Your Redemption is at Hand

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke:

Jesus said to his disciples:
“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, 
and on earth nations will be in dismay, 
perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves.
People will die of fright 
in anticipation of what is coming upon the world, 
for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
And then they will see the Son of Man 
coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
But when these signs begin to happen, 
stand erect and raise your heads 
because your redemption is at hand.

“Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy 
from carousing and drunkenness 
and the anxieties of daily life, 
and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.
For that day will assault everyone
who lives on the face of the earth.
Be vigilant at all times 
and pray that you have the strength 
to escape the tribulations that are imminent 
and to stand before the Son of Man.”

There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars.

This is good, because signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars are beautiful. We know this. Just this year I was overwhelmed with wonder and awe at the eclipse, the auroras and the comet. I was struck with autistic glimmers when I saw and named the Gemini in conjunction with the moon. Such things are glorious gifts from Heaven.

So is the roaring of the sea and the waves: the sea is glorious. Every time I’ve been to the ocean, I’ve been overwhelmed at its beauty. But some will not see it that way.

In every generation, people see signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars. In every generation, the sea and the waves roar. This is beautiful and glorious and good, but they will be perplexed. One way or another, the powers of the Heavens will be shaken, and then the Son of Man will come on the clouds of Heaven. And in the meanwhile, the signs will be beautiful. But nations will be in dismay, and some will die of fright.

There are many deaths you can die, of fright. You can get so preoccupied with saving your life that you lose it. You can get so caught up in obsessing over every mystic’s end times prophecy, that you never live your life as God intends with the time that you have. You can spend all your time fearing for your health and trying to stave off aging, so you forget what your life is for and never do anything with it. You can waste all your resources hoarding supplies for a crisis, when your homeless neighbors are already in crisis and God entrusted your resources to you for their sake.

People do this, in every generation.

The Lord expects something different.

The Lord expects you to keep a cool head. Look at how beautiful those signs in the sky and the sea are. Remember how much He loves you, and how glad you’ll be to see Him when He comes. Stand erect and raise your head, for your redemption is at hand.

Your redemption is all around you, in your day-to-day life.

Your redemption is in your neighbors who need the help you can provide.

Your redemption is in your society that needs your bold witness to the truth.

You won’t see it, if you’re too busy dying of fright.

Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and from the anxieties of daily life. Those are two opposite ways you can miss your redemption. You might be too busy making sure you have a good time to pay attention to Christ all around you. Or you might be so busy fretting about the days to come, that you forget to serve Christ, but never even have any fun either. And you will miss everything Christ wants for you: the beauty of the signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars. The majesty of the roaring of the waves. The friends and community you can discover, when you’re attentive to the people around you.

Be vigilant, so you don’t miss out. Christ wants to come to you again and again, in your day-to-day life, if only you’ll pay attention. And you don’t have all the time in the world.

That day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth. No one can escape their own personal End Times. Everyone on earth will face Christ, one way or another. But for those of us who have been attentive, it will be beautiful.

Pray you have the strength to stand before the Son of Man. Pray you have the joy to stand before the Son of Man. Pray you have the wonder and awe to stand before the Son of Man.

You will see so many beautiful things.