GOSPELMk 13:24-32
Jesus said to his disciples:
"In those days after that tribulation
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will be falling from the sky,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
"And then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in the clouds'
with great power and glory,
and then he will send out the angels
and gather his elect from the four winds,
from the end of the earth to the end of the sky.
"Learn a lesson from the fig tree.
When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves,
you know that summer is near.
In the same way, when you see these things happening,
know that he is near, at the gates.
Amen, I say to you,
this generation will not pass away
until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away.
"But of that day or hour, no one knows,
neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."
"In those days after that tribulation
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will be falling from the sky,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.
"And then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in the clouds'
with great power and glory,
and then he will send out the angels
and gather his elect from the four winds,
from the end of the earth to the end of the sky.
"Learn a lesson from the fig tree.
When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves,
you know that summer is near.
In the same way, when you see these things happening,
know that he is near, at the gates.
Amen, I say to you,
this generation will not pass away
until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away.
"But of that day or hour, no one knows,
neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."
WHAT DO I REMEMBER MOST FROM THIS READING?
What really jumps out at me from this reading is the overall feel that Jesus wants us to think less about what's to come and more about what we're doing. How amazing is that? How amazing is is that the One who knows you, by name, wants to tell you that it's as simple as focusing on what you're doing right now.
It was once said about Saint Francis:
“Once while St. Francis of Assisi was hoeing his garden, he was asked, ''What would you do it you were suddenly to learn that you were to die at sunset today?'' He replied, ''I would finish hoeing my garden.''”
Think on that for a moment...all you are called to do is what today's task is for you. It's that simple.
HOW DOES THIS RELATE TO MY CURRENT SITUATION ON MY PATH TOWARDS THE KINGDOM?
Wow...this is intimately related to my current situation towards the path to the Kingdom of God. I have so many things nagging at me...little things pulling at my heart like brambles on your shirt sleeves while you're trying to navigate a forest path. I've got my son that I'm worried about...he is a little more than a week away from turning 17, and I wonder what his future will hold. Our business has been struggling a LOT recently to the point where we're not even sure how to keep the lights on. Where am I headed myself?
My life seems to be lived more in the future than the now...at least in my mind. I find myself spending a lot of time and energy on worry about what is to come when I really should be applying myself to what I am doing right now. It leads to me trying to find escape and to busy myself with other things to find some comfort, when really all I need to do is find comfort in what Jesus is trying to teach me... Matthew 6:34 "So do not worry about tomorrow: tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.'"
HOW DOES THIS CALL ME BETTER MYSELF?
I am called to get my head out of...ahem...the clouds and focus on what God is calling me to do right now. Yes, there are things in my life that are out of my control, but you know what?
They are in God's control. And who am I to tell him how to do his job?
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