Reading 1MAL 3:19-20A Lo, the day is coming, blazing like an oven, when all the proud and all evildoers will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire, leaving them neither root nor branch, says the LORD of hosts. But for you who fear my name, there will arise the sun of justice with its healing rays. Responsorial PsalmPS 98:5-6, 7-8, 9 R. (cf. 9) The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice. Sing praise to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and melodious song. With trumpets and the sound of the horn sing joyfully before the King, the LORD. R. The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice. Let the sea and what fills it resound, the world and those who dwell in it; let the rivers clap their hands, the mountains shout with them for joy. R. The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice. Before the LORD, for he comes, for he comes to rule the earth, he will rule the world with justice and the peoples with equity. R. The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.
Reading 22 THES 3:7-12 Brothers and sisters: You know how one must imitate us. For we did not act in a disorderly way among you, nor did we eat food received free from anyone. On the contrary, in toil and drudgery, night and day we worked, so as not to burden any of you. Not that we do not have the right. Rather, we wanted to present ourselves as a model for you, so that you might imitate us. In fact, when we were with you, we instructed you that if anyone was unwilling to work, neither should that one eat. We hear that some are conducting themselves among you in a disorderly way, by not keeping busy but minding the business of others. Such people we instruct and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and to eat their own food.
AlleluiaLK 21:28 R. Alleluia, alleluia. Stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand. R. Alleluia, alleluia. GospelLK 21:5-19 While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, Jesus said, "All that you see here-- the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down."
Then they asked him, "Teacher, when will this happen? And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?" He answered, "See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he,' and 'The time has come.' Do not follow them! When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end." Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place; and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.
"Before all this happens, however, they will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name. It will lead to your giving testimony. Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand, for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute. You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you will secure your lives."
WORDS OF THE HOLY FATHER At the end Jesus makes a promise which is a guarantee of victory: “By your endurance you will gain your lives” (v. 19). There is so much hope in these words! They are a call to hope and patience, to be able to wait for the certain fruits of salvation, trusting in the profound meaning of life and of history: the trials and difficulties are part of the bigger picture; the Lord, the Lord of history, leads all to fulfillment. Despite the turmoil and disasters that upset the world, God’s design of goodness and mercy will be fulfilled! And this is our hope: go forward on this path, in God’s plan which will be fulfilled. This is our hope. (Angelus, 17 november 2013)
S. FAUSTI - This great Apocalypse concerns the cosmic destiny: "our" history that will conclude with the end of the world. Revelation does not mean "disaster", but "revelation" of something unknown. These words of Jesus reveal not something strange and occult, but the profound sense of the present reality. They remove the veil that our fears and mistakes have put before our eyes, and allow us to see that truth which is God's definitive Word about the world. The apocalyptic language is colored in strong and paradoxical colors. But isn't the truth paradoxical, beyond all opinion? The first intent of the Evangelists is to show that we are not going towards the end, but towards the aim. The dissolution of the old world is at the same time the birth of the new one. Luke is particularly concerned to show the relationship that the final destination has with our current path. God realizes His plan in this history with its contradictions: the mystery of Jesus' death and resurrection, the fullness of the Kingdom, continues in the lives of the disciples. His cross is already the judgment on the old world; the disciple is called to live it in the present as a seed of future glory, waiting for His return. Jesus does not satisfy the curiosity about the future. We ask Him " when " will be the end of the world and what " the signs " will be. But He has refused and will always refuse to answer. He came to teach us that the world has in the Father its beginning and its end, and He calls us to live the present from this point of view, the only one that gives meaning to life. Jesus also wants to remove those anxieties and fears about the end of the world, which thrive everywhere and only do damage. Man, the only living person aware of his own limit, after sin lets himself be guided by the fear of death. It triumphs precisely in will to be saved at all costs, the origin of selfishness and all evil. Jesus offers the alternative of a life that lets itself be guided by trust in the Father, in an attitude of gift and love, that has already conquered death. The Son of God, who became Flesh, revealed to us the destiny of all flesh: His journey as Son of Man is that of every man and of the whole world, His mystery of death and resurrection is the truth of the present in its future. Asking "when and what" are the signs of the destruction of the temple, the disciples intend the end of the world. In reality it is not the end of the world; it is an exemplary historical event, a figure of every moment of crisis, which constitutes a challenge for the believer, called to bear witness to his Lord. Banishment to the false expectations of an imminent end. The alleged signs of the end are all things that happen "before". are the normal ingredients of our existence before the end. Neither wars, revolts and great signs, nor the siege and destruction of Jerusalem, foreshadow the end: they are only the beginning of the "time of the pagans", a new page in the time of salvation, now open to all. The real clue that the Kingdom is near and that the human event is nearing completion is instead the testimony of the disciples, who follow and proclaim their Lord in this world of evil, making it the place of Salvation. The universe will end. Because what begins, ends. However, the victory will not be of evil, but of God's fidelity to His Love for us. The resurrection of the Crucified One gives us the certainty: the stone discarded by the builders has become a corner header. But the kingdom here on earth will always be like a seed: it bears fruit because it is small, taken, thrown and hidden. It will always carry the features of the Face of the Son of Man, delivered for us to the death of the cross. But do not be discouraged: this is His victory! The plan of salvation is realized precisely through the cross. "It is necessary to go through many tribulations in order to enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22). These associate us with Jesus.
Reading 1MAL 3:19-20A
RispondiEliminaLo, the day is coming, blazing like an oven,
when all the proud and all evildoers will be stubble,
and the day that is coming will set them on fire,
leaving them neither root nor branch,
says the LORD of hosts.
But for you who fear my name, there will arise
the sun of justice with its healing rays.
Responsorial PsalmPS 98:5-6, 7-8, 9
R. (cf. 9) The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.
Sing praise to the LORD with the harp,
with the harp and melodious song.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
sing joyfully before the King, the LORD.
R. The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.
Let the sea and what fills it resound,
the world and those who dwell in it;
let the rivers clap their hands,
the mountains shout with them for joy.
R. The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.
Before the LORD, for he comes,
for he comes to rule the earth,
he will rule the world with justice
and the peoples with equity.
R. The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.
Reading 22 THES 3:7-12
Brothers and sisters:
You know how one must imitate us.
For we did not act in a disorderly way among you,
nor did we eat food received free from anyone.
On the contrary, in toil and drudgery, night and day
we worked, so as not to burden any of you.
Not that we do not have the right.
Rather, we wanted to present ourselves as a model for you,
so that you might imitate us.
In fact, when we were with you,
we instructed you that if anyone was unwilling to work,
neither should that one eat.
We hear that some are conducting themselves among you in a
disorderly way,
by not keeping busy but minding the business of others.
Such people we instruct and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly
and to eat their own food.
AlleluiaLK 21:28
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelLK 21:5-19
While some people were speaking about
how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings,
Jesus said, "All that you see here--
the days will come when there will not be left
a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down."
Then they asked him,
"Teacher, when will this happen?
And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?"
He answered,
"See that you not be deceived,
for many will come in my name, saying,
'I am he,' and 'The time has come.'
Do not follow them!
When you hear of wars and insurrections,
do not be terrified; for such things must happen first,
but it will not immediately be the end."
Then he said to them,
"Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues
from place to place;
and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.
"Before all this happens, however,
they will seize and persecute you,
they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons,
and they will have you led before kings and governors
because of my name.
It will lead to your giving testimony.
Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand,
for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking
that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.
You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends,
and they will put some of you to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.
By your perseverance you will secure your lives."
WORDS OF THE HOLY FATHER
RispondiEliminaAt the end Jesus makes a promise which is a guarantee of victory: “By your endurance you will gain your lives” (v. 19). There is so much hope in these words! They are a call to hope and patience, to be able to wait for the certain fruits of salvation, trusting in the profound meaning of life and of history: the trials and difficulties are part of the bigger picture; the Lord, the Lord of history, leads all to fulfillment. Despite the turmoil and disasters that upset the world, God’s design of goodness and mercy will be fulfilled! And this is our hope: go forward on this path, in God’s plan which will be fulfilled. This is our hope. (Angelus, 17 november 2013)
S. FAUSTI - This great Apocalypse concerns the cosmic destiny: "our" history that will conclude with the end of the world. Revelation does not mean "disaster", but "revelation" of something unknown.
RispondiEliminaThese words of Jesus reveal not something strange and occult, but the profound sense of the present reality. They remove the veil that our fears and mistakes have put before our eyes, and allow us to see that truth which is God's definitive Word about the world.
The apocalyptic language is colored in strong and paradoxical colors. But isn't the truth paradoxical, beyond all opinion?
The first intent of the Evangelists is to show that we are not going towards the end, but towards the aim.
The dissolution of the old world is at the same time the birth of the new one.
Luke is particularly concerned to show the relationship that the final destination has with our current path.
God realizes His plan in this history with its contradictions: the mystery of Jesus' death and resurrection, the fullness of the Kingdom, continues in the lives of the disciples.
His cross is already the judgment on the old world; the disciple is called to live it in the present as a seed of future glory, waiting for His return. Jesus does not satisfy the curiosity about the future. We ask Him " when " will be the end of the world and what " the signs " will be.
But He has refused and will always refuse to answer. He came to teach us that the world has in the Father its beginning and its end, and He calls us to live the present from this point of view, the only one that gives meaning to life.
Jesus also wants to remove those anxieties and fears about the end of the world, which thrive everywhere and only do damage.
Man, the only living person aware of his own limit, after sin lets himself be guided by the fear of death. It triumphs precisely in will to be saved at all costs, the origin of selfishness and all evil.
Jesus offers the alternative of a life that lets itself be guided by trust in the Father, in an attitude of gift and love, that has already conquered death.
The Son of God, who became Flesh, revealed to us the destiny of all flesh: His journey as Son of Man is that of every man and of the whole world, His mystery of death and resurrection is the truth of the present in its future. Asking "when and what" are the signs of the destruction of the temple, the disciples intend the end of the world.
In reality it is not the end of the world; it is an exemplary historical event, a figure of every moment of crisis, which constitutes a challenge for the believer, called to bear witness to his Lord.
Banishment to the false expectations of an imminent end. The alleged signs of the end are all things that happen "before". are the normal ingredients of our existence before the end.
Neither wars, revolts and great signs, nor the siege and destruction of Jerusalem, foreshadow the end: they are only the beginning of the "time of the pagans", a new page in the time of salvation, now open to all.
The real clue that the Kingdom is near and that the human event is nearing completion is instead the testimony of the disciples, who follow and proclaim their Lord in this world of evil, making it the place of Salvation.
The universe will end. Because what begins, ends. However, the victory will not be of evil, but of God's fidelity to His Love for us. The resurrection of the Crucified One gives us the certainty: the stone discarded by the builders has become a corner header.
But the kingdom here on earth will always be like a seed: it bears fruit because it is small, taken, thrown and hidden.
It will always carry the features of the Face of the Son of Man, delivered for us to the death of the cross.
But do not be discouraged: this is His victory!
The plan of salvation is realized precisely through the cross. "It is necessary to go through many tribulations in order to enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22). These associate us with Jesus.