Guest Post: 24th Sunday after Pentecost
In the Gospel today, Our Lord puts two prophecies before our eyes, two prophecies which are intertwined: the first prophecy is the destruction of Jerusalem which took place in 70 A.D. This is why He said: "I assure you, this generation will not pass until all these things happen". The second prophecy is the Apocalypse, the last day, the end of the world. The destruction of Jerusalem was but a type, a figure of the end of the world. The Jewish historian Josephus Flavius recorded all the wonders, the signs, the anomalies in the skies which preceded the time of the siege and destruction of Jerusalem. All of the Christians had fled from Jerusalem as soon as they saw the first signs; they listened to the warning, they listened to the summon of Christ; they were prepared. This summon of Christ for Jerusalem remains the same for the end of the world: Be prepared! Holy Mother Church echoes the voice of Her Divine Spouse: "Be ready!" The liturgical year comes to an end today. We are given, fittingly, to meditate the end of the world. It is a time for reflection, it is a time to examine where we stand in regards to our Creator, to Our God, to Our Father. One more year has passed, we are one year closer to our death, one year closer to our end. Have we used this year to grow closer to God? Will this year be our last? I may ask myself: is this the last time I celebrate Mass, the last time I ascend the Altar of God, is this the last time I receive Our Lord? The day will surely come. Am I ready, am I prepared? Or will this day sneak upon me like a thief in the night? Our Lord tells us: "be prepared". Notice, Our Lord does not say: "be paralyzed in fear, the end is coming, your death is imminent, it's time to panic!". No, this preparation is not based on fear, or anxiety or dread. It is based on trust, it is based on filial love, it is based on the assurance Jesus-Christ Crucified gives us. With the end of the world we are given in the Gospel, the Church could not have chosen a better Epistle. It shows us precisely the attitude which should be ours. Who knows if we shall live to see the end of the world? One thing is for sure, we will die, time brings us closer and closer to this moment. What is to be our attitude, our preparation? It is the one St. Paul outlines: To have a spiritual understanding of God's will. To lead a life worthy of Him. To have His Life in us, to be endowed with great power by the might of His Glory that we may withstand and endure joyfully whatever may come (the end of the world or death included). To have the utmost trust and the greatest thanksgiving for He rescued us from the power of darkness, He brought us into the Kingdom of His Beloved Son who gave us Redemption and the forgiveness of our sins. Read this epistle over and over again. Anytime the Devil tries to put anxiety or mistrust in your Soul. Read this passage. It tells you how much you are worth to God. It tells you how much you are loved by God. Don't just look at the Crucifix, look into the Crucifix. Love Him and you will be prepared. Love Him with your whole heart, mind and soul and you will be prepared. The day of dread, of judgment, the end of the world will be a most joyful occasion, your desire to behold Him will be fulfilled, you will see Him face to face, you will be able to be with Him forever. May Our Blessed Mother ever guide us to this trust, to this peace which is that of the children of God. +
Guest Post by Fr. Marsolle, FSSP