We, as Catholics, rarely talk about the second coming of Jesus. In the next month, the Advent Season, and Season of Christmas we will talk about Jesus’s birth, his first coming. But we seldom talk about his second coming. Yet it is one of the foundational beliefs of our faith that Jesus will indeed come again. In fact, at this Mass and every Mass we pray for Jesus to come again when we pray the Lord’s Prayer.
It is a pretty common news item these days that we are headed towards a global catastrophe. Global warming, the energy crisis, earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, even pestilence is predicted, and I don’t even know what pestilence is! The sports section of the Toronto Star predicts that the Toronto Maple Leaf’s are rebuilding towards a run at the Stanley Cup in the year 2025 – a sure sign of the Apocalypse!
From one point of view, it is expected that such aberrations should happen. It is however sad that so many people will get excited and become agitated by news of threats of destruction and yet will not follow the core message of Jesus. St Augustine summed up Christian belief with his statement: “Our hearts are restless, until they rest in the Lord.”
We are never satisfied. Time, far from being a succession of unrelated events is seen to involve the past, the present, and the future – which for the spiritual person is ultimately eternity.
The matter of the end for each of us and the end of the world itself is one that is often touched on in the Bible. It is our Christian understanding that the end of time has been anticipated in the death and resurrection of Jesus. In Jesus, our salvation has already been achieved but we are not yet fully enjoying it. I can best understand the idea of being saved ‘already but not yet’ by remembering how I react when I smell sausages and bacon cooking before breakfast. I know it is there, but I am not yet enjoying it. So, it is with the reign of God.
Jesus talked about the coming reign of God. It is clear in the Gospel today that Mark expected a catastrophic kind of ending within the lifetime of his audience. It can be seen, however, not as trying to strike fear into people, but rather to inspire them with hope.
The message of Jesus is one of Hope to be found in the world as it is. It is a message that tells us that God is journeying with us in the trials and difficulties of our life. God’s message is challenging and disconcerting.
These words are challenging because they turn our usual values upside down, but they also inspire us, guide us, and give us hope and comfort. Once heard we can not forget them. “For though heaven and earth will pass away, my words will not pass away.” The challenge that we each face is to respond to the gospel message. We are each challenged by the choice that Christ offers to respond to the love that God has offered or turn away from it. Christ has promised that he will come for us when our time has run its course and we believe him. Details are beyond our knowledge and they are relatively unimportant.
The core message is that what Jesus began will eventually be brought to conclusion. God’s love, as revealed in Jesus, will eventually triumph over sin and death, and we can be part of that triumph. The choice is ours.
In every struggle we have, instead of complaining, let us pray in silence. We will pass through all the turmoil if we have God in the center of our lives. Let us make way to prepare ourselves for the birth of baby Jesus in all His glory.
Lord, open our eyes that we may see your glory. Open our ears that we may understand and obey your word. And, open the doors of our hearts that we may welcome you in as our King and our saviour.
Lord Jesus, may your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
–Dcn. Terry Murphy