Preparation for the Eschatos – the Parousia – with Humility for a Smooth Transition into a New Liturgical Year

Although November is not the last month in the Gregorian calendar, it is, indeed, the last month of the liturgical calendar of the Church.  Because of this, the Liturgy of the Word during the month of November progressively becomes eschatological toward the last day of the liturgical year, which is the Saturday of the 34^th week in Ordinary Time (the week of Christ the King Sunday).

The scripture readings for the last three weeks (the 32^nd week, 33^rd week, and the 34^th week) calls our attention to become spiritually more vigilant to the signs of what is to come – the parousia at the eschats.  This also reminds us that the Kingdom of God is imminent. Therefore, the scripture readings of these last three weeks guide us to be ready for the eschatos in good standing with God.  The readings for the very last week, the 34^th week in Ordinary Time, the week of Christ the King Sunday, are apocalyptic, as Daniel and Revelation are heavily used. It means that God’s evolving salvific scheme will be revealed in its consummation through the readings of this week.

Given the way the scripture readings are arranged for these last three weeks of the liturgical year during the month of November, it is important to pay attention to narratives the Kingdom of God (Kingdom of Heaven in Matthew’s Gospel), its establishment on earth, the Son of Man, and his coming. The readings alert us to the imminence of these becoming full reality as the eschatological consummation of the grand salvific scheme of God, through Christ. The Old Testament readings, especially excerpts from  Daniel’s apocalyptic writings,  during these weeks recall that this had been prophesized about 600-700 years prior to the birth of Christ, about 2,000 years ago.

The readings for the last three weeks revolves around the themes impending consummation of God’s grand salvific plan, envisioned in the Book of Revelation,, which was prophetically envisioned by Daniel and referred in elsewhere in the Old Testament.  The full realization of the Kingdom and the return of the Son of Man (Christ) are the two pillar parallel theme in this.

What follows the last week of this liturgical year is the beginning of the next liturgical year, as the Church’s liturgical calendar runs with a 3-year-cycle (A-B-C). As the liturgical year B (year on cycle B) ends with the Saturday of its 34^th week, then, the liturgical year C (year on cycle C) begins with the First Sunday of its Advent, leading to Christmas to celebrate the first coming of Christ to this world. 

As we enter into the four weeks of Advent season to prepare for the birth of Christ, the Messiah, we can certainly recall the tone of the scripture readings for the last 3 weeks of the previous liturgical year, especially the very last week, the 34^th week, in preparing for the return of Christ (parousia) and the full realization of the Kingdom of God, which Jesus began preaching.

In juxtaposing the preparation for the returning of Christ and the full establishment of the Kingdom  during the last 3 weeks of the outgoing liturgical year and the preparation for the coming of the Messiah to bring a new hope during the 4 weeks of Advent of the coming new liturgical year, during this transitional time, I invite you to reflect on what it means to have Christ, the Messiah among us, as the eternal King of the Universe and what it means to prepare for the establishment of his eternal Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.

May your transition from this ending liturgical year into the new coming liturgical year be characterized with hope and humility, as Christ the King only let those who are humble go through the gate into his Kingdom and as the seed of the Kingdom (the Word of God out of Christ’s mouth) only grow in humble hearts, as Jesus mentioned first in his teaching of the Beatitudes.