Last week the Lord gave us two exemplary models of holiness by their expression of COURAGE and FAITH. This week, using the previous week’s daily readings with a few from Sunday, Christ the King. Though these readings speak mostly of the “things still to come”, they are a prime reminder that ALL THINGS will PASS AWAY…but Christ’s words will NEVER pass away (cf. Luke 21:33).
Yet, even though the Victory IS God’s entirely, our share in that victory is still to be seen. Hence why God continues to remind us that we MUST BE VIGILANT at ALL TIMES! For though we can take the “lesson of the fig tree” to see the “signs of the times”, we by no means are assured of EXACTLY WHEN the Son of Man will return, or that we will be in the state of grace when He does return (cf. Lk 18:7). Plus, before His return, we know His Church will undergo purification by sharing in His Passion (CCC §677). So...
33 Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time will come. ~Mk 13:33
36 …watch at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of man.” Lk 21:36
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The week began with Christ’s Dominion firmly established before time:
Daniel 7:13
13 I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a Son of man, and He came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him.
Rev 1:7
7 Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, every one who pierced Him; and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of Him. Even so, Amen.
Dan 7:14a
14 And to Him was given dominion and glory and kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him;
Rev 1: 5-6
5 …from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the first-born of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood 6 and made us a Kingdom, priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Dan 7:14b
…His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His Kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.
Rev 1:8
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, Who is and Who was and Who is to come, the Almighty.
Then the week takes us on a journey of prefigurement throughout the book of Daniel as he is called to the service of King Nebuchadnezzar and then later his son, King Belshazzar. Both accounts should give the reader a very definite sense of the shortness of man’s kingdoms when compared with God’s everlasting Kingdom.
Dan 2: 31-35, 44-45
31 ”You saw, O king, and behold, a great image. This image, mighty and of exceeding brightness, stood before you, and its appearance was frightening.
…bidding them make an image for the beast which was wounded by the sword and yet lived; and it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast so that the image of the beast should even speak, and to cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain. ~Rev 13: 14c-15
32 The head of this image was of fine gold, its breast and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.
34 As you looked, a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it smote the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces;
20 And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had worked the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image…
35 then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found.
… These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulphur. 21 And the rest were slain by the sword of him who sits upon the horse, the sword that issues from his mouth; and all the birds were gorged with their flesh. ~Rev 19: 20-21
44 …And in the days of those kings [aka the saints who love and worship the God of the Universe] the God of heaven will set up a Kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor shall its sovereignty be left to another people [the ungodly, the corrupt who fear not God nor man, for they are the dominions of Satan]. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and [It] shall stand for ever;
But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. ~Dan 2:35c
45 just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be hereafter. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.”
Thus, again, reminding those who in our world today are seeking dominion over all and especially over God’s Children. I recommend “reading the handwriting on the wall” :
…but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven; and the vessels of His house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them; and you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored.
24 ”Then from His presence the hand was sent, and this writing was inscribed. 25 And this is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, TEKEL, and PERES.
26 This is the interpretation of the matter:
MENE, GOD HAD NUMBERED THE DAYS OF YOUR KINGDOM AND BROUGHT IT TO AN END;
27 TEKEL, YOU HAVE BEEN WEIGHED IN THE BALANCES AND FOUND WANTING;
28 PERES, YOUR KINGDOM IS DIVIDED…”
“Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand; and if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand?…”
~Mt. 12: 25-26
In closing and addressing my fellow Brothers and Sisters in Christ: 1Thes 3:12 – 4:2
[Brothers and Sisters]
12 …may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all men, as we do to you, 13 so that He may establish your hearts [without blame] in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.
Finally brethren, we beseech and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you learned from us how you ought to live and to please God, just as you are doing, you do so more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
IF ANY HAS ONE HAS AN EAR, LET HIM HEAR. ~Rev 13:9
Suggested Further Reading:
