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November 13, 2008 – Thursday of 32nd Week in Ordinary Time       DAILY LITURGICAL/THEME MEDITATION: "For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky, so will the Son of man be in his day" UNIVERSAL CHURCH/WORLD EVENT(S): Obama Calls the Pope; Bishops Oppose Freedom of Choice Act SAINT OF THE DAY St. Frances Xavier Cabrini  GENERAL MARIOLOGY The Virgin Mary in the New Testament, Part I DIVINE MERCY On Glory, Glorify: Glory And Praise To The Divine Mercy  TEACHING/TESTIMONY/CONVICTION: On St. Paul and the Second Coming   Monthly Index

DAILY LITURGICAL MEDITATION

Thursday (11/13):  "For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky, so will the Son of man be in his day" Scripture:  Luke 17:20-25 20 Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, he answered them, "The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; 21 nor will they say, `Lo, here it is!' or `There!' for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you." 22 And he said to the disciples, "The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and you will not see  it. 23 And they will say to you, `Lo, there!' or `Lo, here!' Do not go, do not follow them. 24 For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of man be in his day. 25 But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. Meditation: What can lightning tell us about the coming of the Lord and his kingdom? The Jews is Jesus' time were watching in great anticipation for some sign which would indicate when the Messiah would appear to establish the kingdom of God. The Pharisees' question on this matter was intended to test Jesus since they did not accept him as the Messiah. Jesus surprised them with the answer that the kingdom or reign of God was already here! Jesus spoke of the coming of God's kingdom as both a present event and an event which would be manifested at the end of time. The "Day of the Lord" was understood in the Old Testament as the time when God would manifest his glory and power and overthrow the enemies of his people, Israel. The prophet Amos declared that the "Day" also meant judgment for Israel as well as the nations (Amos 5:18-20). The prophet Joel proclaimed that at this "Day" those who truly repented would be saved, while those who remained enemies of the Lord, whether Jew or Gentile, would be punished (see Joel 2). Why did Jesus associate lightning with the "Day of the Lord"? In the arrid climate of Palestine, storms were infrequent and seasonal. They appeared suddenly and unexpectedly, seemingly out of nowhere, covering everthing in thick darkness. With little or no warning lightning filled the sky with its piercing flashes of flaming light. Its power struck terror and awe in those who tried to flee from its presence. Jesus warned the Pharisees that the "Son of man" (a title from the prophet Daniel for the Messiah) would come in like manner, quite suddenly and unexpectedly, on the clouds of heaven to bring God's judgment on the "Day of the Lord". No special sign will be needed to announce his appearance. Nor will his presence and power be veiled or hidden, but all will recognize him as clearly as the lightning in the sky. Jesus identified himself with the "Day of the Lord". "Son of man" was understood as a Messianic title for the one who would come not only to establish God's kingdom but who would come as Judge of the living as well as the dead. Jesus points to his second coming when he will return to complete the work of restoration and final judgment. While we do not know the time of his return, we will not mistake it when it happens. It will be apparent to all, both believers and non-believers as well. When the Pharisees asked Jesus what sign would indicate the "Day of the Lord", Jesus replied that only one sign would point to that day and that sign was Jesus himself. Jesus surprised the Jews of his time by announcing that God's kingdom was already present among them in his very person – the Son of God sent from the Father to redeem the world from sin and destruction. In Jesus we see the power and the glory of God's kingdom. His power overthrew the powers of darkness and sin. Jesus knew that the only way to victory was through the cross. On that cross he defeated death and canceled the debt of sin for us. The victory of his cross opens the way for us to become citizens of God's kingdom. Do you seek the coming of God's kingdom with joyful hope? "Lord Jesus Christ, may your kingdom come and my your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Be the Ruler of my heart and the Master of my life that I may always live in the freedom of your love and truth." Psalm 146:5-10 5 Happy is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, 6 who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them;  who keeps faith for ever; 7 who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry.  The LORD sets the prisoners free; 8 the LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down;  the LORD loves the righteous. 9 The LORD watches over the sojourners, he upholds the widow and the fatherless; but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin. 10 The LORD will reign for ever, thy God, O Zion, to all generations.  Praise the LORD!   RETURN TO TOP

UNIVERSAL CHURCH/WORLD EVENTS

Obama Calls the Pope   VATICAN CITY, NOV. 12, 2008 (Zenit.org).- A Vatican spokesman announced that U.S. President-elect Barack Obama called Benedict XVI to thank him for the latter's congratulatory telegram. Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office, said that Obama called the Pope on Tuesday. The call responded to a telegram the Holy Father sent to Obama after he won the presidential election last week. In the papal telegram, the Bishop of Rome promised Obama his prayers so that God assists him in his "weighty responsibilities at the service of the nation and the international community." And it expressed his wish that the Lord's blessings support Obama and the American people, "together with all men and women of good will, [in efforts] to build a world of peace, solidarity and justice."   Bishops Oppose Freedom of Choice Act Call It Divisive, "Bad Legislation"   BALTIMORE, Maryland, NOV. 12, 2008 (Zenit.org).- The U.S. bishops criticized the Freedom of Choice Act as "bad legislation" that would ultimately cause more division in the country. Cardinal Francis George, the president of the U.S. episcopal conference, said this today in a statement published on behalf of the nations' bishops. The conference approved the statement upon concluding their three-day fall assembly, held in Baltimore. Pledging to work with the Obama administration on issues of economic justice immigration, education, health care and religious freedom, the cardinal reminded the president-elect that a "good state protects the lives of all." The statement called the Supreme Court's decision in favor of the right to abortion in Roe v. Wade a "bad court decision," and warned that it could soon "be enshrined in bad legislation that is more radical than the 1973 Supreme Court decision itself." Referring to the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), Cardinal George said the law would "deprive the American people in all 50 states of the freedom they now have to enact modest restraints and regulations on the abortion industry." He continued: "FOCA would coerce all Americans into subsidizing and promoting abortion with their tax dollars. It would counteract any and all sincere efforts by government and others of good will to reduce the number of abortions in our country. "Parental notification and informed consent precautions would be outlawed, as would be laws banning procedures such as partial-birth abortion and protecting infants born alive after a failed abortion. Abortion clinics would be deregulated. "The Hyde Amendment restricting the federal funding of abortions would be abrogated. FOCA would have lethal consequences for prenatal human life." Divisive He said the act would "have an equally destructive effect on the freedom of conscience of doctors, nurses and health care workers whose personal convictions do not permit them to cooperate in the private killing of unborn children. It would threaten Catholic health care institutions and Catholic Charities." "It would be an evil law that would further divide our country, and the Church should be intent on opposing evil," said Cardinal George. "On this issue, the legal protection of the unborn, the bishops are of one mind with Catholics and others of good will," the conference president said. "They are also pastors who have listened to women whose lives have been diminished because they believed they had no choice but to abort a baby. "Abortion is a medical procedure that kills, and the psychological and spiritual consequences are written in the sorrow and depression of many women and men. The bishops are single-minded because they are, first of all, single-hearted." "The recent election was principally decided out of concern for the economy, for the loss of jobs and homes and financial security for families, here and around the world," the cardinal continued. "If the election is misinterpreted ideologically as a referendum on abortion, the unity desired by President-elect Obama and all Americans at this moment of crisis will be impossible to achieve. "Abortion kills not only unborn children; it destroys constitutional order and the common good, which is assured only when the life of every human being is legally protected. Aggressively pro-abortion policies, legislation and executive orders will permanently alienate tens of millions of Americans, and would be seen by many as an attack on the free exercise of their religion." RETURN TO TOP

DAILY LITURGICAL SAINT

November 13, 2008 St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850-1917)   Frances Xavier Cabrini was the first United States citizen to be canonized. Her deep trust in the loving care of her God gave her the strength to be a valiant woman doing the work of Christ. Refused admission to the religious order which had educated her to be a teacher, she began charitable work at the House of Providence Orphanage in Cadogno, Italy. In September 1877, she made her vows there and took the religious habit. When the bishop closed the orphanage in 1880, he named Frances prioress of the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart. Seven young women from the orphanage joined with her. Since her early childhood in Italy, Frances had wanted to be a missionary in China but, at the urging of Pope Leo XIII, Frances went west instead of east. She traveled with six sisters to New York City to work with the thousands of Italian immigrants living there. She found disappointment and difficulties with every step. When she arrived in New York City, the house intended to be her first orphanage in the United States was not available. The archbishop advised her to return to Italy. But Frances, truly a valiant woman, departed from the archbishop’s residence all the more determined to establish that orphanage. And she succeeded. In 35 years Frances Xavier Cabrini founded 67 institutions dedicated to caring for the poor, the abandoned, the uneducated and the sick. Seeing great need among Italian immigrants who were losing their faith, she organized schools and adult education classes. As a child, she was always frightened of water, unable to overcome her fear of drowning. Yet, despite this fear, she traveled across the Atlantic Ocean more than 30 times. She died of malaria in her own Columbus Hospital in Chicago. Comment: The compassion and dedication of Mother Cabrini is still seen in hundreds of thousands of her fellow citizens, not yet canonized, who care for the sick in hospitals, nursing homes and state institutions. We complain of increased medical costs in an affluent society, but the daily news shows us millions who have little or no medical care, and who are calling for new Mother Cabrinis to become citizen-servants of their land. Quote: At her canonization on July 7, 1946, Pius XII said, "Although her constitution was very frail, her spirit was endowed with such singular strength that, knowing the will of God in her regard, she permitted nothing to impede her from accomplishing what seemed beyond the strength of a woman." RETURN TO TOP

GENERAL MARIOLOGY

The Virgin Mary in the New Testament, Part I By Fr. Settimio M. Manelli, F.I.   "The Fullness of Time" (Gal 4:4) Significant from many points of view is the fact that chapter 8 of Lumen Gentium, treating of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the mystery of Christ and of the Church, begins with the citation of Galatians 4:4ff.: "A most merciful and wise God desiring to effect the redemption of the world, ‘when the fullness of time had come, sent his own Son, born of a woman … to make us his adopted sons’" (n. 52). Evidently the Council Fathers were convinced that this verse provided just the right synthesis of all that would be then affirmed in greater detail concerning the Virgin Mary and her role in the history of salvation. Contemporary Mariologist S. de Fiores in his Maria. Nuovissimo Dizionario, begins his presentation of Gal 4:4 with these words: Paul breaks the silence on Mary in offering Gal 4:4 as the first Marian text of the New Testament. … Mary is the woman who inserts the Son of God into history in a condition of abasement, but she is also involved in the fullness of time and in the historical-saving plan for the transformation of men into children of God (21). Not all exegetes and Mariologists, however, are so clear and explicit in acknowledging that this passage of Gal 4:4 plays a key role in biblical Mariology. Effectively, the history of the interpretation of this verse illustrates how the approach of exegetes in general, and of Mariologists in particular, has considerably changed over the last decades: They have passed from an interpretation formed in the light of the whole of Revelation to one rigidly literal, or rather literalistic, prescinding from the whole (22). The first task of the exegete remains always that of illustrating the literal sense of a text on the basis of the context and literary genre adopted by each sacred author. But he must not stop here. It is evident that if St. Paul does not speak, as instead does St. Luke, of the Annunciation of the Angel Gabriel to Mary (cf. Lk 1:26-38), thanks to which we know the divine and messianic identity of Jesus of Nazareth, this is not to say that in reading the Letter to the Galatians one may prescind from the truth of the Incarnation. Similarly, because St. Paul does not mention expressly the virginity of Mary in the conception of Jesus, as instead do Luke and Matthew, it does not follow that one may not prescind from this dogma of faith in the interpretation of his writing. Hence, as it would be a grave error to read into a text what the author (divine and human) did not wish to say, so also it is an error just as grave to deny to the text that meaning which it could well have in the light of the whole of Scripture, read within the unity of the divine plan of salvation. Now let us enter more deeply into the theme, offering first a brief introduction to the content of the Letter to the Galatians (23). The Letter to the Galatians The letter sent by St. Paul to the Christians of Galatia, probably while he was staying at Ephesus (24), is commonly dated around the year 54 or 55. A few scholars maintain that it was written in the year 49 from Antioch of Syria. A few others, in view of doctrinal affinities between Galatians and Romans, hold that it was written in 57 and should be considered as a first draft of the Letter to the Romans. The main theme of the letter is the teaching on Christian freedom in regard to the observance of the prescriptions of the Mosaic Law. The occasion for its writing was offered the apostle by the confusion created in the Galatian community by certain "false brethren" (2:4), namely certain Jewish Christians, who sought to introduce "another gospel" (cf. 1:6-9) by convincing the local Christians to acknowledge that observance of the Mosaic Law is necessary for salvation. In such wise they preferred their own national and religious traditions to the liberty of Christians and to the law of grace. Further, these "false brethren," in order to lend credibility to their position, cast doubt on Paul’s claim to be an "apostle" (25). Since Paul could not himself travel to Galatia to resolve the question, he decided to send this decisively strong letter (cf. 1:6-10; 3:1-5; 5:7-12). In it he firmly proclaimed Christian freedom, by explaining the redemptive value of Christ’s Passion, accessible to Christians through faith and baptism, quite independently of the Old Law, now abolished by the new and definitive stage of salvation (26). With great vigor the apostle contrasts the Cross of Christ with circumcision (cf. 5:2-3, 11; 6:12, 15) (27). Galatians 4:4 According to what can be observed in the foregoing paragraph and from the structure of the letter, verse 4:4 is found in the doctrinal portion of the letter, more exactly in the pericope 4:1-7, for which it is considered the interpretive key (28). The text of the pericope is as follows: 1. Now I say, as long as the heir is a child, he differs in no way from a slave, though he is the master of all; 2. but he is under guardians and stewards until the time set by his father. 3. So we too, when we were children, were enslaved/subjected under the elements of the world. 4. But when the fullness of time came, God sent his Son, a. born of a woman, b. born under the Law, 5. a. that he might redeem those who were under the Law, b. that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba, Father." 7. So that he is no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, an heir also through God. This passage forms part of what is considered to be the "heart" of the Letter to the Galatians. St. Paul openly affirms that "Christ, sent by the Father, has definitively rescued us from subjection to the Law and has made us children and heirs of his promises" (29). In this part of the letter, St. Paul, to clarify the nature of Christian existence, has recourse to two examples: one taken from ordinary life (4:1-11), the other from Sacred Scripture (4:21-31). In the first he asserts that before Christ, the Jews were like little children, in need of being under guardians or pedagogues; now, by faith in Christ they have become free sons, in condition to inherit, and able to invoke God as Father. In the second, to explain the difference between slavery to the Law and the liberty of faith in Christ he recalls the two sons of Abraham, one son of the slave Hagar, the other the son of the free woman Sarah; the first, Ishmael, represents the Old Covenant, the other, Isaac, represents the New Covenant (30). Literary Observations Clear interpretation of this passage presupposes two points of literary criticism. The first concerns its delimitation: either from 3:26 through 4:7; or from 4:1 through 4:7. Scholars are divided on this issue, but the more probable view is the second, one in fact setting in higher relief the Marian aspect of Paul’s theology (31). The second point concerns the passage as an argument, signaled by the presence of connectives (introductory and conclusive), antithetical parallelisms, and a chiasm typical of this genre (32). Buscemi thus summarizes Paul’s argumentation in 4:1-7. It "is based on three main points: man finds himself under a servile regime; God, by sending his Son and the Spirit, has freed him and has conferred on him the uiothesía (adoption); the Christian is no longer slave, but son" (33). We may add that in this pericope the theme of Christian freedom is expanded in comparison to references in 2:4 and 3:13: "it is no longer considered only as a work of Christ, but as a saving act of the One and Triune God" (34). Interpretation of 4:4 Verse 4:4 affirms: But when the fullness of time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the Law. The initial phrase of 4:4, hote dè elthen tò pléroma tou chrónou (but when the fullness of time came), indicates the realization of the time established by God for realizing his plan of salvation for mankind. The verse begins with "but," in this case strongly adversative. This conjunction, united to the aorist elthen (came), signals a radical change of situation in respect to the preceding period. The verse continues with the main clause: "God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the Law." With these words the divine origin and preexistence of the Son with the Father are affirmed (35). Further, they set in relief the first concrete act in the work of salvation by God, consisting in the sending of the Son by the Father. The verb eksapésteilen (sending from, as an "apostle&quot indicates above all the "mission" of the Son, viz., that the Father sends him with a plan of salvation to accomplish. But the verb also refers to the mode in which the Son has accomplished his mission, i.e., by the Incarnation, which is a redemptive Incarnation. Precisely because of this aspect of the "mission" of the Son, the use of eksapostéllo in Gal 4:4 is like, but not identical with, that in Acts 12:11. There the mode of realization, a mission on the part of the liberating angel, is not specified. Instead, in Gal 4:4 St. Paul specifies the mode, viz., how the Son has made us adoptive children by being born of the woman. It now becomes interesting to note how the apostle, once having identified Jesus by the title, "Son of God," adds immediately genómenon ek gunaikós, which the Vulgate translates "factum ex muliere" (made or born of woman). Research on the meaning of these words has always been the object of study and debate in the field of exegesis. Nonetheless, we can recognize here two sure Mariological affirmations: the implicit reference to the virginal conception of Mary, and her immediate involvement in the saving work of the Son of God. Despite the position taken by so many modern commentators (36), there is no more reason to exclude here the person of Mary qua Virgin Mother from the inspired sense of this passage than there is to exclude the Incarnation. (to be continued)  RETURN TO TOP

DIVINE MERCY

Dairy from St. Faustina On Glory, Glorify Glory And Praise To The Divine Mercy The soul gives the greatest glory to its Creator when it turns with trust to The Divine Mercy (Diary, 930). Let the glory and praise to The Divine Mercy rise from every creature throughout all ages and times (Diary, 1005). †  O Jesus, I want to live in the present moment, to live as if this were the last day of my life. I want to use every moment scrupulously for the greater glory of God, to use every circumstance for the benefit of my soul. I want to look upon everything, from the point of view that nothing happens without the will of God (Diary, 1183). RETURN TO TOP

CATHOLIC  TEACHING/CONVICTION/TESTIMONY

On St. Paul and the Second Coming "Come, Lord! Come Where You Are Not Known"   VATICAN CITY, NOV. 12, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the address Benedict XVI delivered during today's general audience in St. Peter's Square. The Holy Father continued today the cycle of catecheses dedicated to the figure and thought of St. Paul. * * * Dear brothers and sisters: The theme of the Resurrection, which we considered last week, opens a new perspective -- that of awaiting the return of the Lord. And therefore it brings us to reflect on the relationship between the present time, the time of the Church and the Kingdom of Christ, and the future (éschaton) that awaits us, when Christ will hand over the Kingdom to the Father (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:24). Every Christian discourse on the last things, called eschatology, always starts from the event of the Resurrection: In this event the last things have already begun, and in a certain sense, are already present. St. Paul probably wrote his first letter in the year 52, the First Letter to the Thessalonians, where he speaks of this return of Jesus, called the parousía, the advent, the new and definitive and manifest presence (cf. 4:13-18). To the Thessalonians, who have their doubts and problems, the Apostle writes thus: "If we believe that Jesus died and rose, so too will God, through Jesus, bring with him those who have fallen asleep" (4:14). And he continues: "The dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air" (4:16-17). Paul describes the parousía of Christ with very living tones and symbolic images, but transmitting a simple and profound message: At the end, we will be always with the Lord. That is, beyond the images, the essential message: Our future is "to be with the Lord." As believers, in our lives we already are with the Lord -- our future, eternal life, has already begun. In the Second Letter to the Thessalonians, Paul changes the perspective: He speaks of negative events that must precede that conclusive end. Do not let yourselves be deceived, he says, as if the day of the Lord were truly imminent, according to a chronological calculation. "We ask you, brothers, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our assembling with him, not to be shaken out of your minds suddenly, or to be alarmed either by a 'spirit,' or by an oral statement, or by a letter allegedly from us to the effect that the day of the Lord is at hand. Let no one deceive you in any way" (2:1-3). The rest of this text announces that before the arrival of the Lord, there will be the apostasy and the revelation of the no better defined "wicked one," the "son of perdition" (2:3), which tradition will later call the Antichrist. But the intention of this letter of St. Paul is above all practical. He writes: "In fact, when we were with you, we instructed you that if anyone was unwilling to work, neither should that one eat. We hear that some are conducting themselves among you in a disorderly way, by not keeping busy but minding the business of others. Such people we instruct and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and to eat their own food" (3:10-12). In other words, the awaiting of the parousía of Jesus does not dispense with the work of this world, but on the contrary, brings responsibilities before the divine Judge regarding our way of acting in this world. Precisely thus, our responsibility to work in and for this world arises. We will see the same thing next Sunday in the Gospel of the talents, where the Lord tells us that he has entrusted talents to everyone and the Judge will ask us to account for them, saying: Have you given fruits? Therefore, the awaiting of his coming implies a responsibility toward this world. The same thing and the same nexus between parousía -- the return of the Judge-Savior -- and our commitment in life appears in another context and with new aspects in the Letter to the Philippians. Paul is in jail and awaiting his sentence, which might be death. In this situation, he thinks of his future being with the Lord, but he also thinks of the community of Philippi, which needs its father, Paul, and he writes: "For to me life is Christ, and death is gain. If I go on living in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. And I do not know which I shall choose. I am caught between the two. I long to depart this life and be with Christ, (for) that is far better. Yet that I remain (in) the flesh is more necessary for your benefit. And this I know with confidence, that I shall remain and continue in the service of all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, so that your boasting in Christ Jesus may abound on account of me when I come to you again" (1:21-26). Paul is not afraid of death, on the contrary, it means in fact the complete being with Christ. But Paul also participates in the sentiments of Christ, who has not lived for himself, but for us. Living for others becomes the program of his life and because of that, he shows his perfect readiness to do the will of God, [readiness] for what God decides. He is ready above all, also in the future, to live on earth for the others, to live for Christ, to live for his living presence and thus for the renewal of the world. We see that this being yours with Christ creates a great interior freedom: freedom before the threat of death, but freedom also before all the tasks and sufferings of life. He was simply available to God and truly free. And we turn now, after having examined the various aspects of the waiting for the parousía of Christ, to ask ourselves: What are the fundamental attitudes of a Christian toward the last things -- death and the end of the world? The first attitude is the certainty that Jesus has risen, is with the Father, and because of that, is with us forever. And no one is stronger that Christ, because he is with the Father, is with us. Because of this, we are secure and free of fear. This was an essential effect of Christian preaching. Fear of spirits and gods was spread throughout the entire ancient world. And today as well, missionaries find -- together with so many good elements in natural religions -- the fear of spirits and the ill-fated powers that threaten us. Christ is alive; he has overcome death and has overcome all these powers. With this certainty, with this freedom, with this joy, we live. This is the first element of our living directed to the future. In second place, the certainty that Christ is with me. And that in Christ the future world has already begun -- this also gives the certainty of hope. The future is not a darkness in which no one gets one's bearings. It is not like that. Without Christ, also for the world today, the future is dark; there is fear of the future -- a lot of fear of the future. The Christian knows that the light of Christ is stronger and because of this, lives in a hope that is not vague, in a hope that gives certainty and courage to face the future. Finally, the third attitude: The Judge who returns -- who is Judge and Savior at the same time -- has left us the task of living in this world according to his way of living. He has given us his talents. Because of this, our third attitude is responsibility toward the world, toward our brothers before Christ, and at the same time, also certainty of his mercy. Both things are important. We don't live as if good and evil were the same, because God only can be merciful. This would be a deceit. In truth, we live with a great responsibility. We have talents, we have to work so this world opens itself to Christ, so that it is renewed. But even working and knowing in our responsibility that God is a true judge, we are also sure that he is a good judge. We know his face -- the face of the risen Christ, of Christ crucified for us. Therefore we can we sure of his goodness and continue forward with great courage. Following the Pauline teaching on eschatology is the fact of the universality of the call to faith, which unites Jews and Gentiles, that is, the pagans, as a sign and anticipation of the future reality, by which we can say that we are already seated in heaven with Christ, but to show to future centuries the richness of grace (cf. Ephesians 2:6ff): The "after" becomes a "before" to make evident the state of incipient fulfillment in which we live. This makes tolerable the sufferings of the present moment, which are not comparable to future glory (cf. Romans 8:18). We walk by faith and not by sight, and though it would be preferable to leave the body and live with the Lord, what matters definitively, whether dwelling in the body or leaving it, is being pleasing to God (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:7-9). Finally, a last point that perhaps seems a little difficult for us. St. Paul in the conclusion of his Second Letter to the Corinthians repeats and also puts on the lips of the Corinthians, a prayer originating in the first Christian communities of the area of Palestine: Maranà, thà!, which literally means, "Our Lord, come!" (16:22). It was the prayer of the first Christian community and the last book of the New Testament, Revelation, also closes with this prayer: "Come Lord!" Can we also pray like this? It seems to me that for us today, in our lives, in our world, it is difficult to sincerely pray so that this world perishes, so that the new Jerusalem comes, so that the final judgment and Christ the judge come. I think that if we don't dare to sincerely pray like this for many reasons, nevertheless in a just and correct way we can also say with the first Christians: "Come, Lord Jesus." Certainly, we don't want the end of the world to come now. But, on the other hand, we want this unjust world to end. We also want the world to be deeply changed, the civilization of love to begin, [we want] a world of justice and peace, without violence, without hunger, to arrive. We all want this -- and how can it happen without the presence of Christ? Without the presence of Christ, a just and renewed world will never really arrive. And though in another way, totally and deeply, we too can and should say, with great urgency and in the circumstances of our time, Come, Lord! Come to your world, in the way that you know. Come where there is injustice and violence. Come to the refugee camps, in Darfur and in North Kivu, in so many places in the world. Come where drugs dominate. Come, too, among those rich people who have forgotten you and who live only for themselves. Come where you are not known. Come to your world and renew the world of today. Come also to our hearts. Come and renew our lives. Come to our hearts so that we ourselves can be light of God, your presence. In this sense, we pray with St. Paul: Maranà, thà! Come, Lord Jesus! And we pray so that Christ is really present today in our world, and that he renews it.   RETURN TO TOP

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