Dear Faithful,
Today we have come to the end of the Liturgical year, the Last Sunday in the Church Calendar. It is a day to consider both the end of our life here on earth, as well a to reflect on the end of the world. Our readings bring our attention to the inevitable temporary nature of time and that of the material world of which both we are part. Everything that has a beginning comes to an end. One day we were born, one day we shall pass from this world. God created the world and He also will have completed His work with creation. Our Lord tells us this inevitable fact, and speaks clearly of the end of the world. It is for our own good that the Church helps us to stop and to reflect especially, today on the end of time and on the end of the world. It can be a sobering wake up call we need from time to time to face. St Paul prayed for his faithful of Colossae that they might be found ready to face the coming Judgement on the Last Day. Since Our Lord revealed that no one, not even the Son of God knows when this end will break upon the world, He said it will come as a thief in the night, when no one expects it; it will surprise the world. He said the Father has reserved it’s occurance for Himself. No saints, no angels know it will come. The generation of St Paul was very much aware of it's coming and lived their lives as if the Last Day could dawn on them any day, pursuing their lives in the awareness that the end might be any day and were so motivated to be ready and live in awareness of God’s caring and loving presence, which helped them to stay close to Him in Grace. Once an Apostle asked Our Lord "If many would be saved?" He said: "Try to enter by the narrow gate that leads to Life, for at the end many will try to get in many other ways but will only find themselves unable to enter and will be left outside." What is that "narrow gate?" This narrow gate is the way of self-denial, discipline, generous love toward God and neighbor, life of self-giving, self-sacrifice. This way is the fulfillment of the two great commandments: Love of God and love of neighbor.
One thing is certain for us all at the end: And Our Lord made it clear: Goodness will triumph and evil will be defeated. God who is the Source of all goodness, will reign and will reveal His Power. Our Lord said: "The Son of Man will appear on the clouds of heaven with His Angels, who He will send to gather the elect into Heaven from the four corners of the earth separating the good from evil; first, men of evil will be cast into everlasting fire, created for the devil and his angels who fought against God and men. Then God's faithful ones will be freed and taken into His rest, the Kingdom of goodness, triumph and joy. Jesus revealed that many on earth will lament and beat their breasts in disappointment, realizing that they were fools and lived in disobedience and revolt against God and His Will. It was for this reason St Paul prayed for his faithful that God may grant them the wisdom to seek and to know His Will, as we read in the Epistle. Because to know and to seek God’s Will is what can help and assure us to bring our own will into unity with His Will. What this means is this: Being one with God’s Will is to be in his Grace, to live in His favor.
On the Last Day when everything will be made known, no secrets will remain hidden, everyone will recognize the reason why God had sent His Son into the world. This will be fully known: God had sent His Son into the world to show mankind by His teaching and by the model and example of His life how to live our lives on earth.
For many who do not know, there is still time to find out, as the world is even now being evangelized all over the planet what message Christ had brought to earth from the Father to men: God is inviting all men to live in His justice and holiness, in charity and peace, so those who listen might save their souls by obeying God’s desire for all men to be saved, doing good and avoiding evil and all the tricks and traps Satan brings to distract men to ignore God and live their self-centered and sinful lives. Jesus Our Lord showed by His humble and obedient way that can lead each soul to the Father. All His teachings we heard throughout the year and throughout our lives were our opportunities to learn and to put them into practice. From the first teachings of Christ to the last mandate to the Apostles we heard that it is the decisive turning away from the world of sin, the changing of one’s heart, which is the way to Our Father, to Eternal Life. Turning away from the world and turning to Christ in humble submission of our will to God, is the way by which gesture we accept His invitation and so give to God the space of our heart, so that He might love, filling our lives with His peace and joy, that His Truth and Will may take root in our lives and that these God-given Truths may transform our fallen human nature, our selfishness and pride into generous giving of our selves back to God and in service of our neighbors’ needs also to be saved.
The Last Day will be the Day of Judgement. All the books, so to speak, will be opened, and all truths will be revealed. Each person, including Angels and Devils will be rewarded for the good or for the evil they did. Jesus revealed in the Gospel that the Devils know this and are trembling. The time for God’s mercy is coming to an end and His Justice will be served. The Day of the Lord is the terrible day for all evil, but for the just it will be freedom and being finally crowned with glory. The same very Day is cause for evil to tremble but for the just the awaited joy. Damnation for the bad and salvation for the good. Jesus, the humble servant, obedient in service, went to Heaven, showing us how and what road is the way and is opened to all, who obey and love God.
Today the Church reminds us of these truths of our faith, in order that no one would be led astray by misleading modernist rationalizations that everyone will be saved and evil is just an alternative life style. Therefore as the fist disciples we too do well to give a hearing to Our Savior Jesus Christ, who said Heaven and Earth, meaning all the planets and stars above and the earth here below on which we stand and live, will pass away, St Peter tells us in his letter, will be destroyed by fire, Christ continues: but My words, the truths I brought for to you from My Father, will never pass away, but will come true. Our Lady at Fatima also confirmed it with her promise God gave her, that Her Immaculate Heart will triumph, meaning that all evil men who resist and reject her message from God and not listen to, not heed, will suffer their deserved defeat.
Let us close our reflection by the words of St Paul to the Colossians: May you walk worthy of God in all things pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might according to the power of His glory that" you received when your sins He wiped away and gave you the joy of His freedom from sin. When you were forgiven you were given this power of God’s glory that make your heart glad and free. Do not allow anything, nor anyone to rob you of this power God gave you and can give you when He replaces your sins with His power of glory that turns your sorrow and shame to joy in your soul. Give always thanks to God the Father, who had made us worthy to be partakers of the lot of the saints in light, who had delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the remission of sin." Amen.
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