Sunday of 33rd Week, OT year ’B’
“But in those days, after a time of distress, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, the stars will come falling out of the sky and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then he will send his angels to gather the elect from the four winds, from the ends of the world to the ends of the heavens.”
Jesus has a vision of His coming in Glory which will mark the end of time and of history. He has us wait for this time, wants us to hope for it and also wants us to prepare for it :
’I look forward to the Resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.’ This is what we proclaim in the Nicene creed.
Jesus likes evoking the traditional images of the Prophets, especially Daniel, whom he quotes very often.
When a storm breaks in the middle of the night, everything becomes luminous, you would think we were in full daylight when this happens. It is an image that evokes the end of time! Then will come about the encounter with the One who made us, our Creator.
Our desire is to remain awake, and to pray at all times in order to correspond to the Beauty of God’s Love. The only way we can prepare for this is by dwelling in Love.
The liturgical time bring to mind the different moments Jesus ’waited’.
First of all, let us remember that Mary waited for Jesus to be born. We contemplate her when the Son of Man is formed in her flesh. What Love the Holy Spirit has germinated in her heart ! The Living Word, made flesh for us, is born to be the Tenderness of God for the world. The Church’s awaiting today is in the image of Mary, it comes into the world. It is a time of waiting that is completely shrouded in love, for God is Love!
’ I saw the Heavenly Jerusalem, beautiful, like a fiancée ready for her Bridegroom.’
Each day the liturgy celebrates the Second Coming of Jesus .In a very a particular way, Jesus comes to us in the Sacraments and in the Eucharist, in a special way.
“Take the fig tree as a parable : as soon as its twigs grow supple and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. So with you, when you see these things happening : know that He is near, right at the gates.”
Jesus speaks of the fig tree, of branches that become tender : this is humanity opening up to Love.
The letter to the Hebrews evokes Christ, the High priest who offered himself up to save us. Jesus carries what all generations have always known : wars, earthquakes, false messiahs and persecutions. It is the time when the Gospel is proclaimed to all nations and when the Holy Spirit Himself speaks in defense of Jesus’ disciples. The end of the world will be the eruption of a new world, the manifestation of Christ’s Glory, and the huge gathering of all of Jesus’ friends, all his faithful ones, the chosen ones from all countries and from all time. It is Jesus, whom Mary tenderly bore in her maternal love, who comes each day to make our hearts more tender.
’Behold, I stand at the door and I knock! ’ Jesus tells us in the Apocalypse.
The Song of Songs says ’You, my Beloved, will you open the door of your heart for me?’
But we know what the combat is like to dwell in love -it really is the biggest and strongest combat that exists. If Jesus speaks about the end of the world, it concerns the former person that is within us, this ’ former one’ that is called to die. The Eucharist is given to us and the grace that we receive through this Holy Sacrement renders to each one of us our true place.
On this path of personal transformation , the heart of mankind is lead in such a way so as to become ’tender’, thus knowing how to open itself up to the Divine Presence within us at every moment.
“In truth I tell you, before this generation has passed away all these things will have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. As for that day or hour, nobody knows it, neither the angels in Heaven, nor the Son ; no one but the Father.”
Jesus has saved us once and for all, He is seated at God’s Right Hand for evermore.
It can sometimes happen that it is in sorrow that we prepare ourselves for God’s Victory. There will be days of distress, and this is why we ought to be vigilant so that our faith and in fraternal love are kept awoken, that we hold on tight in the palm of our hand the ’pearl of the Kingdom’ : this is the Promise gives to us by Jesus.
When we contemplate the Mystery of the Church, Jesus, the Head of the Body, ’passed’ into this world like a Bridegroom. Yet for our own the body of sorrows and pain, the Apocalypse will say that the woman cries out in infinite child-birth pangs . The Word that is given to us today evokes this great distress. it will be a great combat for Life, the combat for love. ’ My heart exults, my soul is celebrating, my flesh itself rests in confidence ; you cannot abandon me to death, you cannot see your friend suffer in corruption. My God, I make of You my refuge. You teach me the way of Life."
We ask for the grace to dwell in God’s Love.