But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light. And the stars of heaven shall be falling down, and the powers that are in heaven, shall be moved. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds, with great power and glory. And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven. Now of the fig tree learn ye a parable. When the branch thereof is now tender, and the leaves are come forth, you know that summer is very near. So you also when you shall see these things come to pass, know ye that it is very nigh, even at the doors. Amen I say to you, that this generation shall not pass, until all these things be done. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away. But of that day or hour no man knoweth, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father.
This gospel was for the penultimate Sunday of ordinary time, when we are particularly mindful of the four last things. I was looking at this on a personal level, and saw the tribulation as the daily trial of sin.
The Son of Man coming, I saw as confession; confession is God coming to seek me out. This shows the priority of grace. The Jesus who absolves me is the Jesus who is coming again.
He is at the doors of my soul--let him in by confession.
As not even the Son knows the day of his second coming, nor do I know when I'll die--live each day as my last.
Lord, I desire to be with you.
I feel desolate now, having meditated on your word.
Lord I receive this invitation to be with you.
Yet, how can I be with you?
I am in darkness, cut off from the light of Sun and Moon.
To be with you I will confess to you.
You are always there in the confessional, waiting for me to come to you.
And yet it is not I who come to you,
But you who come to me.
For is it not true that your grace has priority?
My very act of seeking you is preceded by the movement of your grace towards me.
You who will come in the clouds, with power and might,
Are he who comes to me full of mercy, wishing to heal me and grant me shrift.
Jesus, help me not to squander your mercy.
Seeing as how I know neither the day nor hour when I will come to you in death, grant that I often come to you for shrift.
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