Daily Catholic Reflection: November 26, 2020, Thursday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time, Year A

Revelation 18: 1-2.21-23; 19:1-3.9a,

Ps  100:1-2.3.4.5,

Luke 21:20-28 Full Readings

Saint Columban

The Coming Back of Christ 

Brethren, let us continue with our reflection on the end of the times, when Jesus, the Son of Man will take his judgement seat and judge between the righteous and the wicked. Where will you and I belong? The church provides us readings pointing to the end of time as the liturgical year is coming to an end, not to instill fear in us but to encourage us to be prepared for that day not to find us unprepared.  Sunday begins Advent and a new liturgical year!  Therefore, as we move closer to the end of this current liturgical year, we continue to turn our eyes to the last and glorious things to come.  Specifically, today we are presented with the glorious return of Jesus “coming in a cloud with power and great glory.”  What’s most interesting and helpful in this particular passage above is the call we are given to enter into His glorious return with our heads raised with much hope and confidence.

This is an important image to ponder.  Try to imagine Jesus returning in all His splendor and glory.  Try to imagine Him coming in the most awe-inspiring and magnificent of ways.  The entire sky would be transformed as the angels of Heaven surround our Lord.  All earthly powers would suddenly be taken over by Jesus.  Every eye would be turned to Christ and everyone, whether they want to or not, would bow down before the glorious presence of the King of all Kings!

This reality will take place.  It’s just a matter of time.  Jesus will, indeed, return and all will be made new.  The question is this:  Will you be ready?  Will this day take you by surprise?  If it were to happen today, what would your reaction be?  Would you be fearful and suddenly realize you should have repented of certain sins?  Would you immediately have certain regrets as you realize it is now too late to change your life in the way our Lord desires?  Or will you be one of those who stands erect with your head raised as you joyfully and confidently rejoice in the glorious return of our Lord?

Brethren, let us not be like Jerusalem, who despite the visit of God to them, did not heed to his call, rejected Jesus, and did what the Gospel calls abomination of desolation. Abomination of desolation is the profaning of the temple of Jerusalem, instead of being God's dwelling place and thus holy, the Jews starting doing profane things in the temple. All these led Jesus to pass judgement on them, and we all know that Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 AD as Jesus has predicted. Brethren, do we need to be destroyed like Jerusalem because of not heeding to Jesus' call and refusal to prepare for the last day?

Reflect, today, upon how prepared you are for Jesus’ glorious return.  We are called to be ready at every moment.  Being prepared means we are living fully in His grace and mercy and are living in accord with His perfect will.  If His return were at this moment, how prepared would you be?

Let us Pray

Lord, may Your Kingdom come and Your will be done.  Please do come, Jesus, and establish Your glorious Kingdom in my life here and now.  And as Your Kingdom is established in my life, help me to be prepared for Your glorious and total return at the end of the ages. Amen

Be blessed