You Do Not Need to Be Frightened About Jesus’ Second Coming!
Father Hugh Gillespie, SMM
You Do Not Need to Be Frightened About Jesus’ Second Coming!
The readings today talk about a certain kind of blindness , , , spiritual blindness.
In the first reading (not included within this audio) St. Paul tells us something in one of his letters. He writes something disturbing, that has plagued Christians since the very beginning. That is, a pre-occupation of the day of the Lord’s return. Paul writes about “self-appointed prophets” that announce the return of the Lord will happen soon. St. Paul tells us this has been going on since his day. Even some of these prophets signed St. Paul’s name to the announcement.
On one hand, it is understandable. The Lord Himself promised that He will return. Humans do not like it when we do not have all the answers. So, there are these “self-appointed prophets” that proclaim a message. The Lord has refused to tell us when this will occur. He refuses to provide us with those details. Unfortunately, this sets up some within the community to a certain type of “fear-based preaching”. Hear more within the Homily.
We see this in the modern age. Every certain number of years there is a voice making an announcement that the Lord will be here soon . . . or on a specific date. This type of preaching creates a spiritual upsetment within the faithful.
Seeing this, Paul wants to set the record straight. This involves two things. First, Paul tells the community to discern rightly. Not everyone that claims the title of prophet, a person that claims the mantel of holiness, is really wearing it.
Paul says the second thing to consider is . . . so what? So what if Jesus is coming soon! Paul tells us, you should be ready for that already.
Christ: The Last Judgement: Italian Artist and Painter: Michelangelo: 1536-1541
This is a very small portion of a much larger Sistine fresco painted by Michelangelo twenty-five years after painting the Sistine Chapel ceiling.
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You Do Not Need to Be Frightened!
You do not need to be frightened! Furthermore, you certainly do not need to be frightened into doing something a Christian should be doing all along.
If you hold on to your faith . . . and live your faith, St. Paul tells us we will be just fine. Do not lend yourself an ear toward the speculative of what might happen tomorrow if Jesus returns. Do not listen to that spirituality, says St. Paul. And do not live in the light of speculative preaching. You shouldn’t need a warning to live and hold on to the scripture and traditions the Church and our Lord gives you.
The Church looks forward to His Coming, not with fear, but joyful anticipation. Hear more within the Homily.
Listen to more of You Do Not Need to Be Frightened! Hear more within this Meditation Media.
You Do Not Need to Be Frightened About Jesus’ Second Coming!
