Jesus’ eschatological discourse
November 18, 2018 Sunday, 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time 1st Reading: Dan 12:1–3 2nd Reading: Heb 10:11–14, 18 Gospel: Mk 13:24–32
Jesus said to his disciples, “Later on, in those days after that disastrous time, the sun will grow dark, the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall out of the sky and the whole universe will be shaken. Then people will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And he will send the angels to gather his chosen people from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the sky.”
“Learn a lesson from the fig tree. As soon as its branches become tender and it begins to sprout leaves, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see these things happening, know that the time is near, even at the door. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all this has happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”
“But, regarding that Day and that Hour, no one knows when it will come, not even the angels, not even the Son, but only the Father.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the
Assimilated Life
Experience)
Today is the last Sunday in Ordinary Time. Next Sunday we will already celebrate Christ the King – the end of the Liturgical calendar of the Catholic Church. With its calendar coming to a close, the Catholic Church has chosen the theme of the Last Days in the Liturgical readings. The purpose is to remind us of the shortness of life, not to scare us of any possibility that the world will end tomorrow. By reflecting on the shortness of life there is great chance that we improve the quality of our spiritual lives by aligning our lifestyle with the nature of our true destiny.
Today’s Gospel partly ends Chapter 13 of St. Mark’s Gospel. Mark Chapter 13 opens with Jesus’ prediction of the destruction of the Temple (Mark 13: 1-2), prompting Peter, James, John and Andrew to ask when would the destruction happen and what signs would precede its happening (Mark 13:3-4). This triggers Jesus’ eschatological (related to the last things) discourses. The postscript is crucial. It says: “No one but the Father knows the precise time” (Mark 13: 32). So not even the angels of heaven nor Jesus himself know when these would occur. The wise thing to do is to be vigilant, for we do not know the day or the hour (Mark 13: 33-37). Our kind of vigilance should be distinguished by a sense of urgency that the end could happen anytime. For while it is true that the world will not end tomorrow our life can end anytime today. It is important that we always keep ourselves ready. — (Atty.) Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., D.M.
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