＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Daniel 12:1-3

At that time,

Michael will rise, the Great Comman­der who defends your people. It shall be a time of anguish as never before since the nations first existed until this very day.

Then all those whose names are written in the Book will be saved. Many of those who sleep in the Region of the Dust will awake, some to everlasting life but others to eternal horror and shame. Those who acquired knowledge will shine like the brilliance of the firmament; those who taught people to be just will shine like the stars for all eternity.

 

Ps 16:5, 9-10, 11(1)

You are my inheritance, O Lord!

 

＊＊＊ 2nd Reading ＊＊＊

Hebrew 10:11-14, 18

 So, whereas every priest stands daily by the altar offering repeatedly the same sacrifices that can never take away sins, Christ has offered for all times a single sacrifice for sins and has taken his seat at the right hand of God, waiting until God puts his enemies as a footstool under his feet. By a single sacrifice he has brought those who are sanctified to what is perfect forever.

So, if sins are forgiven, there is no longer need of any sacrifice for sin.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊      

Mark 13:24-32

Later on, in those days after that disastrous time, the sun will grow dark, the moon will not give its light,   the stars will fall out of the sky and the whole universe will be shaken.   

Then people will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.  And he will send the angels to gather his chosen people from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the sky.

 Learn a lesson from the fig tree. As soon as its branches become tender and it begins to sprout leaves, you know that summer is near.   In the same way, when you see these things happening, know that the time is near, even at the door.  

 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all this has happened.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.  But, regarding that Day and that Hour, no one knows when it will come, not even the angels, not even the Son, but only the Fa­ther.

 

Gospel Reflection：

Read:

There will be fearful signs in the sky and the whole universe will be in turｍoil. These are the signs that the coming of Jesus Christ is eminent. Just as nature gives signs as to the changing of the seasons, so too will the coming of Christ be preceded by signs. As regards the precise date and bour, only the Father knows and no one else.

Reflect:

The apocalyptic genre that found itself in the gospels is a style of writing very prevalent in Jesus’time. People understands it as symbolic representation of the things to come. It is not a literal depiction of the future.

But some self-proclaimed prophets, or sons and daughters of God, or the angel who would usher the apocalypse used these apocalyptic sayings in the gospel to scare people to believe in his or her movement.

Could with the promise that only their members could be saved, many of the gullible are entrapped by their words and become unthinking members of a new sect or cult that proliferated even early on during the apostolic times.

People need only to remember that the God Jesus revealed is a loving God who does not rejoice at the punishment of sinners. Rather, God rejoices when His creatures return after being lost for some time.

So, we need not worry about judgment day. If even Jesus the Son of God does not know the hour and the time, why believe the countless lunatics who predicted the end of the world and failed miserably.

Respond:

Is our life ready to face God when judgment day comes? The best preparation is not to fall into frantic despair but living a just life day in and day out all the rest of our life. Today is a good day to straighten up our life so that it may conform to Dod’s will now and forever.