well, in my opinion this is based on misunderstanding of Thess 4 -- which when placed in the larger context of the chapter, is answering questions that Christians in Thessalonica had concerning death.
What has happened to our loved ones who have died before the return of Christ to earth? What is theirs and our ultimate destiny?Paul’s answer: bodily resurrection at the return of Christ to earth! Not an escape into the sky
Rapture, as it is popularly understood, is nowhere to be found in this “rapture” passage. Christ will return to resurrect, to purge, to heal, and to establish the eternal kingdom of God on this earth. Heaven and earth will unite like a bride and husband – for all eternity. That’s it.
Cronos,
Do you consider loving Jesus Christ present in the Eucharist “work”?
Maybe it is work insofar as one is keeping His Commandment to eat and drink His flesh and blood. But when is something done out of love a chore, a hard task, something onerous? Even saints going to their martyrdom were full of joy. We have seen this. Those guys in the orange jumpsuits that were beheaded on the beach in Egypt went to their deaths with joy. And their bodies were paraded into their Coptic parishes with wild exultation.
Again I ask, when is Love work?