“And then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in the clouds’ with great power and glory” (Mark 13:26).  

 

The major theme for this 33rd Sunday in the Ordinary Time gives us the assurance that our God will be with us all the days of our lives with the ongoing presence of the Holy Spirit in our midst, guiding, protecting and strengthening us in spite of our necessary uncertainty concerning the end time when “Christ will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead.”  Each year at this time, the Church asks us to apply the “last things” – Death, Judgment, Heaven and Hell -- to ourselves, to reflect how we have done during the year and what we need to do and improve before the end of the year. 

 

Today’s readings counsel those who are frightened and concerned about the end, who would fritter away their energies in this regard to entrust their unknowable future to God’s caring and capable hands. Although the atmosphere may be rife with speculation, and naysayers and doomsday prophets will abound, we as Christian disciples are called to remember Christ’s saying: “as to the exact day or hour, no one knows it, neither the angels in heaven nor even the Son, but only the Father.” 

 

With this statement as our shield, Jesus’ disciples can fend off any and every prediction and put to rest every inordinate fear. If “no one knows the day or hour,” then, speculators and their speculations should receive none of our attention; no prediction should warrant any measure of dread or anxiety. Rather than focus on the day and the hour, which is not ours to determine, we are invited to concern ourselves with living wisely and justly in the present time, to look to the future coming of our Savior with joy, hope and serenity, striving to live in the presence now with authentic Christian living.  

 

God does not want us holding a relationship of Transaction but Transformation. Therefore, Dynamic Christian disciples are those who (1) BELIEVE, (2) GROW, (3) SERVE, (4) LOVE and (5) LEAD others to Jesus. Today’s topics invites us to be vigilant and prepared for the second coming of the Son of Man and not to be afraid of the end time calamities, wars and sufferings.  

 

How can we help each other recognize the “second coming” of Jesus Christ in our daily lives? 

 

Wishing everyone a blessed week in the Lord.