The End of the Liturgical Year is coming. Next week is the solemnity of Christ, King of the Universe, the last Sunday of the year. After that comes Advent and a new Liturgical Year – The liturgy and the readings at Mass have turned to the End – This passage from Jesus today points to the End of the world – and Christ will come again – “the Son of Man coming in the clouds – with great power and glory,”
But when will this happen? Just as the signs from the fig tree can show if summer is near, one can also look to the signs of time times and know when these things might happen, or so the theory of some goes. How do we read the signs of the times? – Many have tried to see when Christ’s coming in glory will happen.
Trying to read the signs of the times – when will Christ come again?
The year 70, Jerusalem is Destroyed, the temple has no stones left standing – for many Christ return has arrived – It did not happen
In 482, Right after the fall of the Roman Empire, Hydaitus thought the End was imminent – It did not happen.
It is the middle of the 8th Century, Muslim soldiers had conquered Spain and were marching into Modern-day France – Christendom was under siege, the End is predicted to be imminent – It did not happen
1284 – 666 years after the rise of Islam. Pope Innocent III predicts Christ will return – It did not happen.
Mid 14th Century – The black death ravages Europe; over a quarter of the population is dead across all of Europe – surely this is the End – It did not happen
The 16th Century – The Church has split apart during the protestant reformation – Protestants rejecting the Pope and significant elements of Catholic teaching - Martin Luther predicts the time for Christ’s return has come – it did not happen.
World War I and World War II, between them, about 80 million dead – Surely this is the sign the End has come – It did not happen
The Cold war – nuclear weapons facing off – Superpowers opposed - the United States and the Soviet Union - Destruction only a moment away – predictions of the End are rampant - perhaps Christ was to return in glory – it did not happen.
Y2K – Having seemed not to have learned - Two thousand years since the birth of Christ – Computers were going fail - many talked - the End had come - everything was going to fall apart – Christ would finally come again in glory– it did not happen
All these predictions for the End of the world and Christ’s return – the End has still has not come – Perhaps this should not be a surprise - Christ did tell us “of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”– Reading the signs of the times does not refer to trying to predict when Christ will come – that has always failed … So to what does it refer?
Jesus does tell us that “this generation will not pass away until these things have taken place?” – It seems that many generations have passed, and Christ has not come in glory – but what is a generation? Jewish rabbis consider a generation 40 years. However, another understanding of a generation is the generation of Christians, of the Church. With these two understandings of generation, perhaps it is possible to consider the passage once more.
If Jesus’ words are considered in the light of the generation of Christians, the Church is still standing. It will hold fast until Christ comes in glory – and we await in hope and anticipation, knowing that we know not “that day or hour.”– and indeed – as we profess in the creed – we await when “he will come again in glory” and look forward to “the life of the world to come.” An act of anticipation. This is undoubtedly true, but it is missing something, something from that other understanding of generation.
We do not just await Christ to come in glory. Next week is the solemnity of Christ, King of the Universe. That solemnity is not a feast celebrating what is to come but what is already true.
For the Jewish Rabbis, a generation is 40 years. Almost exactly 40 years after Christ said the words we have heard today - the temple was destroyed in Jerusalem. In that time, Christ suffered, died, and rose from the dead. The Church was born, the apostles filled with the Holy Spirit spread it across the globe, bringing the gospel all the way to Rome. - One generation, the old order of the temple was destroyed, the new order of the Church has spread across the world. The kingdom of God is now, not just in the future. Jesus’ words are not just about what is to come – but also what already is.
The signs of the times tell us of suffering, pain, false prophecy, conflict, and destruction. But this has been true of all times - it is not unique to any period of history. But these signs point us to Christ and the kingdom of God – it is only in Christ that there is an answer to these challenges. Both in the future - when Christ will come in glory, but also now. For Christ has come, and still comes – here in the Church. While we can look forward with hope – let us recall that the kingdom is now, Christ is king now – and we can be a part of it now – first and foremost here at this altar and in this Mass.