Sunday Meditation: The End and New Beginning of the World

This week brings the readings to the end of the Sunday lectionary of Mark’s Gospel, and we get part of Jesus’s Eschatological Discourse, the discourse on the end times.  The reading only gives us nine verses from Chapter 13 of Mark’s Gospel, but the entire chapter is the full discourse.  I recommend you pull out your Bible and read the entire chapter.  Here is what is given as the Sunday Gospel reading, a middle section from the chapter.

 

Jesus said to his disciples:

"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 clouds'

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.

 

"Learn a lesson from the fig tree.

When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves,

you know that summer is near.

In the same way, when you see these things happening,

know that he is near, at the gates.

Amen, I say to you,

this generation will not pass away

until all these things have taken place.

Heaven and earth will pass away,

but my words will not pass away.

 

"But of that day or hour, no one knows,

neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."

~Mk 13:24-32

Bishop Barron has given some great homilies, but this on today’s Gospel is one of his best.

Most other homilies will see only the end of times in this reading, but Bishop Barron regards this reading as unveiling Jesus’s time through His resurrection, unveiling the radical transformation of our lives today, and, yes, unveiling the future end.  With the unveiling, we come to a new beginning.  Bishop Barron’s scope in this homily is breathtaking.

 

Sunday Meditation: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." 

 

For a hymn, let’s go with this Gospel song, "The End of Time is Drawing Nigh" by Charles Johnson & the Revivers. 

 

I know nothing of Charles Johnson and his group but that was just wonderful.  This is the best little bio I could find on the Gospel singer.