Homily for the thirty-third Sunday of the Year - Year B - Mk. 13:24-32
Jesus said: "But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will bedarkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be
falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And
then they will see the Son of man coming in clouds with great power and
glory. And then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from
the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. "From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes
tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also,
when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the
very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away
before all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but
my words will not pass away. "But of that day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels in
heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." Homily: " Jesus said: «But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be
darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be
falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.» " Soon, in a little while, the Lord Jesus will return to earth to judge the
living and the dead. What I say here is true: for Jesus can return to
earth at any time. Jesus himself said: "But of that day or that hour no
one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the
Father." Does this frighten us? Why? Don't we have confidence in he
who is to judge us? Isn't Jesus our advocate with the Father? Mary, his
Mother and our Mother, is she not at his side to intercede on our be
Image by Lawrence OP via Flickr
half?
Now, at the end of the year, let us revive our confidence in Jesus, ouralmighty Savior! Let us, we who believe in the Word of God, be confident
that the Lord will do everything in order that we might appear before him
and hear him say to us: "Well done, good and faithful servant; you have
been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy
of your master." (Mt. 25:23) And also: "Come, O blessed of my Father,
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the
world." (Mt. 25:34) Today, in this Sunday's Gospel, does Jesus not give us signs in order
that, when he will come, we will be ready to welcome him? Is this not a
sign of kindness and mercy? If the Lord had decided to punish us for all
eternity, there is no doubt that he would return unexpectedly, without
warning. But no. The Lord is good and he gives us signs which will
announce his return: it is up to us to be watchful. If we are not, if
we do not await him, then surely he will condemn us for all eternity...
Image by Nick in exsilio via Flickr
" «And then they will see the Son of man coming in clouds with great power
and glory. And then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect
from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.» " "And then they will see the Son of man coming..." If Jesus returns to
Israel or to Palestine (which is something one may reasonably suppose),
it would be necessary for all men and women to be gathered together there
in order for them to be able to see the Lord: "And then they WILL SEE
the Son of man coming..." For Jesus, this would pose no problem: he is
almighty and he can easily gather to himself all men and women; or, he
could make himself visible to everyone, simultaneously, all over the
world. But there is something new today: television! This modern means, of our
time and of the present moment, makes it possible to see, from everywhere
in the world at the same time (within a few fractions of a second),
whatever takes place at any location on earth. Moreover, the use of such
a technique would confirm, in a certain sense, what Jesus said about the
day and the hour: "But of that day or that hour no one knows... "
Indeed, something which takes place in the Holy Land on December 27, 2006
at 7 o'clock in the morning will be seen in California on December 26,
2006 at approximately 9 o'clock in the evening... " «From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes
tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also,
when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the
very gates.» "
Image via Wikipedia
"From the fig tree learn its lesson." Did the Lord mean by this that his
return would take place during the summer? "As soon as its branch
becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near."
It is possible: this would probably be the case. Is Jesus not the Sun
of Justice? Now, it is during the summer that the sun shines in all its
brilliance and power. But, will it be summer in the Northern hemisphere
or in the Southern hemisphere? Jesus gives us many signs, but at the
same time, he leaves us in relative uncertainty, for the rule remains:
"But of that day or that hour no one knows..." " «Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away before all
these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words
will not pass away.» " Each generation of men and women expects Jesus to return to earth. The
first Christians awaited him with a firm hope (cf. 1 Thess. 4:17). Many
generations were disappointed because this promise of the return of the
Lord has not yet been fulfilled... Now, there will certainly be a
generation of men and women who will see Jesus returning in his Glory at
the end of time. This generation will ceaselessly shout, with the
Psalmist: "I shall be satisfied with beholding thy form!" (Ps. 17:15)
Will we be that generation? If we have confidence in Jesus the Sa
Image by Fergal OP via Flickr
vior,
why not hope for it...
She prepares for the Return of her Son! Already, She awaits us and She
watches over us, wishing with all her Love that all those to whom She
gave birth in the faith will forever be with Her in Heaven! Let us have
confidence in Mary! Let us ask her to take us by the hand to the Gates
of eternity! Canon Dr. Daniel Meynen http://meynen.homily-service.net/
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