TEXT: The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew 24:37-44

This is the first Gospel reading of this liturgical year.  It is a reading that reminds us again that we, as Christians, must be always awake and prepared for the Lord’s Coming.

The apostle, St. Paul, today gives warning of the need for all of us to live in the dynamic relationship to God of expectancy, for it is "now the hour" for us to be awake and not to sleep.

Our salvation today is "closer" than ever before.

The "day draws near."  (Cf. Romans 13:11-14).

St. John also writes us these words in his first epistle,

"Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that the Antichrist was coming, so now many Antichrists have appeared. Thus we know this is the last hour."  (1 John 2:18).

Numerous are the warnings to watch and not sleep.  The world offers us little but tragedy after tragedy.  To sleep and not be awake in these times is utter folly.

Yet, we are often tempted to become weary and slumber and sleep.

Jesus exhorts his disciples, because the Day of the Lord is at hand.

Jesus said,

37 For as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
38 In (those) days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day that Noah entered the ark.
39 They did not know until the flood came and carried them all away. So will it be (also) at the coming of the Son of Man.

I believe these are the most neglected words in the world today.  It seems that the most intelligent do not see it, or, refuse to accept the tragic times we are living.  For, today, we live in a post-modern society.  In America this is surely so.  Around the world, perhaps it is also so, for I cannot speak with any degree of authority.  But, my sense of understanding, as I observe the values of the world system that man has created around us, shows me the terrible consequences of a world (a mankind) that has sought to forget the absolutes of God and the Church, establishing it the place of God’s authority, the way of the individual.

Millions dies in the abortion mills of the world.  Then, more murders take place in the name of God against others!  What insanity.  What sickness!

God says that all have sinned and deprived of the glory of God.  Yet, there is Mercy extend by God to the worst of sinners.  (Cf.  Romans 3:23; 6:23).

Mankind has adopted a system where there are no more absolutes, as everyone is a "little god" to themselves.  National leaders display these things openly.  Therefore, whatever the individual feels is right, that becomes "right." and "moral," even if the "new morality" flies in the face of the established teaching of the Church that Jesus established upon St. Peter!

Today, it seems, people are busily engaged in styles of life where they do not desire to even think of the responsibilities they have toward God.

We live as though there is no tomorrow.

We want to live as though there is no God.

We denounce those who follow the Church’s teachings as those to whom history is passing by, because the "times are changing."

The other day, while I was talking to someone over the Internet, the person on the other side of the conversation suddenly blurted out to me, "Ron, the times are changing," as if to say that all manner of evil should be tolerated and even condoned, so, I should "get with it," so to speak.

My beloved of God, we are not called to "get with the world’s program."  We are all called to "get with the program of God."

Nevertheless, in spite of all of the contrary opinions of all of the masses of people imbued with the philosophies of post-modern thinking, Jesus stands in the gap with all the preachers of righteousness  and calls us to stand in the gap with him and become bridges to God with the Truth!

In fact --

There ARE absolutes.

There ARE the commandments of God.

This IS a moral universe that God has created.

We ARE responsible and will be held accountable before the Judgment Seat of God!
And, just as those who ignored Noah’s preaching of 120 years perished in the flood, so, there will be many many more who will likewise perish, if they ignore the clear proclamation of God for the Coming of Christ!

St. Paul said, "put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the desires of the flesh."  (Romans 13:14).

It is God who calls us to this path in Jesus.

It is God who provides the Mercy and the Grace to become what God calls us to in Christ!  (Cf.. II Corinthians 5:17)

Jesus said,

40 Two men will be out in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left.
41 Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken, and one will be left.

At the Coming of Jesus Christ in Glory -- there will be a separation.  Yes, the normal events of the day will be going on, yet, there will be a great difference.  Suddenly, there will be a separation of those who know God and obey God from those who refuse the Way of God and do not even desire to know God.  Jesus said -- I am the Way, the Truth, the Life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.  (John 14:6).

Did we all hear that?

NO one. . .except through me.  Jesus said that, I did not say.  I repeated the words of Jesus in context.

All may come.  But, sadly, all do not come to Jesus in repentance and faith.

Jesus said,

42 Therefore, stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come.

We will carry into eternity our desire or lack of desire for God.

Often, we tire of hearing the words that Jesus will come again.  Yes, we feel that they have been said for close to 2000 years now, and, he has not come yet.  But, wait.  What does that tell you about what we may be about?

Hear this,

Jesus came in his first Advent, and, the people that should have watched for him tried to kill him.  It was the poor of the land that heard Jesus and expected him, living as Simeon and Anna, Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth with shepherds and magi from the east.  It was the insignificant ones of Israel that waited for the Messiah.  These God came to and showed himself.  The most humble of the humble, the Blessed Virgin Mary, was the one God revealed his plan to perfectly.

It was not to the well known kings and popular princes of the world that God revealed his plan and purposes to.  IT was to the lowly, humble and most pure Blessed Virgin Mary that God revealed his Person to completely!

She surrendered completely to the Lord.  Therefore, God became Man through thjat Ark of the Covenant in whom was written the Torah and wherein Aaron’s rod budded to the Salvation of the human race.

What a story is this.

The Advent of Jesus, the Messiah comes through an insignificant woman?  Yet, God has made the weakest the strongest, for look at her in the Apocalypse, chapter 12.

Now, it is God’s desire that we neither slumber, nor sleep, just like the Virgin Mary.

Because, it is God’s desire, says St. Paul, that we be presented like our Mother, the Blessed Virgin  Mary -- (Cf.. II Corinthians 11:2).

We are the remnant of her offspring.

We need to be awake and not sleep.

If we sleep, God calls us to become awake!

If we are weak, God calls us to become strong in Christ!

The thief is coming.

So, Jesus said,

43 Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into.
44 So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.

It is to the everlasting praise of God that God has told us all ahead of time of these things.

It is to the everlasting praise of God the Holy Trinity that we have the sure word of the prophetic word before us, as the Church has been graciously empowered to define it and preserve it through the power of  the Holy Spirit over the centuries.

Now, the "ball is in our court," and we are called to stay awake and not let the house be broken into!

The enemy is at hand, and yet, do we sleep?

No, beloved, I am persuaded of better things that this of you, things which become of those who are to be the heirs of Salvation.

Let us pray for help in remaining true to Jesus, remaining true to the Bark of Peter, calling all Home to the Church of the Living God.

Come, let us build the City of God again, as we await the Blessed Parousia of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

As we look to his first Advent, let us think upon his Coming again.

Let JESUS come again into your life today in the very Real Presence of the Christ -- the Eucharist.

O Come let us adore him...  Jesus!

We adore thee of Christ Jesus in the Most Holy Eucharist!



Deus et Sanctissima.