REFLECTIONS TODAY

Our Gospel reading today continues to speak about the last days when the Son of Man shall return. Immediately before this, Jesus warns of false messiahs and false prophets who will point to signs but will only lead people astray. Then he speaks of what signs they should expect when that Day is about to come. In the manner of apocalyptic writings, he speaks of cosmic disturbances that will occur, like the sun darkening, the moon failing, the stars falling from the skies, and heavenly powers shaking. These are no ordinary signs, and so they must be paid attention to. 

But following these frightening signs, comes the jubilant proclamation of the coming of the Son of Man among the clouds with great power and glory. This will be followed by God’s angels gathering all his elect from all corners of the earth. And so, this supposedly terrifying event is only bad news for those who are opposed to God and who refused to believe in the Son. But for the “children of the light” (1 Thes 5:5), the signs are a welcome good news of the advent of their salvation in the Son of Man coming down from heaven. 

After this, Jesus goes back again to provide a “lesson” on how to be prepared for the last days by referring to nature in the little illustration involving the fig tree. He alerts them to the behavior of this tree and its parts and what their behavior means or stands for. So also, he says, when they see those signs that he just enumerated, they should know that his coming is at hand and what it means for them. Jesus closes with a strong assertion that (unlike the words of false messiahs and the false prophets) his words will certainly come true. These words spoken with authority give assurance and hope. 

For us who live in this period of history, is there still a living expectation of the Lord’s return? Or are we just living our lives as if it will go on forever, with nothing to look forward to beyond what this world has to offer? Consequently, how are we living our lives? What controls or governs it? Are we still attentive to the possible signs that the Lord is alerting us to in the Gospel? Or have we allowed ourselves to be completely absorbed in the affairs of this world? 

Nowadays, with all the new realities and ways that are presented to us, we need to be discerning in our use of, or in our engaging with, them. Otherwise, they will take over our lives before we even realize it! The influx of gadgets into our lives and social media as well ushers us more and more into the virtual, and away from the real, world. Even not-so-young people are drawn into this. Thus, we can find ourselves physically present to one another and yet really absent as we turn more to converse with our gadgets than the people in front or around us. In the process, we might just miss the signs God provides. May we never keep our ways away from the Lord’s teachings, and may we be always attentive to the signs of his return. Amen.

First Reading • Dn 12:1-3

In those days, I, Daniel, heard this word of the Lord: “At that time there shall arise Michael, the great prince, guardian of your people; it shall be a time unsurpassed in distress since nations began until that time. At that time your people shall escape, everyone who is found written in the book.

“Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake; some shall live forever, others shall be an everlasting horror and disgrace.
“But the wise shall shine brightly like the splendor of the firmament, and those who lead the many to justice shall be like the stars forever.”

Source: “366 Days with the Lord 2024,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.