THE END OF TIME

SATURDAY, THIRTY FOURTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Dan 7:15-27; Dan 3:82-87; Lk 21:34-36

How Sudden will the Day of the Lord be?

How sudden will the Day of the Lord be? When will it come? These and other questions pertaining to the particularity of the Day of the Lord are considered to be irrelevant by the Church, as compared to the ultimate question of salvation for each of her children. The same attitude was displayed by our Lord when someone asked him whether many would be saved. Our Lord advised the one who asked him to concern himself with entering the narrow gate before the Master stands and closes the gate. The concern of the Church, therefore, is not about when the Day of the Lord will come or when the time will end. She is rather concerned about the salvation of souls, which is the mandate the Lord gave to her and to all of us, her children. Are we doing enough to save our souls and other souls? This is the question that should occupy our minds daily. What we know with certainty is that the world will end one day, for matter and time are inextricably linked together; the end of one is the end of the other. We have the authority of the word of God that time will come to an end; therefore, material creation will end with time. The same word of God promises a new heaven and a new earth. That will be the earth and heaven of resurrected life, where there would be no destructive opposition as exists between the good and evil in the present age and life. Sin has caused a destructive opposition between the flesh and the spirit.

The manifestation of the destructive opposition between the flesh and the spirit is what we read of in the prophecies of Daniel. As we stated in our reflection yesterday, the daily sinful choices of men come together to manifest as the four terrible beasts he saw, with their sinful and destructive powers. The one who gave him insight into the mystery of the four beasts confirms this, saying: “These four great beasts are four kings who will rise from the earth. Those who are granted sovereignty are the saints of the Most High, and the kingdom will be theirs forever and ever.” In practice, kings or rulers arise from the community of people; if the community has done a good job of training its own, it is assured of having a good king. But if not, a terrible king will rule over them. Our daily sinful choices pool together to form the terrible and evil kings that would rule over us. On the other hand, our daily good choices pool together to advance the coming of the kingdom of God. Every good king draws the people nearer to the coming of the Son of Man, the kingdom of the saints that will last forever. Before the manifestation of the everlasting kingdom of the saints, this one torn by opposition between flesh and spirit, sinners and saints, evil and good, must be destroyed. In the material earth and heaven, corrupted by sin, evil would seem to triumph over good. But the judgment of God, which will put an end to the reign of evil, will also end the material heaven and earth, to establish the spiritual earth and heaven, the kingdom of the saints, mystical members of the Son of Man.

Based on this understanding, the Church and her children do not look to the day or time of the Day of the Lord, for the Day is not materially comprehended, for it is a spiritual Day. The Day is Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, who comes in the name of the Father. He is the judgment of the Ancient of Days over sin and evil. He is the victory of the saints, for he is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. As our Lord admonishes in the Gospel, the Day will never be sudden on the saints, for they are called to be vigilant in prayer and live faithful to the words of the Lord. It will come suddenly only if we cease to watch and pray; if we become absorbed by the material goods/pleasures and lose our spiritual attention. “Watch yourselves, or your hearts will be coarsened with debauchery and drunkenness and the cares of life, and that day will be sprung on you suddenly, like a trap. For it will come down on every living man on the face of the earth.” The duty of every one of us is to watch and pray, so as not to fall into temptation. That is the battle the beasts wage against the saints, distraction in prayer. “Stay awake, praying at all times for the strength to survive all that is going to happen, and to stand with confidence before the Son of Man.” All who obey this injunction of our Lord are already in the new heaven and earth. Let’s be awake and help our neighbours to be prayerful and vigilant. Share with them whatever is beneficial in your spiritual walk and battle.

Let us pray: Stir up the will of your faithful, we pray, O Lord, that, striving more eagerly to bring your divine work to fruitful completion, they may receive in greater measure the healing remedies your kindness bestows. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.