Just two days ago we celebrated the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. This signifies that we are in the last week of Ordinary Time, and Advent will begin next Sunday.
The readings over the last few days, and for the next few days henceforth, have been from the Book of Revelation. It’s so interesting to note that every First Reading begins with the words, “I, John,” looked, or saw, and he goes on to describe different visions that he has had.
On a trip to Eastern Europe last year, my group and I were very fortunate to visit the island of Patmos, the Greek island where St. John wrote his book of Revelation. There was a Greek Orthodox priest there at the time, and he pointed out to a spot on the roof of the cave where St. John received Revelation.
The theme of today’s reflection is summed up in the Responsorial Psalm:
“The Lord comes to judge the earth.”
End
Every year, when the church’s ordinary year comes to a close, prior to advent, we always hear readings signifying the “end times”. Many people over the years have attempted to guess when that would actually happen; however, those dates came and went, and we are still here.
Speaking for myself, I am not worried about the “end times”. My “end time” and yours, will be when you leave this earth and come face to face with God. My hope is that He will say to me, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master”.
Sojourners
The church, in her wisdom, regularly reminds us that earth is not our permanent home. We are “sojourners” as St. Paul says, journeying through life with people coming in and out of our lives, as at a train station. It is not how long a life we live but how well we live it. Many of the saints, such as St. Therese of Lisieux, St. Maria Goretti, Blessed Carlo Acutis and Servant of God Michelle Duppong, died at a very young age. But they achieved great things during their short lives and exhibited amazing holiness!
I remember the story of the engraving on a tombstone. That it’s the dash between the two dates (year of birth and year of death), that’s the most important. What did that “dash” consist of? In other words, what did you do with the time that God gave you on this earth? Almost like, how did we use the talents that God gave us? He is going to come back and ask for an accounting, and we better be prepared, like the wise virgins who carried extra flasks of oil. I am combining many different parables and stories, but they all point to one thing – be prepared, for you do not know the day or the hour when the Master will come, and blessed are those who are ready when He arrives.
For those in the United States preparing for Thanksgiving, which will be in a couple of days, I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving, and I give God thanks and praise for all that He has blessed me with, but foremost, because I am a Catholic.
