Next Sunday is the Feast of Christ the King which marks the end of the Liturgical Year. The Readings invite us to reflect on the second coming of Christ, the end of the world. It could be scary to talk about the end, as it involves death, because everyone wants to live here forever. We are but pilgrims on earth, life continues after death. Death is a gateway to the everlasting life, for those who believe.
In our Gospel today, Christ tells us of His second coming, when "the Son of man will come in the clouds with great power and glory. And He will send His Angels to gather His elect from the four cardinal points and from the depths of the earth to the highest of heaven" (Mk 13:24-32).
The Second Coming will be the moment of our definitive salvation when our souls will be reunited with our glorified body. It will also be the most spectacular and most important moment in human history: Christ coming in the fullness of his glory, of his power, of his divinity reward us with eternity!
It is true that the First Reading of prophet Daniel makes some frightening predictions of the coming. Yes, that moment will be terrible for some; those who have not fulfilled God's will in this earthly life, those who have opposed God and His designs, those who have sought ways other than God's. That is, that punishment will be for those who have turned their backs on God. But the righteous, those who have sought to fulfill God's will in this life, those who for that reason "are written in the book, they will awaken to eternal life, shine like the splendor of the firmament, and shine like stars for all eternity" (Dn 12:1-3).
Our attitude towards death should not be of fear but of preparation for a moment of glory. It is good to ask ourselves: how prepared am I for death? Personally, I have prepared all the readings and liturgy for my funeral. I’m ready whenever God is ready for me. At funeral preparations with families, it is always sad to see children argue about what they prefer for the funeral of their parents. At times, they want the most unchristian things for their catholic parents, (like spreading their ashes in the ocean, dividing the cremains into pieces for each family member, not having a Mass, etc.). All of these is because the parents never said or wrote down what they wanted as Catholics, because they are afraid to talk about death. Be prepared, for death will surely come.
As we await the coming of the Lord, what are we doing with time that we already have in our hands? Today is a gift (present), tomorrow is not even a promise!
God is Good, All the Time! Father Tony Udoh MSP Pastor of Holy Family
