“And then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in the clouds’ with great power and glory.” Take a moment to ponder these words from today’s Gospel. How does this image make you feel? For people to truly understand the significance of this message, something profound has to happen within. If we find ourselves reacting with a sense of dread or fear, we have to step back and ask why. Our answer will reveal a great deal about our relationship with God. It’s hard to fall in love with a God of whom we are afraid. God does not want us to be afraid. Nor does He want us to align our wills to His in order to avoid some kind of horrendous eternal consequence. That sounds like too much of a superficial power play on the part of God who continues to seek out His children in love.
In order for these words to carry any type of significant meaning for us, they have to resonate with and touch us on a deeper level. They have to be able to connect some dots and have meaning for us in order for this promise to change our lives. Sometimes we get preoccupied with the uncertainty of our deaths. Not knowing when or how we will eventually die can be unsettling. But, more so than needing an answer to the “when” of death, the “what” of death answer we provide has more significance. What happens to us when we die? Whether we die during the natural course of our lives or when Christ comes again, the experience is the same. If we believe that we are meant to live in union with God eternally and that death completes and does not diminish us, then it is worth our time and effort to wait in vigilant hope of the Lord’s coming in glory. Our journey back to God is something beautiful to be desired, not dreaded or feared.
Sadly, many folks believe that life is no more than a random occurrence without any purposeful direction or meaning. Death is simply death and nothing more. For them, the Second Coming of Christ and God’s eternal promise have no meaning. When we understand the truth about who we are, it changes things up. We then can see ourselves as works in progress who have the choice to either resist the inspirations of the Divine Artist or give into the wonderful creativity of His will. Life awaiting the fullness of Christ to come becomes an unfolding of Divine surprises and abundant joy. God is eternally merciful, forgiving, and welcoming. It is only when we directly reject this gift and turn our backs on Love itself that we have anything to fear.
©LPi
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