From: Luke 21:25-28; 34-36

Discourse on the Destruction of Jerusalem
and the End of the World (Continuation)

(Jesus said to his disciples), [25] “And there will be signs in sun and moon and
stars, and upon the earth distress of nations in perplexity at the roaring of the
sea and the waves, [26] men fainting with fear and foreboding of what is coming
on the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. [27] And then they
will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. [28] Now
when these things begin to take place, look up and raise your heads, because
your redemption is drawing near.”

The Need for Vigilance

[34] “But take heed to yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissi-
pation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you sud-
denly like a snare; [35] for it will come upon all who dwell upon the face of the
whole earth. [36] But watch at all times, praying that you may have strength to
escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

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Commentary:

25-26. Jesus refers to the dramatic changes in natural elements when the world
is coming to an end. “The powers of the heavens will be shaken”; that is to say,
the whole universe will tremble at the Lord’s coming in power and glory.

27-28. Applying to himself the prophecy of Daniel (7:13-14), our Lord speaks of
his coming in glory at the end of time. Mankind will see the power and glory of
the Son of man, coming to judge the living and the dead. Christ will deliver this
judgment in his human capacity. Sacred Scripture describes the solemnity of
this event, when the sentence passed on each person in the particular judgment
will be confirmed, and God’s justice and mercy to men throughout history will
shine out for all to see. “It was necessary not only that rewards should await the
just and punishments the wicked, in the life to come, but that they should be a-
warded by a public and general judgment. Thus they will become better known
and will be rendered more conspicuous to all, and a tribute of praise will be of-
fered by all to the justice and providence of God” (”St Pius V Catechism”, I, 8,
4).

This coming of the Lord is, then, a day of terror for evildoers and of joy for those
who have remained faithful. The disciples should hold their heads high because
their redemption is at hand. It is the day they will receive their reward. The vic-
tory won by Christ on the cross—victory over sin, over the devil and over death —
will now be seen clearly, with all its implications. Therefore St Paul recommends
that we be “awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great
God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).

“He [Christ] ascended into heaven whence he will come again to judge the li-
ving and the dead, each according to his merits. Those who have responded to
the love and compassion of God will go into eternal life. Those who have refused
them to the end will be consigned to the fire that is never extinguished” (Paul VI,
“Creed of the People of God”, 12).

34-36. At the end of His discourse Jesus emphasizes that every Christian needs
to be vigilant: we do not know the day nor the hour in which He will ask us to ren-
der an account of our lives. Therefore, we must at all times be trying to do God’s
will, so that death, whenever it comes, will find us ready. For those who act in
this way, sudden death never takes them by surprise. As St. Paul recommends:
“You are not in darkness, brethren, for that day to surprise you like a thief” (1
Thessalonians 5:4). Vigilance consists in making a constant effort not to be at-
tached to the things of this world (the concupiscence of the flesh, the concupi-
scence of the eyes and pride of life: cf. John 2:16) and in being assiduous in pra-
yer, which keeps us close to God. If we live in this way, the day we die will be a
day of joy and not of terror, for with God’s help our vigilance will mean that our
souls are ready to receive the visit of our Lord; they are in the state of grace: in
meeting Christ we will not be meeting a judge who will find us guilty; instead He
will embrace us and lead us into the house of His Father to remain there forever.
“Does your soul not burn with the desire to make your Father-God happy when
He has to judge you?” (St. J. Escriva, “The Way”, 746).

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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

Readings at Mass

First reading	Jeremiah 33:14-16 ©

See, the days are coming – it is the Lord who speaks – when I am going to fulfil the promise I made to the House of Israel and the House of Judah:

‘In those days and at that time,

I will make a virtuous Branch grow for David,

who shall practise honesty and integrity in the land.

In those days Judah shall be saved

and Israel shall dwell in confidence.

And this is the name the city will be called:

The-Lord-our-integrity.’

Psalm	Psalm 24:4-5,8-9,10,14 ©

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

Lord, make me know your ways.

Lord, teach me your paths.

Make me walk in your truth, and teach me:

for you are God my saviour.

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

The Lord is good and upright.

He shows the path to those who stray,

He guides the humble in the right path,

He teaches his way to the poor.

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

His ways are faithfulness and love

for those who keep his covenant and law.

The Lord’s friendship is for those who revere him;

to them he reveals his covenant.

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

Second reading	1 Thessalonians 3:12-4:2 ©

May the Lord be generous in increasing your love and make you love one another and the whole human race as much as we love you. And may he so confirm your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless in the sight of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus Christ comes with all his saints.

Finally, brothers, we urge you and appeal to you in the Lord Jesus to make more and more progress in the kind of life that you are meant to live: the life that God wants, as you learnt from us, and as you are already living it. You have not forgotten the instructions we gave you on the authority of the Lord Jesus.

Gospel Acclamation	Ps84:8

Alleluia, alleluia!

Let us see, O Lord, your mercy

and give us your saving help.

Alleluia!

Gospel	Luke 21:25-28,34-36 ©

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars; on earth nations in agony, bewildered by the clamour of the ocean and its waves; men dying of fear as they await what menaces the world, for the powers of heaven will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand erect, hold your heads high, because your liberation is near at hand.

‘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. 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.’