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Friends, our Gospel for today features apocalyptic musings. Recall that "apocalypse" means unveiling, a revelation. And Jesus uses, once again, the language from the seventh chapter of the prophet Daniel: "The powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in the clouds’ with great power and glory." Daniel spoke of a succession of four kingdoms, which would be followed by the arrival of God’s definitive kingdom. This is the fulfillment of Nathan’s prophecy that a son of David would reign forever. I realize how strange all of this can sound, but there is a spiritual point of enormous significance behind all of it. We should not trust in any of the powers of the world to give us security and peace. Such peace will come only with the arrival of God’s kingdom. What you should look to is the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven. Now, is this meant in an ultimate sense? Yes, the second coming signals the end of the world as we know it. But the Son of Man is coming on the clouds of heaven even now, in the life of the Church.
Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 158
Reading 1 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.
Gospel Mk 13:24-32
Jesus said to his disciples:"In those days after that tribulation
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will be falling from the sky,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
"And then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in the clouds'
with great power and glory,
and then he will send out the angels
and gather his elect from the four winds,
from the end of the earth to the end of the sky.
"Learn a lesson from the fig tree.
When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves,
you know that summer is near.
In the same way, when you see these things happening,
know that he is near, at the gates.
Amen, I say to 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.
"But of that day or hour, no one knows,
neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."
"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."
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