In Mark 13, we see how Jesus spoke of the end of the age on the Mount Olives, opposite the Temple area (Mark 13:3), upon foretelling the destruction of the Temple to his disciples as he was walking out of the Temple area to Mount Olive (Mark 13:1-2). It is important to note that the location of the scene is on the Mount Olive, because it is where Christ is coming to Jerusalem from, as prophesized in these words:
A day is coming for the Lord when the spoils taken from you will be divided in your midst. And I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem for battle: The city will be taken, houses will be plundered, women raped; half the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be removed from the city. Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, fighting as on a day of battle. On that day God’s feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is opposite Jerusalem to the east. The Mount of Olives will be split in two from east to west by a very deep valley, and half of the mountain will move to the north and half of it to the south. You will flee by the valley between the mountains, for the valley between the mountains will reach to Azal. Thus you will flee as you fled because of the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. Then the Lord, my God, will come, and all his holy ones with him (Zechariah 14:1-5).
As his passion, death, and resurrection were drawing nearer in Jerusalem, Jesus spoke about the end of the age, upon foretelling the destruction of the Temple, as cataclysmic events would precede his second coming (Mark 13:3-37).
First, Jesus spoke of catastrophic events, in juxtaposition to the destruction of the Temple by the Romans, likening this to a labor pain (Mark 13:3-8). Then, he spoke that persecution would come (Mark 13:9-13), followed by the great tribulation (Mark 13:14-23). These events are reflected the eschatological revelation by Christ to John, seven seals (Revelation 6:1-17; 8:1-5), seven trumpets (Revelation 8:6–9:21; 11:15-19), and seven bowls (Revelation 16:1-21).
The Gospel Reading of the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B, Mark 13:24-32, is drawn from this context.
So Jesus said to the disciples on the Mount Olive:
But in those days after that tribulation the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see “the Son of Man coming in the with great power and glory”, and then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the end of the earth to the end of the sky (Mark 13:24-27).
Through these words, Jesus indicates that there would be cosmic signs, such as darkened sun and falling stars, as the power of the heavens will be shaken, following the period of tribulation. These cosmic signs are apocalyptic because they are paralleled to the eschatological cosmic signs in the Book of Revelation, following the great tribulation (Revelation 6:1-17; 8:1-9:21; 11:15-19;16:1-21).
When the third angel blew his trumpet, a large star burning like a torch fell from the sky. It fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. The star was called “Wormwood,” and a third of all the water turned to wormwood. Many people died from this water, because it was made bitter. When the fourth angel blew his trumpet, a third of the sun, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars were struck, so that a third of them became dark. The day lost its light for a third of the time, as did the night (Revelation 18:10-12).
With these cosmic signs, Christ will return with the great power and glory (Mark 13:26). And this was foreseen in Daniel vision during his exile in Babylonia. Daniel testified:
As the visions during the night continued, I saw coming with the clouds of heaven one like a son of man. When he reached the Ancient of Days and was presented before him, he received dominion, splendor, and kingship; nations, peoples and tongues will serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away, his kingship, one that shall not be destroyed (Daniel 7:13-14).
The fact that Christ is coming in the power and glory (Mark 13:26), which he received from the Father, means that he is the Messianic King – Christ the King, whose kingly dominion is eternal (Daniel 7:14; cf. 2 Samuel 7:13-16; cf. Luke 1:32-33).
In the above prophetic words of Jesus, his return, with saints from heaven to assemble his elect, namely, those who are deemed worthy to be in his Kingdom during the tribulation (Hebrews 12:22–23; Jude 1:14-15; cf. Revelation 7:13-14) is (Hebrews 12:22–23; Jude 1:14-15) is as their names are written in the Book of Life (Daniel 12:1; Revelation 3:5; 20:12).
Upon foretelling his return amidst apocalyptic cosmic sign (Mark 13:24-27), Jesus gives some helpful thoughts for the readiness to meet him on his return, first by a metaphorical lesson from a fig tree’s change, recognizing the coming of summer by ways of observing tenderness of the branches and sprouting leaves, in juxtaposition to the cosmic signs associated with his coming (Mark 13:28-29). But he also tells the disciples that it is not they who are to witness the cosmic signs and his return (Mark 13:30).
Then, Jesus says:
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away (Mark 13:31).
Through these words, Jesus reminds the disciples of the impermanent nature of the Creation but the permanence of the Word, which he is (John 1:1), though he is incarnated in the human flesh (John 1:14; Luke 1:35; cf. Psalm 119:89; Isaiah 40:8; 1 Peter 1:25). Namely, this reflects the truth of the immutability of God (i.e. Malachi 3:6), which St. Thomas Aquinas also addresses (Summa Theologiae, Prima Pars, Q. 9).
In concluding his remarks on his eschatological events, including his return, following persecution and tribulation, to gather his elect saints, Jesus emphasized the importance of vigilance to stay ready for his return (Mark 13:32-37). It is necessary to remain vigilant because nobody, but the Father, knows time of Christ’s return (Mark 13:32).
The First Reading (Daniel 12:1-3) reminds that the coming of Christ at the end of the age to judge for gathering his elect (i.e. Mark 13:27). Nobody, whether alive or dead, can escape from this eschatological judgement in association of Christ’s return. And those who pass the judgement and become Christ’s elect are wise because of their faithfulness. This is echoed in Jesus’ parable of the ten maidens (Matthew 25:1-13).
Christ’s eschatological return is associated with the eternal nature of his words, in contrast to the impermanence of the Creation (Mark 13:31). All the cataclysmic events and apocalyptic cosmic signs leading to his return reflect this. The eternal nature of the words of Christ also means his eternal being (Revelation 1:8; 22:13; cf. Isaiah 44:6; cf. 1 Timothy 1:17; Colossians 1:15). In association with his eternal being, the Second Reading (Hebrews 10:11-14, 18) reminds us that his sacrifice as the eternal High Priest (Hebrews 7:17), has the permanent effect, unlike other Levite high priests, whose sacrifices had to be repeated. Because of his priestly sacrifice for atonement with its permanent effect, we can prepare ourselves for Christ’s return to be gathered as his elect at the end of the age, with blessed hope (Titus 2:13).
Being judged as Christ’s elect to enter the Kingdom (Mark 13:27), we can joyfully sing to God, “You are my inheritance, O Lord!”(Psalm 16:1), as in the refrain of the responsorial Psalm (16:5, 8, 9-10, 11). Yes, we have become God’s adopted children through Christ (Galatians 4:3-7). So we have received the privilege to sing, “You are my inheritance, O Lord!” Now we must stay vigilant with the blessed hope for Christ’s return to keep this privilege, with wisdom through faith.
Thank you Bro Masa
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