We are nearing the end of our Liturgical Year as we are now on the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time. What the gospel of Mark 13:24-32 tells us is the story of the future when the Son of Man comes again.
“But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in clouds” with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.
“The Lesson of the Fig Tree ‘from the fig tree learn its lesson: As soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
The Necessity for Watchfulness
“But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”
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Today’s gospel reading tells us one reality that the Catholic Church always taught its faithful followers, that in the future “the Son of Man coming in clouds” with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.” If you noticed Mark is talking about the second coming of the lord when he is still very much alive!
If you looked at the Bible and talked about the first coming of Christ, you would see the betrayal of our lord by one of the twelve apostles, then he is held on trial by King Herod, Caiaphas, and Pontius Pilate and eventually flogged and crowned with thorns and he has to carry his cross on the streets of Jerusalem and crucified between two thieves! Looking at this picture isn’t a pretty one. It is a fact that the twelve apostles did not realize that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, had to be born in order to die for our sins.
Only later did the twelve apostles and the disciples of Christ realize that while in the end, Jesus Christ would die a violent death, he would eventually come back as what Mark wrote. “The Son of Man coming in clouds” with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.”
Then the lord teaches us about the fig tree, saying: “From the fig tree learn its lesson: As soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this genera-tion will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”
Today, many people apparently believe that with the wild weather we are having, with terrible storms and earthquakes destroying houses and buildings, these are signs that the world is nearing its end. But is it really the end of times? Here is what the lord tells us in today’s gospel reading: “But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”
What we are witnessing is the humility of Jesus. He is coming in all his great power and glory appearing before the clouds, which tells us that the second coming is no longer like the first where he was born from the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary to become man. Yet in all his great power and glory, even Jesus Christ doesn’t reveal the exact date of that great day, which is reserved only for the Father! There is no doubt that it is hard to understand heavenly things!
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