REFLECTION FOR TODAY
November 26, 2021
By Fr. Andrew Ibegbulem, OSA
Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” Luke 21:32–33
Those are shocking words from Jesus from our gospel reference of today. The fact that both Heaven and earth, as they currently are, will pass away. This is worth pondering. We know that life is full of change. It has been said that the one thing that never changes is change itself. Everything else changes. But when it comes to earth, it is hard to believe that it will one day “pass away.” Jesus prophesied the end of this earth as we know it today. When will it happen? Only God knows.
Heaven, as it exists today, is also prophesied by our Lord to pass away. Heaven, as it is right now, is a pure spiritual reality in which the only corporeal bodies present are those of Jesus and our Blessed Mother. The rest of Heaven consists of the Divine Essence, the souls of those who have been redeemed and the angels of God. But if Heaven even passes away, what awaits?
The only reason that these two realities, Heaven, and earth, will pass away in their current form is because, at the Final Judgment, there will be a “New Heavens and a New Earth.” At that time, Heaven and earth will be united, and this new creation will exist for eternity. According to Jesus the only one thing that will remain are His words: “…my words will not pass away.” Again, this is worth pondering.
With the prophesy of the end of the world at an unspecified future time, Jesus warns the disciples that tribulations are inevitable before the Last Judgment and the coming of His Kingdom. Jesus wants us to understand that the Kingdom of God will be near when wars, natural calamities, pestilences, and unnatural movements of heavenly bodies occur. Except for the last-named, these seem to occur in every age. Hence, we must be ever vigilant and prepared.
In a world filled with change and uncertainty, we need some form of stability. A stability found in the truth of the Word of God. The Word of God, as revealed to us through the Scriptures, must become our rock foundation upon which our whole lives are built and exist. Pondering, praying with, meditating on, and believing the Word of God enables us to stand on firm and unchanging spiritual ground as we go through the change of this life and even the changes that will come at the end of time.
As Christians, we must be able to read the signs of the times and stay in the kingdom of God by faithfully doing God’s will at all times, we need to continue serving others in humility and love and bearing witness to Jesus through the integrity and transparency of our Christian lives, with the word of God as our compass.
Reflect, today, upon the importance of truly immersing yourself in the Word of God. How much time do you spend each week reading it, praying with it and allowing it to become your daily food? The Word of God is not simply a book of teachings meant to inspire you or guide you. The Word of God is a Living Word. It is God in His unchangeable form. God, in His essence, will never change, and engaging Him through the revelation of His written Word is one essential way by which you will be able to experience true stability in life and prepare for each change to come until the final order of life is permanently established.
Lord, You are unchanging and eternal. You are the rock foundation upon which I must always rely. As I continue to experience the many changes encountered in this life, please enter my soul through Your written Word, so that I will find the stability I need. As I stand firm in You, I look forward with joy to the New Heavens and New Earth that await. Jesus, I trust in You.