We are quickly coming to the end of the Church’s liturgical year. Next Sunday will be the 34th and last Sunday in Ordinary Time. It is designated as a special feast, that of Jesus Christ the King.
This week, the Church would have us focus on the “end times!” There will most assuredly be a Day of the Lord! And it will be an awesome day – to the enth degree of that overly used colloquial term - unlike any other day in the history of the world. The Lord will come to rule the earth with justice!
He is the LORD! It will be a powerful, a majestic, a mighty event! And we will all be there!
On that day, the good and the evil will be sorted out – once and for all! There will be fire and there will be brimstone for those who choose it! There will be endless beatitude and blessing for those who believe in Jesus, his Father, and the Holy Spirit – and who have eaten the Bread of Life while on earth! Jesus has made this whole process very clear - and very available!
As to when this is going to happen – not even Jesus knows – only the Father! It was his plan to create us, and to redeem us when we thwarted his original design for human life. He sent his Son to do the job! And the Spirit to guide the Church the Father and the Son left in place when the Son returned to heaven!
Only he has the entire picture of the plan that he has in mind – and so he alone knows when this particular phase – the human-beings-journeying-to- eternal-life-through-the-valley-of-tears phase - on earth - is complete! It could be any time – it could be any moment! It would seem reasonable that we should be ready all the time - at every moment!
St. Paul in the second reading today tells us that we should be busy about our own business as we prepare for eternal life! We really have enough to do responding to God’s never-ending call to holiness and perfection to worry about what other people are doing – or comparing ourselves to them. We should be busy preparing for the Lord’s coming each and every day – in each and every way! And we prepare the best by helping other people - especially the poor! This is the absolute best and most noble work there is! And it leads straight to eternal life!
It would do us well to think more about the eternal ramifications about our plans, and projects and desires. Believing that we are primarily citizens of heaven could make a big difference in the way we approach things! Believe it! It is true!
If we are living as Jesus recommended – with his power – with his help – with his strength – we will have nothing to fear on that Day - whenever it comes! We may be called upon to give testimony as it says in the gospel passage - before the day actually comes, as a last test of our faithfulness – but we are not to fear! We will know what to say and what to do at that hour - because it will be Jesus himself who will be doing the speaking through us – to secure our place in heaven and to lead others to life with GOD!
The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.
Let the sea and what fills it resound,
the world and those who swell in it;
let the rivers clap their hands,
the mountains shout with them for joy!
The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice!
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