Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (To the Greater Glory of God)

For: Thursday, November 26, 2009

34th and Final Week in Ordinary Time

From: Luke 21:20-28

Discourse on the Destruction of Jerusalem
and the End of the World (Continuation)
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(Jesus said to his disciples), [20] "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by
armies, then know that its desolation has come near. [21] Then let those who
are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart,
and let not those who are out in the country enter it; [22] for these are days of
vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. [23] Alas for those who are with child and
for those who give suck in those days! For great distress shall be upon the earth
and wrath upon this people; [24] they shall be upon the earth and wrath upon this
people; [24] they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led captive among all
nations; and Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of
the Gentiles are fulfilled.

[25] "And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and upon the earth dis-
tress 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.

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Commentary:

20-24. Jesus gives quite a detailed prophecy of the destruction of the Holy City.
When the Christians living there saw the armies getting closer, they remembered
this prophecy and fled to Transjordan (cf. Eusebius, "Ecclesiastical History," III,
5). Christ had advised them to flee as soon as possible because this is the time
when God would punish Jerusalem for its sins, as the Old Testament predicted
(Is 5:5-6).

Catholic tradition sees Israel as symbolizing the Church. In fact, in the Book of
Revelation the Church triumphant is called the heavenly Jerusalem (cf. Rev 21:2).
Therefore, by applying this passage to the Church, the sufferings the Holy City
experiences can symbolize the contradictions the pilgrim Church will experience
due to the sins of men, for "she herself takes her place among the creatures
which groan and travail yet and await the revelation of the children of God" Vati-
can II, "Lumen Gentium", 48).

24. "The times of the Gentiles" means the period in which the Gentiles, who do
not belong to the Jewish people, will become members of the new people of God,
the Church, until the Jews themselves are converted at the end of the world (cf.
Rom 11:11-32).

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 judg-
ment 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
awarded 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 victo-
ry 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 living
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).

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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.  We encourage readers to purchase
The Navarre Bible for personal study. See Scepter Publishers for details.

"Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ."  --  St Jerome

"The Father uttered one Word; that Word is His Son, and He utters Him forever
in everlasting silence: and in silence the soul has to hear it.
   --  St John of the Cross