Eternal Perfection In Christ

Readings: 1^st: Dan 12, 1-3; Ps 15; 2^nd: Heb 10, 11-14.18; Gos: Mk 3, 24-32

This brief reflection was written by Fr. Njoku Canice Chukwuemeka, C.S.Sp. He is a Catholic Priest and a member of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans). He is a missionary in Puerto Rico. He is the Parish Priest of Parroquia la Resurrección del Senor, Canóvanas, and the Major Superior of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans), Circumscription of Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. He was the chancellor of the Diocese of Fajardo Humacao, Puerto Rico. Fr. Canice is a member of the Academy of Homiletics. For more details and comments contact him at: canice_c_njoku@yahoo.com, canicechukwuemeka@gmail.com

(https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8452-8392)

On this thirty-third Sunday, we celebrate the final consummation at the end of time. The readings of this Sunday are set in a prophetic tone. In order words, they point to God’s people’s future deliverance through Christ’s redemptive work.

The readings also remind us of the glorious seasons that are ahead of us. Most importantly, this Sunday, the holy mother church raises our hope of salvation by reminding us of our future and eternal perfection through Christ’s single sacrifice.

In our first reading, the Archangel Michael is the divine figure who protects our dignity. He is the great prince who mounts guard over us. There are two points to note here. The first is the crucial role of Archangel Michael. However, this role must not be confused with the role of Christ as the savior. Archangel Michael is simply a faithful Guard.

Second, “all those whose names are found written in the book shall be saved.” In other words, they are the ones marked for eternal perfection through the sacrifice and blood of Christ. The good news is that there is still time to inscribe our names in this book. This is because Christ, our eternal high priest, has already made it possible for us to do so.

Our second reading from the letters to the Hebrews highlights the efficacy of Christ’s sacrifice for our salvation. It is a sacrifice that marks all believers with a bold sign of “forgiven, acquitted, and sealed for salvation.”

As the old covenant’s fulfillment, Christ, the new covenant’s high priest, has offered this sacrifice once and for all. So, all we need to do is simply approach the throne of his mercy to draw strength from Him. His sacrifice has purified and saved us.

In today’s gospel, Jesus employed different natural causes in order to remind us of the need to be on guard for his great coming. The tone of his message moves from the prophecy of the great tribulation to the prophecy of the coming of the Son of man.

Hence, Christ’s message’s central point is that no one knows when this time or moment would be. This reading equally reminds us that Christ is a prophet, as well as our savior. By saying that: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my word will not pass away unfulfilled,” Christ wishes to remind us that his coming and our salvation is sure.

Also, by asserting that chaos will precede his coming, it is simple to say that nothing will be able to stop what God has destined to happen. Its primary purpose is to set all the tragedies of life, warfare, destruction, and persecution in the context of the establishment of God’s kingdom.

However, after all, peace will return to the children of God, whose names are written in the book. He invites us to be prepared for the new kingdom that He wishes to establish. So, with confidence in the Lord who is to come, let us joyfully proclaim with the Psalmist: “You are my inheritance, O Lord.”

Peace be with you!

Maranatha!