＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊   

Jeremiah 33:14-16

 The days are coming when I shall fulfill the promise that I made in favor of Israel and Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause to sprout the shoot of righteousness from David’s line; he will practice justice and righ­teousness in the land. In those days Judah will experience salvation and Jeru­salem will live in safety. He will be called Yahweh-Our-Righteousness.”

Ps 25:4-5, 8-9, 10,14(1b)

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

＊＊＊ 2nd Reading ＊＊＊

1 Thessalonians 3:12 – 4:2

 May the Lord increase more and more your love for each other and for all people, as he in­creases our love for you.   May he strengthen you internally to be holy and blameless before God, our Father, on the day that Jesus, our Lord, will come with all his saints.

 For the rest, brothers, we ask you in the name of Jesus, the Lord, and we urge you to live in a way that pleases God, just as you have learned from us. This you do, but try to do still more.   You know the instructions we gave you on behalf of the Lord Jesus:

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊   

Luke 21:25-28, 34-36

 Then there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth anguish of perplexed nations when they hear the roaring of the sea and its waves. People will faint with fear at the mere thought of what is to come upon the world, for the forces of the universe will be shaken. And at this time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

 Now, when you see the first events, stand erect and lift up your heads, for your deliverance is drawing near.”  Be on your guard; let not your hearts be weighed down with a life of pleasure, drunkenness and worldly cares, lest that day catch you suddenly as a trap. 

For it will come upon all the inhabitants of the whole earth. But watch at all times and pray, that you may be able to escape all that is bound to happen and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Gospel Reflection：

Read:

The reading speaks of intergalactic disturbances in the balance of the elements. There will be chaos. This is prelude to the coming of Jesus in power and great glory. The faithful must not be afraid but welcome these happenings since their deliverance will be near.

Meanwhile, they have to live upright lives since the time and the hour of Jesus’ coming is not known.

Reflect:

The kingdom of God when it comes will literally turn the present would order upside down that the language employed is of inter-galactic nature. This is to drive the point that everything will be renewed.

The laws of heaven will replace human laws that are imperfect and sometimes shewed to the interest of the rich and powerful. This is where the limitation of human words can be seen.

It is not enough to convey what will really happen in the future to come. That is why symbolic language is employed. It has the imagery that can be understood by a creative mind that uses higher operations of the thinking process.

Those who think literally cannot aspire to unpack its full meaning and import in the spiritual life. The question is, are we going to be afraid of the second coming of Christ? The gospel itself tells us to stand erect and hold our heads high for our deliverance is at hand.

And so, the end time is not about suffering and punishment. It is about the dawn of a new world order according to the will of God and the redemption of humankind.

Respond:

Are we concerned about our future state and do something to secure it? We must remember that what we do here on earth echoes in eternity. Let us start living lives with integrity today and we will never worry about our future to come.