Realized Eschatology: A Blessing But Also a Challenge (Mk 13:24-32)

A cry goes out to “Prepare the Way of the Lord”, it invites us to prepare to receive him a new into our hearts this Advent, but also to work together as His Church to make a way of salvation for all people. God is calling us to be a church that is healthy, loving, filled with God’s glory and beauty, inviting others to walk the path that we are on. 

When I’m worried about many things, and feeling that the weight of the world is on my shoulders the last thing I want anyone to say to me is, don’t worry. It seems so trite. Yet that is what the readings are saying today, or in Padre Pio‘s words, the scriptures are saying pray, hope, and don’t worry! No matter what is happening, no matter how bad it is right now, God’s going to work it out. Worry does not help, but our prayer will. 

Homilia del padre Carlos. 

When the kingdom of God stands face-to-face to the kingdoms of this world, there is a conflict, there is a battle. If we stand with Him, He fights the battle on our behalf. His victory will be ours. Let’s learn how to make our prayer His prayer, through a practice called apostolic intercessory prayer. 

Homilia del padre Carlos. 

Jesus speaks of the end times both as something that has already come, and something yet to come. We are in the end times. They began 2,000 years ago at Jesus’s first coming, and will continue until his second coming. This is a time that the Holy Spirit is given to us to bring us back to God to help us to turn from sin which we could not do on our own. It’s a great blessing and mercy that God has given us. Let us open our hearts to the Holy Spirit in Sacrament,  and Prayer, and allow it to be our strength and salvation. But also because the Lord chose to save us in this slow manner, so that more may be saved, it does require us to persevere through suffering and difficulty to help Jesus save more people. 

The widow in the Gospel gave all she had, but in the world’s eyes it was a small amount. We too are called to do Give God our all in  whatever “Little Portion” of His Kingdom God gives us. 

Homilia del padre Carlos. 

Christ is the only one who can articulate the law, and fulfill it. He becomes the perfect fulfillment of the love of God and the love of  neighbor, by his sacrifice as God’s Only Son on the cross.  He makes visible God’s love for us, and shares with us the Holy Spirit. We can join ourselves to him to make our imperfect sacrifice acceptable to God, and by his strength to love one another. We can help that happen by a short prayer done every morning and every evening. 

Homilia del padre Carlos.