The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice. (Psalm 97)
The liturgical year is fast drawing to a close and we bid a sad farewell to the Gospel of Luke and welcome the Gospel of Matthew this Advent.
Luke’s portrait of Jesus is one of a tender, compassionate God who loves us dearly and who is always reaching out to us.
In the Gospel today, Jesus foretells the end of the world without giving a specific time. In fact, He gives two time frames: one for us (you and me), and one for His immediate followers.
He warns of a time of great natural upheavals immediately prior to His Coming. These every Christian should watch for, even if we are wrong. Cardinal John Henry Newman observed that it is better to be wrong than not to watch at all.
The other time refers to the centuries of persecution his first followers would have to endure before Christians could live in peace.
We are well aware that some Christians still suffering bitter persecution for their faith. For these dear believers we pray, while we thank God for the peace and freedom we enjoy.
