Jesus holds the key to the universe

 

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Friday 27 November 2020

Jesus holds the key to the universe

 

First reading

Apocalypse 20:1-4,11-21:2

The book of life was opened, and the dead were judged

I, John, saw an angel come down from heaven with the key of the Abyss in his hand and an enormous chain. He overpowered the dragon, that primeval serpent which is the devil and Satan, and chained him up for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and shut the entrance and sealed it over him, to make sure he would not deceive the nations again until the thousand years had passed. At the end of that time he must be released, but only for a short while.

Then I saw some thrones, and I saw those who are given the power to be judges take their seats on them. I saw the souls of all who had been beheaded for having witnessed for Jesus and for having preached God’s word, and those who refused to worship the beast or his statue and would not have the brand-mark on their foreheads or hands; they came to life, and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. Then I saw a great white throne and the One who was sitting on it. In his presence, earth and sky vanished, leaving no trace. I saw the dead, both great and small, standing in front of his throne, while the book of life was opened, and other books opened which were the record of what they had done in their lives, by which the dead were judged.

The sea gave up all the dead who were in it; Death and Hades were emptied of the dead that were in them; and every one was judged according to the way in which he had lived. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the burning lake. This burning lake is the second death; and anybody whose name could not be found written in the book of life was thrown into the burning lake.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; the first heaven and the first earth had disappeared now, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the holy city, and the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, as beautiful as a bride all dressed for her husband.

 

Prayerful reflection

The Church is suffering persecution at the hands of the Romans. This book is to encourage and strengthen Christians in their sufferings. The author writes using language that the Romans would not understand. He writes with the imagery of the Old Testament. We cannot take it literally but must look for the truth he is proclaiming.

Nowadays we do not talk much of hell but stress the goodness and love of God and his desire for all to be saved. Yet when we reflect on the Scriptures taken as a whole, we cannot avoid the truth that there is a judgement on everyone and that those who have sided with Satan in this life will receive the judgement that Satan has received. They adamantly refused the call of God in this life and so will live separately from God for all eternity. Their adamant refusal is eternal. Satan whom they listened to in this life becomes their eternal master.

On the other hand, those who gave their lives for Jesus in this life, first the martyrs who shed their blood for him, will be held in highest honour, then those who gave their life for him day by day in humble loving obedience will reign with him too.

Those who thus belong to the Lord Jesus will the members of the new Jerusalem, the new and perfect creation in which God as Father will live with them. How that will be no one in this life has any idea. It is beyond imagination.

Gospel

Luke 21:29-33

My words will never pass away

Jesus told his disciples a parable: ‘Think of the fig tree and indeed every tree. As soon as you see them bud, you know that summer is now near. So with you when you see these things happening: know that the kingdom of God is near. I tell you solemnly, before this generation has passed away all will have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.’

 

Prayerful reflection

The new creation began with the Death and Resurrection of Jesus. His Death and Resurrection, his Paschal Mystery – his passing over from the state of sin and corruption to the glory of God in his mortal body - is the beginning. The old creation of sin, rebellion, and war is doomed. Before his Death Jesus proclaimed ‘the Kingdom of God is close at hand.’ With his Resurrection it finally came. Those who accept him and become members of his Mystical Body through faith and Baptism become members of his Kingdom, here on earth.

We are able to live with God in intimate love and union even now – ‘in God we live and move and have our being.’ This life with God is real and true, but now in the hiddenness of faith. If we allow God to increase our faith and purify us from the stain of the old creation, we will live in communion with God now. Then when death, the last enemy to be overthrown, comes, the light of vision will shed upon us and we will be visibly what we have been in this life in the darkness of faith.

We are already either in or out of the Kingdom of God. Let us welcome the Lord Jesus who stands at the door knocking and appealing to us to let him in. In him, with him and through him we live in the Kingdom.

What is the fig tree and what are the buds? When we see the tree bud, we know summer is near. What is Jesus saying. When we see the Passion and Death of Jesus, we see the destruction of the old creation in bud. When we see his Resurrection, we see the new creation in bud. We now know that summer is near.  The new creation will flower for all those who are in Christ Jesus. Jesus is the fig tree and his Resurrection is the tree in bud. We now know that it will flower in the Resurrection of all believers. May we be one of them.