The fifth Sunday of Great Lent: “Debre Zeit=ደብረ ዘይት”. : Mount of Olives ( Matthew 24: 1-15)
The fifth theme is based upon the second coming of Christ, which was announced by our Lord on the Mount of Olives. The signs of the end times spoken by our Lord will culminate in final judgment and resurrection of the living and dead, believers and unbelievers, righteous and sinners. It is in the knowledge of this truth of the second coming of Christ that all people must repent, believe and baptize in preparation for the arrival of God Kingdom so that we will not be condemned. ( St. John 3: 18-20; St Matthew 4:17)
Misbak of This Sunday
"Our God shall come, and shall not keep silent; A fire shall devour before Him, And it shall be very tempestuous all around Him" Psalms 50:3
Meaning:
The Misbak reminds the coming of our Lord and God Jesus Christ to the earth in two different time
- Born of a virgin to teach & preach about the heavenly kingdom, and also to heal and comfort the physical and spiritual sick people. His first coming was to bring a human to its original place so that no one will taste the fire of hell in his second coming.
- His second coming "Judgment day" with His all Angels, prophets, and Apostles, Martyrs and saints to say to those on His right, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' And Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
Yes, God will come in His glory, and all the angels with Him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
Lesson
This Sunday the Church teaches about an important topic from the Pillars of the Church- Mystery of the Resurrection- the Final Judgment based on the Teaching of Our Lord and God at Mount Olive. Resurrection is the Mystery of life after death. All those who have departed from the time of Adam, and will pass away until the second coming of Christ, will be risen in the union of body and soul. The souls of the righteous shall abide in paradise and the souls of sinners in Hades until the end of this world. But on the last day, when our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ shall come in His glory, to judge the living and the dead, the souls shall be united with their bodies on the day of resurrection and they shall rise from the dust of the earth. (Lk. 16: 19-31).
The teaching of the resurrection of the dead is not only told orally. It has been proved in practice when many among the departed came forth out of the grave and appeared in public. The prophets Elijah and his disciple Elisha raised the dead. (1Kgs. 17:21; 2Kgs.13:21). Jesus Christ the Lord, and his disciples raised the dead in their ministry during the proclamation of the gospel. (Mt.9:25; Lk. 7:15; In. 11:14). Likewise, the Apostles also raised the dead during their Apostolic ministry.
On the day of the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ, the graves were opened and bodies of many saints came out. (Mt.27:52). All these prove the truth of the resurrection. All those that sleep in the dust of the earth shall come to life at the last judgment. Our belief in our resurrection is based on the resurrection of Christ. "Knowing that He which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you." (2 Cor. 4: 14). The Church scholars Amoneos and Eusabios said: “Christ is risen, in order to make it known to us that our body shall arise" (preface of the Gospel).
Resurrection is for all human beings. Both the righteous and unrighteous arise. The final resurrection awaits the last day at the second coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ shall come in His glory at the end of the world to judge the living and the dead. (Ps. 50:2; .Mt. 25:31-32; Rev. 1:7).
At that time, He shall send forth His angels with a great sound of a trumpet. The dead shall arise. The earth will restore that which was entrusted to it. Then He shall set the righteous on his right hand, but the sinners on the left hand. All arise carrying their works which followed them from the earth; the righteous will be sanctified with the word of blessing, but the sinners will be rebuked with the word of accusation. The righteous shall shine as seven times as the sun, and inherit the kingdom following Christ, while the sinners shall go away into everlasting punishment prepared for the devil and his angels. (Mt. 13:42-49; 25:31-43; 2 Cor 5:10; Rev. 20: 12).
Our Church has put this important reminder day about Judgment so that we might not be lazy in our attentiveness and lose the big picture- Heaven. There are people who only focus on God’s Mercy but not also on His Justice. Those two go hand-in-hand. Yes, We are so precious to God that He will never let us go without fighting, be it in storm, sickness, or discontent, so as to bring us to Him. But He is also JUST to judge us on our response to His love, sacrifice, call and graceful mercy.
It is time to think deeply about what God has done to bring to us to Him? What price Did He pay to make us whole while we consistently reject and disobey Him? It is time to think and realize what would lead from the persistent rejection of God’s call! It is always our choice to determine where we end up- hell or Heaven. God has already chosen a place- “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
“ But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, The Lord is not slow about his promise as some count slowness, but is forbearing toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and the works that are upon it will be burned up”.
To be continued...
Glory to be God,
And to His Mother Mary
And to the Glorious Cross
Amen!
Dn. Medhanie
