Luke 21:25–28, 34–36
Jesus said, “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars,
and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and
the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon
the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see
‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory. Now when these
things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your
redemption is drawing near. Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed
down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that
day catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on
the face of the whole earth. Be alert at all times, praying that you may have
the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand
before the Son of Man.”
Commentary
Today we hear our Lord’s prophecy concerning the end of the world and
how we should prepare ourselves to meet it.
Jesus first used the language used by the prophets that is inIsaiah
13:9-10 and 34:4, Jeremiah 4:23-30, and Joel 2:19 to describe a visitation of
God on his sinful people and therefore symbolic. However, this language can
also be taken literally here because certain convulsions of the universe may
precede the general judgment. And as such convulsions happen, it is logical
that some people would die of fear.
But Jesus assures us now the “Son of Man”, the title that was used frequently
by Jesus to describe himself, will come in power and glory at the end of time.
Compared with his first coming in meekness, humility and poverty, his second
coming will be as judge in his divinity and his divine sonship.
He also comforts us that his true followers will have nothing to fear
on that day. Instead, they will have reason to rejoice greatly for the
gathering of all the elect – the completion of the number of the saved will be
the consummation of all their hopes. Nevertheless, he reminds us at this point
that even the good and the virtuous must be ever on their guard because life
has many temptations.
We should also bear in mind that no matter how long he judgment is
deferred it will be too soon and it will come suddenly on the one who is not
prepared for it. This is because the final judgment will depend on the result
of each one’s particular judgment and it is the latter that really matters and
it is for this that we must prepare. No one will be spared from the judgment.
How can we prepare for the judgment? Jesus told us to pray. What he meant is
not that we must be always on our knees but we must be always in God’s
friendship and trust in his loving mercy.
Being Christians, this earth is not our permanent home. However, many
of us still live and act as it were. Jesus does not ask us to ignore or despise
this earth or this life but he does ask us to estimate it for what it is. It is
a period of transit which properly used will earn for us our eternal home. If
we judge ourselves daily we need not fear the day of judgment. If we are loyal
and faithful to our Christian vocation, our end on earth will not be an end but
the beginning of our true life.
What better occasion could we have for taking a serious and sincere
look at ourselves and at our attitude to life and the things of this life than
this Advent season? Amen.