33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B - 14/11/2021 - Gospel: Mk 13: 24-32
Tears and Fear
Jesus came to the world, as a baby, to be born like one of us. His first coming to the world was in the miracle of a childbirth. God's messenger quietly went ahead to see Mary and Joseph, making all the necessary arrangements for the birth of Jesus. He was born in a quiet place, in the wilderness, in a manger. The world had rejected Him.
Jesus' second coming to the world would be quite different. He would not come as quietly as at His birth, but as the Creator, the Master of the entire universe. The whole cosmos would tremble before Him. There would be great distress, and trembling for all of God's creation, both from the sky above and the earth below. The entire cosmos such as sun and moon would lose their brightness. The stars would be in disarray, and the clouds gather to form the throne of God. The second coming of Jesus would make the life cycle reach its fullness. The world originated from nothingness, from chaos. It now returns to its original form, nothingness, darkness and chaos.
Human beings will see the transformation of the cosmos for the very first, and last time, and will respond with tears and fear. The Lord in His goodness told us when we see the entire universe in agony, it will be the reckoning day for creation. How long we want, the exact date, when it would happen is known to no one, but God alone. The second coming of Christ confirms the truth, that God is the Lord of the cosmos. God is the Creator of the universe, recorded in the Book of Genesis. The story of creation told us, from chaos and darkness God was able to separate light from darkness, and put things in order. The sun and moon and stars lose their brightness to remind them of their humble beginning. The truth was that nothing in this world would last forever, except God's love for us, and our love for others. The second coming tells us God is the beginning and the ending. Everything was renewed in Christ at His resurrection, but only comes to its culmination at His second coming. In Christ, the new heaven and a new earth replace the old ones. This new world knows no suffering, no tears, no more death but only everlasting joy and happiness.
The Lord in His goodness gave us signs to prepare ourselves, to be ready to meet our Creator. We would not be able to stand firm before the power of God. We all lived in fear, and would tremble before the Lord. Both Jesus' disciples, and disciples of the world, would suffer in fear and in agony. Jesus' disciples would not suffer in vain, but in hope. God's love fills our hearts, and helps us to stand firm till the end. We recall Jesus' teaching that
'My words will not pass away' Mk.13:30.
We remind each other what Jesus has promised, that
'I am with you always, yes, till the end of time' Mt 28:20.
Those who followed their own will would have time to change; those who once said that the cosmos was not created by God, would have the opportunity to accept that their knowledge has deceived them. It would be the wake-up call for those who had been deceived by fake 'messiahs'. Jesus has forewarned, that 'Many will come using my name and saying, 'I am he' Mk 13:5. Do not believe them.
For those who refused to believe Jesus' words in their hearts, their tears and fear would be endless.
Those who follow Jesus' way would have new life in Him. let us take Jesus' words close to our hearts, and live in the sure hope of the new life in God's kingdom.
Jesus' second coming to the world would be quite different. He would not come as quietly as at His birth, but as the Creator, the Master of the entire universe. The whole cosmos would tremble before Him. There would be great distress, and trembling for all of God's creation, both from the sky above and the earth below. The entire cosmos such as sun and moon would lose their brightness. The stars would be in disarray, and the clouds gather to form the throne of God. The second coming of Jesus would make the life cycle reach its fullness. The world originated from nothingness, from chaos. It now returns to its original form, nothingness, darkness and chaos.
Human beings will see the transformation of the cosmos for the very first, and last time, and will respond with tears and fear. The Lord in His goodness told us when we see the entire universe in agony, it will be the reckoning day for creation. How long we want, the exact date, when it would happen is known to no one, but God alone. The second coming of Christ confirms the truth, that God is the Lord of the cosmos. God is the Creator of the universe, recorded in the Book of Genesis. The story of creation told us, from chaos and darkness God was able to separate light from darkness, and put things in order. The sun and moon and stars lose their brightness to remind them of their humble beginning. The truth was that nothing in this world would last forever, except God's love for us, and our love for others. The second coming tells us God is the beginning and the ending. Everything was renewed in Christ at His resurrection, but only comes to its culmination at His second coming. In Christ, the new heaven and a new earth replace the old ones. This new world knows no suffering, no tears, no more death but only everlasting joy and happiness.
The Lord in His goodness gave us signs to prepare ourselves, to be ready to meet our Creator. We would not be able to stand firm before the power of God. We all lived in fear, and would tremble before the Lord. Both Jesus' disciples, and disciples of the world, would suffer in fear and in agony. Jesus' disciples would not suffer in vain, but in hope. God's love fills our hearts, and helps us to stand firm till the end. We recall Jesus' teaching that
'My words will not pass away' Mk.13:30.
We remind each other what Jesus has promised, that
'I am with you always, yes, till the end of time' Mt 28:20.
Those who followed their own will would have time to change; those who once said that the cosmos was not created by God, would have the opportunity to accept that their knowledge has deceived them. It would be the wake-up call for those who had been deceived by fake 'messiahs'. Jesus has forewarned, that 'Many will come using my name and saying, 'I am he' Mk 13:5. Do not believe them.
For those who refused to believe Jesus' words in their hearts, their tears and fear would be endless.
Those who follow Jesus' way would have new life in Him. let us take Jesus' words close to our hearts, and live in the sure hope of the new life in God's kingdom.
Written by Fr Vũđình Tường
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia
