" (v 33).
READING: Jeremiah used the example of the budding almond tree, which he called the "watching tree," the first tree to bloom in springtime, to predict the coming destruction of Jerusalem in his own time (Jer 1:11). Similarly, Jesus used the budding of the fig tree to illustrate the coming reign of God. Jesus told his disciples that the first signs of the kingdom's nearness would be witnessed by their own generation. This did not mean that the end of the world would come during the disciples' generation. That generation had already passed by the time Luke wrote his gospel. The statement probably meant that the first of the events leading to the end of the world was the fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE, which happened within that generation. Jesus emphasized the certainty and truth of his word. Heaven and earth might pass away, but his words would endure. Jesus is God's eternal Word.
REFLECTING: Do I listen to God's Word in my daily Scripture reading?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, help me to trust in your promise of the coming of your kingdom.
Give glory and eternal praise to him.
Jesus’ hearers, many of them from agricultural backgrounds, were adept in reading the signs in nature that presaged the changing seasons and gave promise of abundant harvests. They also believed that certain signs would herald the coming of the Messiah and the inauguration of the reign of God. Conscious of his unique life-giving mission, Jesus himself read the signs of the times and discerned the fulfilment they promised with a prophet’s privileged insight. In a brief parable with apocalyptic overtones, Jesus directs our attention to the kingdom of ‘righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit’ (Romans 14:17). When the times have run their course, we will come into our own and everything will be brought together under Christ (Ephesians 1:10). Lord, may your kingdom come.
November
30
Servant of God John of Monte Corvino
(1247-1328)
Servant of God John of Monte Corvino
(1247-1328)
At a time when the Church was heavily embroiled in nationalistic
rivalries within Europe, it was also reaching across Asia to spread the gospel
of Jesus Christ to the Mongols. John of Monte Corvino went to China about the
same time Marco Polo was returning.
John was a soldier, judge and doctor before he became a friar.
Prior to going to Tabriz, Persia (present-day Iran), in 1278, he was well known
for his preaching and teaching. In 1291 he left Tabriz as a legate of Pope
Nicholas IV to the court of Kublai Khan. An Italian merchant, a Dominican friar
and John traveled to western India where the Dominican died. When John and the
Italian merchant arrived in China in 1294, Kublai Khan had recently died.
Nestorian Christians, successors to the dissidents of the fifth-century
Council of Ephesus’ teaching on Jesus Christ, had been in China since the
seventh century. John converted some of them and also some of the Chinese,
including Prince George from Tenduk, northwest of Beijing. Prince George named
his son after this holy friar.
John established his headquarters in Khanbalik (now Beijing),
where he built two churches; his was the first resident Catholic mission in the
country. By 1304 he had translated the Psalms and the New Testament into the
Tatar language.
Responding to two letters from John, Pope Clement V named John
Archbishop of Khanbalik in 1307 and consecrated seven friars as bishops of
neighboring dioceses. One of the seven never left Europe. Three others died
along the way to China; the remaining three bishops and the friars who
accompanied them arrived there in 1308.
When John died in 1328, he was mourned by Christians and
non-Christians. His tomb quickly became a place of pilgrimage. In 1368,
Christianity was banished from China when the Mongols were expelled and the
Ming dynasty began. John’s cause has been introduced in Rome.
Comment:
When John of Monte Corvino went to China, he represented the Church’s desire to preach the gospel to a new culture and to be enriched by it. The travels of Pope John Paul II have demonstrated the universality of the Good News and the urgent need to continue the challenging work of helping the Good News take root in a variety of cultural situations.
When John of Monte Corvino went to China, he represented the Church’s desire to preach the gospel to a new culture and to be enriched by it. The travels of Pope John Paul II have demonstrated the universality of the Good News and the urgent need to continue the challenging work of helping the Good News take root in a variety of cultural situations.
Quote:
In 1975, Pope Paul VI wrote, "The Church evangelizes when she seeks to convert, solely through the divine power of the Message she proclaims, both the personal and collective consciences of people, the activities in which they engage, and the lives and concrete milieus which are theirs" (Evangelization in the Modern World, #18).
In 1975, Pope Paul VI wrote, "The Church evangelizes when she seeks to convert, solely through the divine power of the Message she proclaims, both the personal and collective consciences of people, the activities in which they engage, and the lives and concrete milieus which are theirs" (Evangelization in the Modern World, #18).
LECTIO: LUKE 21,29-33
Lectio:
Friday, November
29, 2013
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
Lord,
increase our eagerness to do your will
and help us to know the saving power of your love.
You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
increase our eagerness to do your will
and help us to know the saving power of your love.
You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel reading -
Luke 21,29-33
Jesus told to his
disciples a parable, 'Look at the fig tree and indeed every tree. As soon as
you see them bud, you can see for yourselves that summer is now near. So with
you when you see these things happening: know that the kingdom of God is near.
In truth I tell you, before this generation has passed away all will have taken place. Sky and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
In truth I tell you, before this generation has passed away all will have taken place. Sky and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
3) Reflection
• The Gospel today
presents the final recommendations of the Apocalyptic Discourse. Jesus insists
on two points: (a) on the attention which should be given to the signs of the
times (Lk 21, 29-31) and (b) on hope founded on the firmness of the word of God
which drives away fear to despair (Lk 21, 32-33)..
• Luke 21, 29-31: Look at the fig tree and indeed every tree. Jesus orders to look at nature: “Look at the fig tree and indeed every tree; as soon as you see them bud, you can see for yourselves that summer is now near. So with you when you see these things happening know that the kingdom of God is near”. Jesus asks to contemplate the phenomena of nature to learn how to read and interpret the things which are happening in the world. The buds or sprouts on the fig tree are an evident sign that summer is near. In the same way when the seven signs appear they are a proof that “the Kingdom of God is close at hand!” To make this discernment is not easy. A person who is alone does not become aware of this. By reflecting together in community, the light appears. And the light is this: to experience in everything that happens the call not to close ourselves in the present, but rather to keep the horizon open and to perceive in everything that happens an arrow directed toward the future. But nobody knows the exact hour of the coming of the Kingdom, nobody. In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus says: “But as for that day or hour, nobody knows it, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, no one but the Father!” (Mk 13, 32).
• Luke 21, 32-33: “In truth I tell you, before this generation has passed away all will have taken place. Sky and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” This word of Jesus recalls the prophecy of Isaiah which says: “All humanity is grass and all its beauty like the wild flowers. The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of Yahweh blows on them. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God remains for ever”. (Is 40, 7-8). The word of Jesus is the source of our hope. What he says will arrive!
• The coming of the Messiah and the end of the world. Today, many people live worried concerning the end of the world. Some, basing themselves on a mistaken and fundamentalist reading of the Apocalypse of John, even arrive at calculating the exact date of the end of the world. In the past, beginning at “one thousand years” quoted in the Apocalypse (Rv 20, 7), it was usually repeated: “The year one thousand has gone by but the year two-thousand will not pass!” And because of this, as the year two thousand approached, many were worried. There were some people who anguished because of the coming of the end of the world, committed suicide! But the year 2000 arrived and nothing happened. The end of the world did not arrive! In the Christian communities of the first centuries, they faced the same problems. They lived in the expectation of the imminent coming of Jesus. Jesus was coming to carry out the Final Judgment so as to finish with the unjust history of the world here on earth and to inaugurate the new phase of history, the definitive phase of the New Heavens and of the New Earth. They thought that this would take place between one or two generations. Many people would still be alive when Jesus would appear glorious in Heaven (1Th 4, 16-17; Mk 9, 1). There were some persons who no longer worked, because they thought that the end would arrive within a few days or weeks (2Th 2, 1-3; 3, 11). This is what they thought. But even today, the coming of Jesus has not arrived as yet! How can this delay be interpreted? On the streets of the cities people see writings on the walls which say Jesus will return! Is he coming or not? And how will his coming be? Many times, the affirmation “Jesus will return” is used to frighten persons and to oblige them to go to a determinate church.
In the New Testament the return of Jesus is always a reason for joy and peace! For those who are exploited and oppressed, the coming of Jesus is Good News! When will this coming take place? Among the Jews, there were various opinions. The Sadducees and the Herodians said: “The Messianic times will come!” They thought that their well being during the government of Herod was the expression of the Kingdom of God. And for this reason, they did not accept any changes and they fought against the preaching of Jesus who invited people to change and to convert themselves. The Pharisees said: “The coming of the Kingdom will depend on our effort in observing the law!” The Essens said: The promised Kingdom will arrive only when we will have purified the country from all its impurity”. Among the Christians there was the same variety of opinions. Some of the community of Thessalonica the Greeks, basing themselves on Paul’s preaching, said: “Jesus will return!” (1 Th 4, 13-18; 2 Th 2, 2). Paul responds that it was not that simple as they imagined. And to those who did not work he said: “Anyone who does not work has no right to eat!” (2 Th 3, 10). Probably, it was a question of persons who at meal time they would go to beg for food to the neighbour’s hose. Other Christians thought that Jesus would return only after the Gospel had been announced to the whole world (Ac 1, 6-11). And they thought that, the greater their effort would be to evangelize, the more rapidly would the end of the world arrive. Others, tired of waiting, said: “He will never come back!” (2 P 3, 4). Others basing themselves on the word of Jesus justly said: “He is already among us!” (Mt 25, 40).
The same thing happens today. There are people who say: “The way things are in the Church and in society, it is alright”. They want no changes. Others are waiting for the immediate coming of Jesus. Others think that Jesus will return only through our work and announcement. For us, Jesus is already among us (Mt 28, 20).He is already at our side in the struggle for justice, for peace and for life. But the fullness has not as yet been attained. For this reason, we wait with perseverance the liberation of humanity and of nature (Rm 8, 22-25).
• Luke 21, 29-31: Look at the fig tree and indeed every tree. Jesus orders to look at nature: “Look at the fig tree and indeed every tree; as soon as you see them bud, you can see for yourselves that summer is now near. So with you when you see these things happening know that the kingdom of God is near”. Jesus asks to contemplate the phenomena of nature to learn how to read and interpret the things which are happening in the world. The buds or sprouts on the fig tree are an evident sign that summer is near. In the same way when the seven signs appear they are a proof that “the Kingdom of God is close at hand!” To make this discernment is not easy. A person who is alone does not become aware of this. By reflecting together in community, the light appears. And the light is this: to experience in everything that happens the call not to close ourselves in the present, but rather to keep the horizon open and to perceive in everything that happens an arrow directed toward the future. But nobody knows the exact hour of the coming of the Kingdom, nobody. In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus says: “But as for that day or hour, nobody knows it, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, no one but the Father!” (Mk 13, 32).
• Luke 21, 32-33: “In truth I tell you, before this generation has passed away all will have taken place. Sky and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” This word of Jesus recalls the prophecy of Isaiah which says: “All humanity is grass and all its beauty like the wild flowers. The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of Yahweh blows on them. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God remains for ever”. (Is 40, 7-8). The word of Jesus is the source of our hope. What he says will arrive!
• The coming of the Messiah and the end of the world. Today, many people live worried concerning the end of the world. Some, basing themselves on a mistaken and fundamentalist reading of the Apocalypse of John, even arrive at calculating the exact date of the end of the world. In the past, beginning at “one thousand years” quoted in the Apocalypse (Rv 20, 7), it was usually repeated: “The year one thousand has gone by but the year two-thousand will not pass!” And because of this, as the year two thousand approached, many were worried. There were some people who anguished because of the coming of the end of the world, committed suicide! But the year 2000 arrived and nothing happened. The end of the world did not arrive! In the Christian communities of the first centuries, they faced the same problems. They lived in the expectation of the imminent coming of Jesus. Jesus was coming to carry out the Final Judgment so as to finish with the unjust history of the world here on earth and to inaugurate the new phase of history, the definitive phase of the New Heavens and of the New Earth. They thought that this would take place between one or two generations. Many people would still be alive when Jesus would appear glorious in Heaven (1Th 4, 16-17; Mk 9, 1). There were some persons who no longer worked, because they thought that the end would arrive within a few days or weeks (2Th 2, 1-3; 3, 11). This is what they thought. But even today, the coming of Jesus has not arrived as yet! How can this delay be interpreted? On the streets of the cities people see writings on the walls which say Jesus will return! Is he coming or not? And how will his coming be? Many times, the affirmation “Jesus will return” is used to frighten persons and to oblige them to go to a determinate church.
In the New Testament the return of Jesus is always a reason for joy and peace! For those who are exploited and oppressed, the coming of Jesus is Good News! When will this coming take place? Among the Jews, there were various opinions. The Sadducees and the Herodians said: “The Messianic times will come!” They thought that their well being during the government of Herod was the expression of the Kingdom of God. And for this reason, they did not accept any changes and they fought against the preaching of Jesus who invited people to change and to convert themselves. The Pharisees said: “The coming of the Kingdom will depend on our effort in observing the law!” The Essens said: The promised Kingdom will arrive only when we will have purified the country from all its impurity”. Among the Christians there was the same variety of opinions. Some of the community of Thessalonica the Greeks, basing themselves on Paul’s preaching, said: “Jesus will return!” (1 Th 4, 13-18; 2 Th 2, 2). Paul responds that it was not that simple as they imagined. And to those who did not work he said: “Anyone who does not work has no right to eat!” (2 Th 3, 10). Probably, it was a question of persons who at meal time they would go to beg for food to the neighbour’s hose. Other Christians thought that Jesus would return only after the Gospel had been announced to the whole world (Ac 1, 6-11). And they thought that, the greater their effort would be to evangelize, the more rapidly would the end of the world arrive. Others, tired of waiting, said: “He will never come back!” (2 P 3, 4). Others basing themselves on the word of Jesus justly said: “He is already among us!” (Mt 25, 40).
The same thing happens today. There are people who say: “The way things are in the Church and in society, it is alright”. They want no changes. Others are waiting for the immediate coming of Jesus. Others think that Jesus will return only through our work and announcement. For us, Jesus is already among us (Mt 28, 20).He is already at our side in the struggle for justice, for peace and for life. But the fullness has not as yet been attained. For this reason, we wait with perseverance the liberation of humanity and of nature (Rm 8, 22-25).
4) Personal questions
• Jesus asks to look
at the fig tree to contemplate the phenomena of nature. In my life have I
already learnt something contemplating nature?
• Jesus says: “The sky and earth will pass, but my words will not pass”. How do I embody in my life these words of Jesus?
• Jesus says: “The sky and earth will pass, but my words will not pass”. How do I embody in my life these words of Jesus?
5) Concluding prayer
Lord, how blessed are
those who live in your house;
they shall praise you continually.
Blessed those who find their strength in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. (Ps 84,4-5)
they shall praise you continually.
Blessed those who find their strength in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. (Ps 84,4-5)
www.ocarm.org
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