22nd Week, Monday, Sept 4
1 Thess 4:13-18 / Luke 4:16-30
Paul talks about the Second Coming; The dead will rise to meet Jesus.
In the summer of AD. 50, Paul visited the city of Thessalonica. Later, in AD. 52, while in Corinth, he received the news that the church there was having problems. This was not surprising because Paul had to leave the city before completing his instructions to the Christians there. Many Thessalonians had the impression that Jesus was going to return any day. They also had the impression that all believers would be alive when he returned. Therefore, when some of their members died, the people were thrown into confusion. Paul sat down immediately and wrote them a letter to clarify the matter. Today’s reading tells us what he wrote.***
How do we resolve questions about our faith? “Ten thousand difficulties do not make one doubt.” John Cardinal Newman
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It may be useful to learn this Greek word: Parousia. Literally, it means "present". The presence or the solemn visitation of a king to a town or province. This expression was used in the time of the Roman empire to describe this rare occurrence. Heralds announced the king’s coming. Sports and dramas were organized, sacrifices offered, new coins were struck, documents were dated from this event. The early church used this word to denote the second coming of Christ. No expression could be more suitable for this. This is why we also use tt in religious books without translation. The Thessalonians are very much preoccupied by the Parousia. Paul explains. We must distinguish clearly between what faith teaches us from the apocalyptic language that was then popular and customary. Faith teaches us: Those who live and die in Christ will be raised with Christ. There is no distinction between those who died before the second coming and on the second coming. This was the question asked by the Thessalonians. As Christ died and rose again, so will the Christian die and rise again. Nothing can separate us from Jesus Christ. In the apocalyptic language, the Herald will come with a trumpet blast, Michael the archangel will announce him. The triumphal carriage is the cloud. From this, it follows that for the Christian, death and the second coming are a cause of Joy, a Feast. Death is a joy. All that is needed to consider death a Joy is: Faith.
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In today’s first reading Paul calms the fears of the Christian community of Thessalonica. They are expecting the return of Christ soon, in their very lifetime. Now, what about the Christians who have died before the Parousia, are they lost? No, says Paul, this makes no difference. As Christ died and rose from the dead, so those who have died will be raised up by Christ and reign with him. To them – and to us – Christ’s resurrection is the foundation of our faith.
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From now on until Advent begins, we shall read the gospel of Luke, the evangelist who pays special attention to the Holy Spirit, the mercy of God, Jesus’ special concern for the poor, the role of women in the life of Jesus, and the liturgy. Luke presents his gospel in the form of a journey from Nazareth in Galilee to Jerusalem. Today we hear about the beginning of the so-called public life of Jesus, his program set for him by the Spirit. He announces salvation as starting “today” with his teaching and working among the people. For us too, the time of grace is today, in our time, with the Lord working and living among us now.
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Debuts are important in that they form the foundations for the next step ahead. It is usually associated with the first public appearance, as in the case of a performer, or a beginning of a course of action. So, it may be an actor, a singer, a musician or a footballer, that first formal public presentation may be a make-or-break situation. Because if the debut comes crashing down, it may mean the end of a career or aspiration or dreams.
In the gospel, Jesus made His first "debut" by preaching to the people of His own hometown. It was going quite well and they were even astonished by the gracious words that came from His lips. Then things suddenly turned and in the end the crowd got so enraged that they hustled Jesus out of the town and even intended to throw Him down the cliff.
If it were us, we would have been very bitter about this and given up the whole mission altogether and never talk about it again. Yet Jesus moved on with His mission. Because He had the conviction of who He is and what He came to do. May the Spirit continue to anoint us with His power and may we follow Jesus to bring Good News to the poor and may we bring about a new beginning of the Lord's favour.
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Prayer: God, Father of mercy and love, you let your Son announce to us that today is the time of grace. Let his Spirit be upon us today, that in the poverty of our own hearts we may hear Jesus’ stirring message, that blind as we are, he may give us eyes of faith, and that he may set us free from the captivity of our fears and selfishness. We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord. Amen
