December 1st - Reflection

Matthew 24:23- 35 (NRSV)
The end is coming

Then if anyone says to you, 'Look! Here is the Messiah!' or 'There he is!' do not believe it. For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and produce great signs and omens, to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. Take note, I have told you beforehand. So, if they say to you, 'Look! He is in the wilderness,' do not go out. If they say, 'Look! He is in the inner rooms,' do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather.

"Immediately after the suffering of those days
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light;
the stars will fall from heaven,
and the powers of heaven will be shaken.

Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see 'the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven' with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

"From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell 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.

Reflection
It seems as if Jesus snuck into this world as a baby of a poor family. It seems he snuck into my life when he showed up at the door of my dream and then has arrived ever since then. But Jesus next showing, appears to be known by all at once.

Jesus left behind his Church and all his disciples to walk his ways and tell all the world of what God has done. God revealed as human and humans reveal God in all his power through Jesus. But this second coming looks to be an all at once thing.

God reveals Jesus to all at once. The Word will be made known as no other person could make it known. The Word will be revealed in flesh and coming in the clouds with lightning from east to west. In the second coming there will be no doubt to who this is. This is Jesus!

So what are we to do with this? I think, we continue our focus on Jesus and our mission. We continue to follow the teachings, walk the path, live in relationship of love with Jesus and one another. Continue to spread the gospel to each person we meet as God gives them to us. Jesus final return will be obvious. Don't go running around after this or that sign of the end times. Don't worry about when it will happen or even spend time trying to figure out codes and such.

Live the new life that God has given you here and now. Jesus return will be obvious. It won't be some code to figure out. You are a child of God and God is coming to unite us with God. Don't worry about it! Focus on the mission here and now and place all your trust, hope and faith in God that Jesus will come again in glory. Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Lord, you said you would come again. I believe! Today you show at the door and we work in the Kingdom. I believe. When you decide to return in the flesh of final glory, I'll be here, one way or another. I trust in your Word and believe in you. --- Amen