Jesus Reconciles All Things to Himself

Friday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time | Year I

November 26, 2021  

Readings (Please click here to read full text)
    Reading I: Dn 7:2-14  
    Responsorial Psalm: Daniel 3:75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81  
    Gospel: Lk 21:29-33

In these last days of the liturgical year, we continue to reflect on the End Times.

In our first reading, the vision of Daniel tells us about the emergence of four immense beasts. In tomorrow’s continuation of this reading, Daniel interprets it as the rise of four kingdoms of the earth. Their dominion would soon end with the coming of the son of man who was given by the Ancient One an everlasting dominion which no one and nothing could destroy. This refers to the coming of Christ as King of the Universe, to whom all the other kings shall serve, all of the earth, and everything that is created shall bow down to praise and glorify God, as portrayed in our Responsorial Psalm.

Yet, even if they serve, praise, and glorify God, everything, including heaven, will one day pass away at the coming of the Kingdom of God, which will subsist because this Kingdom is the Word of God. "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away" (Lk 21:33). This is the Word that created heaven and earth. Their passing away does not mean their annihilation. Instead, it is their reconciliation with the Word, Jesus Himself. St. Paul wrote, "For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile all things for him, making peace by the blood of his cross, whether those on earth or those in heaven" (Col 1:19-20).

The End Times, the coming of the Kingdom of God, therefore, is not about the end of everything, rather, it is about the Word reconciling all things to Himself in its fullness.

Fr. Joel R. Lasutaz, SSS

Image credit: flickr.com