All Bible Readings for Sunday, February 8th 2009
[Remember all departed priests]
In last week’s reading (Mark 6:1-6), the people of Nazareth were unable to accept the Word because they let their real-world understanding block out their belief. Remember the reaction of the people … they were amazed and moved by the teachings, but then remembered this was Jesus who grew up in Nazereth as the son of Joseph and Mary and then they turned angry.
Remember that everyone has been given by God “free will”, and we can choose to listen to the teachings of Christ or ignore.
Today’s Gospel Reading from Mathew 24:42-51, i.e.,
“So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. 43 Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. 44 You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.
45 “A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. 46 If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. 47 I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns. 48 But what if the servant is evil and thinks, ‘My master won’t be back for a while,’ 49 and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk? 50 The master will return unannounced and unexpected, 51 and he will cut the servant to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
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“Gnashing of Teeth” is a figure of expression used back when these text were written … basically, those people who choose to not follow Christ and be like Christ will be quite unhappy
What is this passage pointing to? The second coming of Christ!
And the third day rose again according to His will, and ascended in to heaven nd sat on the right hand of the Father and shall come again in his great glory to judge both the quick and the dead, and whose kingdom shall have no end.
This is something the Church professes on at each Qurbana during the Nicene Creed.
First Point:
We don’t know when Christ will come again. So many readings and parables talk about not taking our Faith for granted, and to work at being like Christ.
Just like the Master gave a job to the servants, our job as Christians is not easy … it is to be perfect like our Father in heaven is perfect (Mathew 5:48). We may feel lazy and take an easy path, or be tempted by the world’s distractions … but the warning from Christ is to always be prepared and always choose to follow and be closer to Him
Second Point:
This is unfortunately not the time to get into an in-depth discussion of Final Judgment. case because many will choose to reject God. Deep theological differences exist between our teachings and other Christian denominations.
The point to remember is that our Church teaches and emphasizes that God is Love, and His wish and desire is for everyone to be saved. However, He knows this will not be the
Even we do this … none of us are perfect, right? We get angry, we get tempted … there is always a gap between us and where God wants us to be … the 10 commandments say “thou shalt not kill”, but remember Jesus taught later that it is not enough not to kill but to not even get angry.
This is why throughout the Qurbana we say “Kurielieson” … the Greek word (with a Syriac accent) for “Lord have mercy!”. We also pray for Mercy for all in the Church, all outside the Church and our departed ones … why? Because that’s what God wants of us, to not only think of ourselves.
Point Three:
Judgment is a scary thought, right? If you ever get confused on how Jesus who is Love can decide to throw someone into the fires and worms and all the other imagery that was used?
But just as God is Love, if we don’t change ourselves to become more like God, that Love will be intolerable.
St Maximus the Confessor used an analogy that God is the Sun of Justice … we may feel hot or cold and we can blame the Sun … But the Sun burns constant.
Through our choices (and free will), we become like mud because we love the earth so much, or wax because of our love for God … and what happens when the Sun shines on mud? The mud gets harder and harder … but the wax gets softer and more changeable. And, when soft, God’s imprints can be seen more and more … that’s a good image to keep in mind if we ever get confused or angry at God.
So again – always remember that our Church emphasizes that God is Love, and it His Love that we are always not worthy to receive but will receive.
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