Deacon
Tom writes
Shine
Like The Stars
Our Liturgical Year comes to a
close next Sunday on the Feast of Christ the King. As we reflect about the
passing of another year, our readings today focus our attention on the “End
Times”. The physical laws of the universe tell us that all things must come to an end. That pertains to our world as well.
Today we read a prophetic account of those days and they paint of pretty grim
picture. The Prophet Daniel says, “it
will be a time unsurpassed in distress”. Jesus tells his disciples, “the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give it’s light”.
Hollywood has tremendous
imagination when it comes to world-ending cataclysms. Our readings today,
however, challenge us to see these apocalyptic signs through a much different
filter, through the eyes of faith guided as we are by the two Prophets who
speak to us today, Daniel and Jesus.
Daniel tells us that during these
devastating days, “the wise shall shine
brightly….and those who lead the many to justice shall be like the stars
forever”. Jesus tells his
disciples that, “they will see the Son of
Man coming in the clouds… and he will send out the angels and gather his elect
from the four winds”.
Today’s readings tell us some
truth about the future. Hollywood imagines the “how”; our Christian focus is on the “what”. For each of us must consider how we live our lives and prepare ourselves for that day which will be
our last. Through the
eyes of faith we know that we have nothing to worry about on our “last days” if we have been faithful
to our Baptismal promises and if we have let our light shine brightly
to all around us so that in the words of St. Paul, we may “…shine among them like stars in the sky” Phil 2:15.
Aware of our shortcomings in this
life, we place our trust in God and his abundant love, mercy and compassion in
fervent hope that, at the appointed time, he will come and gather to himself all who have let his light
shine in their lives to be with him forever.
Enjoy the day!
Deacon Tom
Image Credit
-wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Brilliant_star_Merope.jpg
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