Gospel – Mark 13:24-32
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.”
“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.”
Reflection on the Gospel
Let us remember that we are in the holy presence of God.
“In the same way, when you see these things happening, know that he is near, at the gates.”
In this Sunday’s Gospel reading we read about Jesus preparing his disciples for his passion and death. As the liturgical year comes to an end, the Gospel invites us to reflect on the teachings about the end of times.
The end of times can mean the end of specific milestones in our lives. The transition from kindergarten to first grade can be a challenge and difficult task. The change of being able to sleep in preschool to staying awake actually the whole school day. Transitioning from high school to college can be difficult to adjust to in the beginning. Starting a new job and even joining religious life can be super frightening, as it is the case for me.
Living away from home for the first time in my life was a drastic and difficult task that luckily only lasted a few days. It was a new culture experience to move to Philadelphia. I remember having second thoughts about whether I was making the right decision or if I was going to be able to adjust easily to life away from home. And then God reminded me that he would always be with me just like in the verse in the gospel, “know that he is near, at the gates.” God is always near us to help us go through changes in our lives. Some changes might be easy, but some could be hard but if we trust God’s plans for our lives, we will make it through.
God will always be waiting for us, watching over us throughout our lives, telling us that we are not alone.
The end of times can mean the end of specific milestones in our lives. The transition from kindergarten to first grade can be a challenge and difficult task. The change of being able to sleep in preschool to staying awake actually the whole school day. Transitioning from high school to college can be difficult to adjust to in the beginning. Starting a new job and even joining religious life can be super frightening, as it is the case for me.
Living away from home for the first time in my life was a drastic and difficult task that luckily only lasted a few days. It was a new culture experience to move to Philadelphia. I remember having second thoughts about whether I was making the right decision or if I was going to be able to adjust easily to life away from home. And then God reminded me that he would always be with me just like in the verse in the gospel, “know that he is near, at the gates.” God is always near us to help us go through changes in our lives. Some changes might be easy, but some could be hard but if we trust God’s plans for our lives, we will make it through.
God will always be waiting for us, watching over us throughout our lives, telling us that we are not alone.
Brother Steven Angulo
Jeremy House
Jeremy House
Saint John Baptist de La Salle – Pray for us.
Live, Jesus, in our hearts – Forever.
Live, Jesus, in our hearts – Forever.