Wholly with God

~~~Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time ~~~

~~~ Daniel 12:1-3 ~~~ Psalm 16 ~~~ Hebrews 10:11-14, 18 ~~~
~~~ Mark 13:24-32 ~~~ 

As we near the end of the liturgical year the church
 reminds us of the end times.
We are at the end of the cycle of readings for this year.
We are also nearing the end of the calendar year.
We are also at the time of year when we are invited
to express our gratitude.

Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away.

The world as we know it will some day cease to exist...
but all that God has promised us will never fade away.
On the final judgment day there will
be no earth...there will be no heaven...
All that have been drawn to God...
all that have been found worthy will join
together in praise and glory of God.

“But the wise shall shine brightly
like the splendor of the firmament,
and those who lead the many to justice
shall be like the stars forever."

What a glorious time this will be for all the faithful.
No matter what happens between now and then;
the word of the Lord holds the spirit and the life for you.

There will be unfathomable beauty, joy, and love.
The brilliance of God will consume us unto himself.
We will completely be with God.

"But of that day or hour, no one knows,
neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."

Today is a reminder for us to always be vigilant...
to be ready...to have our heart filled with grace and mercy.

Each day souls all around the world
are called to come back home;
to be with God.

Some experience great fear and terror in a violent death.

Some struggle with reality on their death bed.

Some in despair and mental confusion
unfortunately end their own life.

Some lay peacefully, on their death bed,
 surrendering their soul back to God.

Some die alone others surrounded by loved ones.

You can be sure that God alone knows
 the time and the circumstances.
The question is. Will you be ready?

Now is the time to prepare.

Blessings for this time of reflection on the end times.

~~~Peace~~~

One More Day...

~~~ Revelation 14:14-19 ~~~ Psalm 96 ~~~  Luke 21:5-11 ~~~~

The Lord comes to judge the earth.

On the final day the Lord will return to the earth
 for the last judgement.
The last day has been a part of our future
since Jesus overcame the chains of death.
As long as we have the ability to consider the future
 we will continue to wonder about judgment day.

Speculation about the end time keeps our curiosity alive.
It seems that living in the end time is to be
 experienced by each generation.
Throughout history tragic events cause us to ask,
'Is this it?' Some have even professed to have knowledge
of the date and time of the end.
Of course we know they are frauds
 trying to deceive gullible souls.
Wars, diseases, civil unrest, brutality, all sorts of corruption
give us cause to wonder just how near
we are to the final judgment day.

“Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 
There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, 
and plagues from place to place;
and awesome sights and mighty signs 
will come from the sky.”

Any reference to the exact time has never been revealed by God.
If we knew the exact day and time or even
just the year of the end
imagine how different our lives would become.

As long as we do not have knowledge of the final day
 we still have time to do better.

Every year at the end of the liturgical cycle we are given end time readings.
These words create a somberness within our souls.
It is fitting that we should have this time
during the week of Thanksgiving.

Now is the time to make a note of our blessings.
Now is the time to acknowledge our intention
 to be more aware of our very life.

We are either living life to its fullest
or we are frightened by the possibilities of the end time.

As long as we have one more day to live
we have one more day to love more completely.

As long as we have one more day God 

allows us to repent for our past offenses.
As long as we have one more day

God expresses his hope that we will turn toward his ways.

Good only wants goodness and love to follow
 us all the days of our life.

“Use your sharp sickle and cut the clusters
 from the earth’s vines, for its grapes are ripe.”

One day God will close this chapter of our existence.
One day life as we know it on this planet will cease to exist.
One day we will all be brought into his presence.
One day we will each be held accountable for words,
 thoughts, and actions.

One day we will either be brought into the harvest
 or we will fall to the ground to be trampled upon.

We desire to be cut from the earth's vine.
On that day the earth will no longer hold
any promise of tomorrow.

On that day everything will come
 into submission to God's justice.

The sickle of the harvester is sharp and swift.

Blessings as we contemplate the end times...
keep in mind all that we have been given.

When the mighty signs come from the heavens
 there will be no doubt as to what is happening.

This day will be unlike any other that has come before.

Held in Attentive Peace.

Do You Want to Know?

~~~ Daniel 2:31-45 ~~~ (Psalm) Daniel 3:57 ~~~ Luke 21:5-11 ~~~

 

People have long speculated about the end times being near,

they base this opinion on the increase of  wide spread disasters...famines...wars...floods...earthquakes...

or comets streaking across the sky....

 

Most likely God will not be setting up billboards across the world

 foretelling of the end of civilization as we know it. 

Instead we are told that we will not know the hour in which the end will occur.

Then they asked him,
“Teacher, when will this happen?
And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?”

 

We like to know...we even gloat about our knowledge of things.

God is not going to provide queue cards in advance of his return.
Not knowing, by design should keep us more attentive
to what is taking place around us.

  

 

Rather than concerning ourselves with the possible signs of the end
we should be focused on our relationship with God. 

 

 Yet God has given us numerous signs of his magnificent glory.
He has shown us that as he cares for the lilies and birds of the fields
 he will care for us much more.
He has shown us he will search for the one lost sheep.
He has shown us that he will cure the sick, make the lame walk,
and purge those possessed by evil spirits.
But above all he has shown us, by the cross,
 that his love for us is the greatest sign.

We do not need any signs of the end times.
We only need to live like believe in life ever after 
as we have been promised.

Blessings come in trusting
that we do not need any new special signs.

Reaping the Harvest

~~~ Revelation 14:14-19 ~~~ Psalm 96 ~~~ Luke 21:5-11 ~~~

 

 The picture painted in today's reading from Revelation
closely resembles something you might see on a horror movie.
A sickle weilding gold crowned man sitting on a white cloud
floating in the sky.
In the background the voice of an angel can be heard...
"Use your sickle and reap the harvest,
for the time to reap has come,
because the earth's harvest is fully ripe."

Angels come out of the temple with sharp sickles.
Another angel came out who was in charge of the fire crying
out to the one who had the sharp sickle...
"Use your sharp sickle and cut the clusters from the earth's vines,
for its grapes are ripe."

It seems to be a rather extreme measure to rid the earth of ripe grapes.
All that was harvested was thrown into the great wine press of God's fury.

The Lord will come to judge the earth including each of us.
Personally I think it will be more subtle when God
comes to reap the harvest.

The danger for us lies in having the ability to identify the one
actually sent from God.
Luke is warning us with the words of Jesus not to be deceived...

"See that you not be deceived,
for many will come in my name, saying,
'I am he,' and 'The time has come.'
Do not follow them!

 

 

Now I am reminded of the many who have been fooled into believing

a false prophet needlessly ending their lives.

 

When a false prophet entices others to buy in to their lies it is a sad time.

I pray for the wisdom to follow the one true God

no matter how attractive others might appear.

It is only by grace that we can remain faithful until our death.

 

When God is ready to end life on this planet as we know it

there will not be a stone left on top of another stone.

In the end life itself may just evaporate

leaving only the glory of God himself.

When this happens what we think of as an ending

may actually be the beginning.

In dying we become what God created us to be.

We return to him.