Giotto, Last Judgement (detail, Padua, Cappella degli Scrovegni) [30] And then shall appear in heaven the sign of the Son of man and then shall the chest all the tribes of the earth and see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. [31] And he shall send his angels with a great trumpet and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven "(Mt 24.30-31).
Matthew 24,1-14.29-31.42 [1]: [1] When Jesus left the temple, he went, he came to his disciples to him the buildings of the temple. [2] Jesus said to them: "You see all these things? Verily I say unto you, do not be left here one stone upon another that will not be ruined. " [3] he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him and, on the sidelines, said, "Tell us, when shall these things, and what will be the sign of your coming and the end of the world." [4] Jesus answered, "Take heed that no man deceive you, [5] many shall come in my name, saying I am Christ, and shall deceive many. [6] You will hear then hear of wars and rumors of wars. Take care not to alarm you, it is necessary that this should happen, but it is not the end. [7] For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines and earthquakes in various places [8] but this is just the beginning of sorrows. [9] Then shall they deliver you to torture and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. [10] shall many be offended, and shall betray and hate one another. [11] And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray [12] for the spread, the love of many shall wax cold. [13] But he who endures to the end will be saved. [14] And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the world for a witness unto all nations, and then the end will come.
[15] So when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place - let the reader understand - [16], then those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, [17] who is on the housetop not come down to take the stuff home, [18] and who is in the field not turn back to take his clothes. [19] Woe to pregnant women and those who give suck in those days. [20] Pray that your flight be not in winter or on Saturday. [21] Since then there will be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will be. [22] And except those days should be shortened, no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. [23] Then if anyone says to you: Behold, here is Christ, or: E 'there, do not believe it. [24] For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall shew great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. [25] See, I have told you before. [26] Therefore, if you will say: Here it is in the desert, 'do not go o: E' at home, do not believe it. [27] For as the lightning comes from the east, and shineth even unto the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of man. [28] Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather. [29] Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from the sky and the powers of heaven shall be shaken. [30] And then shall appear in heaven the sign of the Son of man and then we mourn all the tribes of the earth and see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. [31] And he shall send his angels with a great trumpet and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven.
[32] From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. [33] So too, when you see all these things, know that He is right at the door. [34] Verily I say unto you this generation shall not pass away until all these things happen. [35] Heaven and earth will pass away but my words shall not pass away. [36] But of that day and hour, however, no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. [37] But as the days of Noah, so shall also the coming of the Son of man. [38] As in the days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until Noah entered the ark, [39] and they did not know until the flood came and took them all, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. [40] Then two men in the field: one will be taken and the other left. [41] Two women grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.
[42] Watch therefore, for ye know on what day your Lord is coming.
[43] this, that if the householder had known at what time of night the thief, have watched and would not have let his house be broken. [44] Therefore you also be ready, because hour you do not, the Son of man cometh.
Dear friends, dear friends,
this Sunday (November 18, 2007) we enter Advent Ambrosian. We are also beginning of the liturgical year, which will be proposed - from Sunday to Sunday - the reading of the Gospel of Matthew. In particular, the Gospel passage for this Sunday (24,1-14.29-31.42) seeks to be well understood. There is, in fact, within the so-called 'eschatological discourse', the fifth and final discourse of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew. Ie on the last things, the most decisive and important tips for His disciples.
The finding addresses the question of starting the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem: "When Jesus left the temple, he went, he came to his disciples to him the buildings of the temple. Jesus said to them: 'You see all these things? Verily I say unto you, do not be left here one stone upon another that will not be ruined '. " Jesus was inspired by the destruction of the Temple (which was effected in 70 AD), the symbol of Jewish spirituality and pride, to begin a reflection on the end of the world and, consequently, on your final return, "his disciples came and privately, they said, 'Tell us, when shall these things, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the world'. "
should be so identified two steps in order to understand the correct meaning of this Gospel text. First, the prelude to the destruction of the Temple end of the world. The end of a religious symbol so high decrees the end of a religion and this conclusion is interwoven with the end of everything. By the end of the world, in fact. But this variation of the theme of the end of the most significant things in practice becomes the horizon within which finally reveals the appearance of Jesus His expected return among us.
In this sense, the disciples are explicitly looking for unambiguous signs able to reassure them that Jesus, their Master, really will return. This is why Jesus takes us into the description of the elements necessary for proper discernment: "Take heed that no man deceive you; many shall come in my name, saying I am Christ, and shall deceive many. " Remain, in fact, waiting for him, waiting for him first, ask and ask again and always a clear exercise of intelligence.
The same wars and fears of war are not yet a clear sign of the return of Christ, "you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. Take care not to alarm you, it is necessary that this should happen, but it is not the end. " Although the experience of the destruction and death that war brings is a painful and terrible, we're still in the presence of His final return. And even if "we rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines and earthquakes in various places ", that's for sure" the beginning of sorrows. Then hand you over to torture and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. " But this is not the end times: it is, instead, that of a witness even more explicit and clear.
So, between the end of last time and that, consequently, of the glorious coming of Jesus is, the time of testimony. One phase of our history that even in the first speech of the Gospel of Matthew is defined in terms of bliss. Special occasion of holiness and sanctification of all His disciples: "Blessed are you when men revile vi perseguiteranno e, mentendo, diranno ogni sorta di male contro di voi per causa mia. Rallegratevi ed esultate, perché grande è la vostra ricompensa nei cieli” (5,11-12).
La prima reazione, in questo stato di cose, potrebbe essere di scandalo: “Molti ne resteranno scandalizzati, ed essi si tradiranno e odieranno a vicenda”. Una seconda potrebbe essere rappresentata addirittura dall’inganno e da una diffusa falsità: “Sorgeranno molti falsi profeti e inganneranno molti”; sino a profilarsi all’orizzonte persino ingiustizia e malvagità: “per il dilagare dell’iniquità l’amore di molti si raffredderà”.
A tutti coloro che si dovessero found in similar situations, Jesus asks the courage of perseverance, "but he who endures to the end will be saved," while "this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached throughout the world for a witness unto all nations. Then comes the end. " In the context of extreme persecution of believers and the universal proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus, will herald the end of things so at the end of the world. That is: "will be the end."
What will happen "after the tribulation of those days"? With apocalyptic language - "the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from the sky and the powers of heaven shall be shaken "- Jesus becomes more explicit in his inclu. Describing the fall of any celestial body, introduces the ultimate meaning of his disciples at the end of all things, declaring that in his view on the cross He becomes the purpose and meaning of everything in nature is bound to end. For this task "in the sky the sign of the Son of man", while all sources of light, pale blue precipitate, "there was darkness over all the earth" (27.45). Dying on the cross, Jesus becomes the very large sign - bright and clear - the disciples asked, "then shall all the tribes of the chest land, and they see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. " As the crowds, that before that show, "he returned smiting their breasts" (Luke 23.48).
We are thus introduced to the final scene: "He will send his angels with a great trumpet and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven." It is crucial to determine a precise time in which everything that happens. After all, Jesus himself says "But of that day and hour, however, no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. The decisive factor is rather the attitude background that His disciples should learn to exercise: "From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, know that He is right at the door. "
We are therefore encouraged to learn to live with greater vigilance, "Watch therefore, for ye know on what day your Lord is coming." The ultimate question is not to fear the end, as the risk of not actually know Him in His Glory crucified. To provide means, therefore, contemplate the Crucified One, where it is now.
The Sunday Eucharist, even in this time of Advent is about to begin, will be critical to merge its real contemplation of death and resurrection of Jesus
that Advent is a time of waiting for him to arrive in your home to an ever fuller and more real with Him that comes to visit.
Good Sunday to all.
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