Stay Awake!

"Be alert and watch, for you don't know when the time come.  When a man goes abroad and leaves his home, he puts his servants in charge, giving to each one some responsibility; and he orders the doorkeeper to stay awake.  So stay awake, for you don't know when the LORD of the house will come, in the evening or at midnight, when the cock crows or before dawn.  If he comes suddenly, do not let him catch you asleep.

And what I say to you, I say to all: Stay awake!" - Mark 13:33-37  

(This is like a summary of the parable of the talents [Matthew 25:14-30] and that of the ten young women [Matthew 25:1-13].  It warns us that we should wait for the LORD who is at work.  The doorman symbolizes those who have positions of responsibility in the Church, who are not the owners of the Church but only hold the keys of the Church.)

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"Come, Follow ME; And I Will Make You Fish For People."

"As JESUS walked by the lake of Galilee, HE saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.  HE said to them, 'Come, follow ME; and I will make you fish for people.'

At once they left their nets and followed HIM.

HE went on from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John, in a boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets.  JESUS called them.

At once, they left the boat, and their father, and followed HIM." - Matthew 4:18-22  

(At once, they abandoned their nets and followed HIM, which means leaving their family and work they began to live with HIM.  Like the Master of Religion in HIS time, like the rabbis, JESUS instructed HIS first disciples, teaching them what they were to pass on to others in the Church.

Simon, Andrew, James and John.  JESUS already knew them: HE had met them where John the Baptist was preaching [John 1:35].  The first nucleus of disciples is this natural group of lake fishermen of which Peter seemed to be the leader.  They were most probably young men, ready to make a commitment at a time and in a culture where people were freer than we are from the constraints of work.

They did not yet know what the Reign of GOD would mean but they trusted JESUS to guide them.  This for them was the beginning of faith.)

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Love And Longing For GOD's Temple

 "My soul yearns, pines,

for the courts of YAHWEH.

My heart and my flesh

cry out for the living GOD.

Even the sparrow finds a home,

and the swallow a nest

where she may lay her young,

at YOUR altars, O YAHWEH of hosts,

my King and my GOD!

They go from strength to strength

till they appear before GOD in Zion."

- Psalm 84:3. 4. 5-6. 8

(The home of GOD on earth!  What can this mean?  There can be no change in GOD.  HE cannot move into a new house.  No, the change is in human things!  GOD is everywhere already but consecrates certain places, where people can meet HIM and feel HIS presence more intimately.  There is a power there, without which, not a sparrow falls to the ground, but also a peace that encourages the sparrow to build its nest.  Such a home of GOD, stood on the hill of Zion.  It is a weary climb for the pilgrim at the end of his journey but strengthening him when he paused to raise his eyes.  The end of every pilgrimage lies further off, and it is a very weary climb for all.  Our city is heaven, but in a sense, it is here too: 'you came near to Mount Zion, the city of the living GOD' [Hebrews 12:22], because the Word was made flesh and dwell among us: in a new sense the earth is the LORD's. 

There are people who visit the Temple; but do not enjoy the love of GOD, who dwells therein.  They do not experience a transformation of conduct because they placed their trust in the Temple of GOD, not in the GOD of the Temple.  This psalm can come with us, when we go on pilgrimages and religious festivals.

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The Signs Of The Times

"And JESUS added this comparison, 'Look at the fig tree and all the trees.  As soon as their buds sprout, you know that summer is already near.  In the same way, as soon as you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of GOD is near.  Truly, I tell you, this generation will not pass away, until all this has happened: heaven and earth will pass away, but MY words will not pass away." - Luke 21:29-33 

(The destruction of the Jewish nation and the dispersal of its people inaugurated the new era, which would be mostly the history of the evangelization and education of the nations by the Church.  We could call that period the times of the New Testament, which will end with the great crisis concluding human history.) 

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Orchestra Of Praise To GOD, King Of The World

 "Sing to YAHWEH a new song, for HE has done wonders; HIS right hand, HIS holy arm, has won victory for HIM.

YAHWEH has shown HIS salvation, revealing HIS justice to the nations.

HE has not forgotten HIS love, nor HIS faithfulness to Israel.  The farthest ends of the earth all have seen GOD 's saving power.

Let the sea resound and everything in it, the world and all its people.

Let rivers clap their hands, hills and mountains sing with joy before YAHWEH, for HE comes to rule the earth.  HE will judge the world with justice, and the peoples, with fairness."

- Psalm 98:1. 2-3. 7-8. 9

(Our LORD founded the kingdom of GOD on earth; and yet we pray: 'YOUR kingdom come.'  The work of our redemption has been accomplished, but we still pray for this salvation, to be perfected throughout the world: GOD has come; but we look for HIS final coming, to take possession of HIS kingdom.

Sing to the LORD a new song.  Humanity has found the way to liberation and salvation.  It is in the coming of CHRIST, GOD-made-man and in HIS resurrection.

For the LORD came down to earth, showed us HIS love and also by HIS death and resurrection, the path to eternal salvation.)

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Signs Before The Destruction Of Jerusalem

"While some people were talking about the Temple, remarking that it was adorned with fine stonework and rich gifts, JESUS said to them, 'The days will come when there shall not be left one stone upon another of all that you now admire; all will be torn down.'  And they asked HIM, 'Master, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?'

JESUS then said, 'Take care not to be deceived, for many will come claiming MY title and saying:  'I am HE, the Messiah; the time is at hand.'  do not follow them.  When you hear of wars and troubled times, don't be frightened; for all this must happen first, even though the end is not so soon.'

And JESUS said, 'Nations will fight each other and kingdom will oppose kingdom.  There will be great earthquakes, famines and plagues; in many places strange and terrifying signs from heaven will be seen. - Luke 21:5-11 

(When JESUS speaks of the destruction of the Temple, the apostles think of the end of time.  The answer of JESUS is clear; the tragedy that will end with the destruction of Jerusalem is near but that would not be the end of the world.

This discourse contains JESUS' warnings about the destruction of the Jewish nation that would occur 30 years later, but what HE said regarding these agents clarifies the meaning of the conflicts that occur at present in the whole world.)

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The Widow's Mite

"JESUS looked up and saw rich people putting their gifts into the treasure box; HE also saw a poor widow dropping in two small coins.  And HE said, 'Truly, I tell you, this poor widow put in more than all of them.  For all gave an offering from their plenty, but she, out of her poverty, gave all she had to live on.'" - Luke 21:1-4 

(The poor widow was the only one from among so many worshipers who made retribution to GOD as HE deserves.  She was the personification of those uncountable poor, who have practically nothing but somehow find a way to give part of the little they have.  GOD calls on the poor before anybody else, because only the poor give all that they have to live on.)

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"I AM The Alpha And The Omega."

 "... and from JESUS CHRIST, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, the ruler of the kings of the earth.

To HIM who loves us, and has washed away our sins with HIS own blood, making us a kingdom, and priests for GOD, HIS FATHER,

to HIM, be the glory and power, for ever and ever.  Amen.

See, HE comes with the clouds, and everyone will see HIM, even those who pierced HIM; on HIS account, all the nations of the earth will beat their breast.  Yes.  It will be so.

'I AM the Alpha and the Omega,' says the LORD GOD, 'the one who is, and who was, and who is to come: the Master of the universe.'"

- Revelation 1:5-8

(The one who is and who was, and who is to come.  This way of naming GOD expands what was revealed to Moses: "I AM who AM' [Exodus 3].  The living GOD is a GOD who is coming.

Then CHRIST is presented as the Messiah and Judge hoped for by the Jews.  HE comes with the clouds.  In HIS trial, JESUS also referred to this text of the prophet Daniel [7:13].

All the nations of the earth will lament HIM.  See this prophecy of the murdered Messiah: "the one they pierced" in Zechariah 12:10.

The Alpha and the Omega [that is A to Z].  This suggests that GOD embraces all time.

Revelation is addressed to Christians who are beginning to suffer for their faith, and shows CHRIST to them, as the model they are imitating.  CHRIST is the "servant and the witness of GOD the FATHER."  Let us not forget that martyr means witness.)

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Resurrection Of The Dead

"Then some Sadducees arrived.  These people claim that there is no resurrection, and they asked JESUS this question, 'Master, in the law Moses told us, 'if anyone dies leaving a wife but no children, his brother must take the wife, and any child born to them will be regarded as the child of the deceased.'  Now, there were seven brothers: the first married, but died without children.  The second married the woman, but also died childless.  And then the third married her, and in the same way all seven died, leaving no children.  Last of all the woman died.  On the day of the resurrection, to which of them will the woman be a wife?  For all seven had her as a wife.'

And JESUS replied, 'Taking a husband or a wife is proper to people of this world, but for those who are considered worthy of the world to come, and of resurrection from the dead, there is no more marriage.  Besides, they cannot die, for they are like the angels.  They are sons and daughters of GOD, because they are born of the resurrection.

Yes, the dead will be raised, as Moses revealed at the burning bush, when he called the LORD the GOD of Abraham and the GOD of Isaac and the GOD of Jacob.  For GOD is GOD of the living, and not of the dead, for to HIM everyone is alive.'

Some teachers of the law then agreed with JESUS, 'Master, YOU have spoken well.'  They didn't dare ask HIM anything else.'" - Luke 20:27-40 

(Luke has his own expressions in speaking of the resurrection.  It is because in those countries of Greek culture [Luke wrote for them] many people believed in the immortality of the soul as something natural.  Luke clarified for them that the other life is not something natural; it is a gift of GOD for those who are considered worthy to enter it.

They too are sons and daughters of GOD.  Using a Hebrew expression, the text says: they too are sons of GOD [at that time the sons of GOD were the angels] because they are born of the resurrection.  This resurrection is not like coming back to the life we know, it is the work of the Holy Spirit, who transforms and sanctifies those HE resurrects.  Therefore, the resurrected are sons and daughters of GOD in a much more authentic way than those of this world: delivered from sin, they are reborn of GOD.

To HIM everyone is alive.  They started to become alive when GOD knew them and called them, and they will not disappear, since GOD called them from this world to bring them into HIS own.

Faith in the resurrection contrasts with the doctrine of transmigration that says that souls come back to life in a body and social condition that befits their merits.  The cycle will continue as long as purification has not been completed.  It is a powerful theory capable of enticing many people in the West.

It could be said that it is convenient and leads to irresponsibility since all could be settled.  Actually, however, this is not the case with the Hindus: their moral concern is often greater than ours, for they are keen to escape from these recurring beginnings.  The difference is elsewhere.  There are two conceptions of a human.  In one, the soul is imprisoned in a body, in the second GOD saves the indivisible person.  The body is not some clothing for the soul, which may pass from an old person to a newly born.

That is why Christian hope awaits a resurrection, that is to say, the possibility for each one to be reborn of GOD in GOD and express oneself fully in a "glorified body."

Scripture teaches us that this present life is our only opportunity.  Humans die only once and afterward are judged [Hebrews 9:27].)

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"MY House Shall Be A House Of Prayer, But You Have Turned It Into A Den Of Robbers!"

"Then JESUS entered the Temple area and began to drive out the merchants.  And HE said to them, 'GOD says in the Scriptures, MY house shall be a house of prayer, but you have turned it into a den of robbers!'

JESUS was teaching every day in the temple.  The chief priests and teachers of the law wanted to kill HIM, and the elders of the Jews as well, but they were unable to do anything, for all the people were listening to HIM and hanging on HIS words." - Luke 19:45-48 

(Nowadays, do we really consider that the structure [Church] is a holy place for us to commune with GOD, and not for anything else?)

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