Reality of Parousia
"It will lead to your giving testimony. Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand, for I shall give you wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute." These are the encouraging words of Our Lord despite the dreadful ambiance of the gospel. On the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, a week before the celebration of Christ the King, we turn our attention to the second coming of Christ or the parousia. As the Church turns our attention to it, let us meditate on the themes for today’s gospel and what the second coming of Christ tells us: Judge, Judgement, and Justice.
The second coming of Christ tells us about the Judge. In the gospel, Jesus is the judge that is merciful and just. Our Lord Jesus Christ strongly identifies Himself as the one and only Lord and Saviour. Jesus as Judge is merciful as He provides us wisdom that will be our defense in times of persecution. This wisdom will be the fire of the Holy Spirit within us that is already dwelling in our souls at the moment when we were baptized. This will give you the identity of who you are in times of trials when the persecutors will mock you. The same Holy Spirit will inspire us to answer that "I am of God" and that will give you the courage to forsake everything except the identity you have for the Merciful Judge, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus as Judge is just as He warns us of the consequences of the choices that we have made here on earth.
The second coming of Christ tells us about the Judgement. In the gospel, we heard about the condition before the Last Judgment. This experience of persecution will be a test of faith that God allows to happen in His permissive will. When we speak of judgment, it entails two things, first is the partial judgment in which "each man receives his eternal retribution in his immortal soul at the very moment of his death, in a particular judgment that refers his life to Christ: either entrance into the blessedness of heaven—through a purification or immediately (purgatory)—or immediate and everlasting damnation." Second is the general judgment in which "it reveals that God’s justice triumphs over all the injustices committed by his creatures and that God’s love is stronger than death." A new heaven and new earth will be under the authority of Our Lord. The reality of judgment arises from man’s awareness of sin and blessedness which is of service to an individual's human flourishing.
The second coming of Christ tells us about Justice. The gospel ends with Jesus saying "By your perseverance, you will secure your lives." The wisdom, that is the Holy Spirit which is dwelling within us will give us the grace of perseverance. This grace of perseverance will make our duties and responsibilities in accord with that Jesus’ call to holiness. It gives us an idea of how to live in this age as we anticipate the last judgment that is to be held in the future. This calls us to an examination of conscience. This is the moment for us to examine our life because we do not know when this will happen. Ultimately, trust is the key to all of this. Trust in God’s mercy and love which surpasses all understanding.
The second coming of Christ tells us about the Judge, Judgement, and Justice. Jesus provides us an answer to facing these realities when He said "Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand, for I myself shall give you wisdom in speaking." This is an invitation of trust not in worldly things but in what God can do for us. With St. Padre Pio, let us pray to the Lord, "My past, O Lord, to Your mercy; my present, to Your love; my future to Your providence."
