Then they will see ‘The Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory — Stand up and raise your heads because your redemption is drawing near. –Luke 21:27-28B
Image Courtesy: Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word
Grace, mercy and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ,
the Father’s Son, in truth and love!
Truth and Love
I was overjoyed to find some of your children walking in the Truth, just as we have been
commanded by the Father but now dear Lady, I ask you, not as though I were writing you a new
commandment but one we have had from the beginning, let us love one another (See: Leviticus
19:18; John 15:12; Romans 12:10; Romans 13:8; 1 Peter 4:8) and this is love, that we walk
according to His Commandments; this is the Commandment just as you have heard it from the
beginning — you must walk in it.
Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess that Jesus Christ has
come in the flesh; any such person is the deceiver and the Antichrist! Be on your guard, so that
you do not lose what we have worked for but may receive a full reward. Everyone who does not
abide in the Teaching of Christ but goes beyond it does not have God; whoever abides in the
Teaching has both the Father and the Son. Do not receive into the house or welcome anyone
who comes to you and does not bring this teaching, for to welcome is to participate in the evil
deeds of such a person. –2 John 4-11
The Coming of the Kingdom
Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God was coming?
Jesus answered, “The Kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; Nor will
they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ For, in-fact, the Kingdom of God is among you.”
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “The days are coming when you will long to see one of the days
of the Son of Man and you will not see it. They will say to you, ‘Look there!’ or ‘Look here!’ Do
not go, do not set off in pursuit. For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side
to the other, so will the Son of Man be in His day. First He must endure much suffering and be
rejected by this generation. Just as it was in the days of Noah, so too it will be in the days of the
Son of Man. They will be eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage until the Noah
entered the ark and the flood came and destroyed all of them. (Genesis 6-11) Likewise, just as it
was in the days of Lot: They were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building
but on the day that Lot left Sodom, it rained fire and sulfur from Heaven and destroyed all of
them. (Genesis 19:1-25) It will be like that on the day that the Son of Man is revealed. On that
day, anyone on the housetop who has belongings in the house must not come down to take
them away and likewise anyone in the field must not turn back. Remember Lot’s wife. (Genesis
19:26) Those who try to make their life secure will lose it but those who lose their life will keep
it. I tel, you, on that night there will be two in bed, one will be taken and the other left. There
will be two women grinding meal together, one will be taken and the other left.” Then they
(disciples) asked Jesus, ‘Where Lord?’ Jesus said to them, “Where the corpse is, there the
vultures will gather.” –Luke17:20-37
The Widows Offering
Jesus looked up and saw rich people putting their gifts into the treasury; He also saw a poor
widow put in two small copper coins. Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in
more than all of them; For all of them contributed out of their abundance but she out of her
poverty has put in all she had to live on.”
The Destruction of The Temple Foretold
When some were speaking about the Temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and
gifts dedicated to God, Jesus said, “As for these things that you see, the days will come when
not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.”
Signs and Persecution
They asked Jesus, ‘Teacher, when will this be and what will be the sign that this is about to take
place?’ Jesus said, “Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in My name and say,
‘I am he’ and ‘The time is near!’ Do not go after them.
When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for these things must take place
first but the end will not follow immediately.” Then Jesus said to them, “Nation will rise against
nation and kingdom against kingdom; there will be great earthquakes and in various places
famines and plagues; there will be dreadful portents (a sign or warning that something
momentous or calamitous is likely to happen) and great signs from heaven.
Before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to
Synagogues and prisons and you will be brought before kings and governors because of My
name. This will give you an opportunity to testify. So make up your minds not to prepare your
defense in advance; For I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be
able to withstand or contradict. You will be betrayed even by your parents and brothers,
relatives and friends; they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of My
name but not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your souls.”
The Destruction of Jerusalem Foretold
“When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know its desolation has come near.
Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains and those inside the city must leave it and
those out of the country must not enter it; For these days of vengeance as a fulfillment of all
that is written. Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those
days! For there will be great distress on the earth and wrath against this people; They will fall
by the edge of the sword and be taken away as captives among all nations; Jerusalem will be
trampled on by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”
The Coming of the Son of Man
“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, the stars and on the earth distress among nations
confused by the roaring sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding (a feeling
that something bad will happen) of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the
heavens will be shaken. Then they will see ‘The Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and
great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads because
your redemption is drawing near.”
The Lesson of the Fig Tree
Then Jesus told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees; As soon as they sprout
leaves you can see for yourselves and know the Summer is already near. So also, when you see
these things taking place, you know that the Kingdom of God is near. Truly I tel, you, this
generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away
but My Words will not pass away.”
Exhortation to Watch
“Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and
the worries of this life and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will
come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. Be alert at all times, praying that you
may have strength to escape all these things that will take place and to stand before
the Son of Man.”
Every day Jesus was teaching in the Temple and at night He would go out and spend the night
on the Mount of Olives as it was called and all the people would get up early in the morning to
listen to Him in the Temple. –Luke 21:1-38
- Jesus said, “The time is fulfilled and the Kingdom of God has come near;
Repent and Believe in The Good News!” –Mark 1:15
- You may know the Joy of Salvation Today
through The Good News of Jesus Christ My Savior!
Related: For Today’s Holy Scripture Readings and More, Visit: -USCCB