Thought for the Day – 16 December – Meditations with Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
Meditations for Advent
From “The Devout Year”
By Fr Richard Frederick Clarke SJ (1839-1900)
The Second Coming of Christ
+1. When the Apostles on Mount Olivet were gazing after their Master Who had just ascended into Heaven, two Angels stood by them and announced to them that He, Who had just vanished from their sight would return in like manner
Our Lord Himself had already declared – He would Come Again with power and great glory and would sit upon the throne of His glory. At the sound of His approach, the dead will rise from their graves to meet Him and, the nations of the world, who have not accepted His sway, will be filled with unspeakable terror and dismay.
What will be the dispositions with which I shall rise again to meet Christ? What would they be now, if He were to Come today?
+2. The object of His Coming will be to judge the living and the dead.
All which is now hidden, will be made manifest before the world. All the secret thoughts and whispered words and actions, concealed from the eyes of men, will then be made manifest.
How should I like to have all my base and low motives dragged to light, all my unkind words revealed to those against whom they were spoken, all those actions of which I cannot myself think,. without shame, proclaimed so all may behold them?
+3. Our Lord will Come, radiant in majesty and glory, to crush His enemies under His feet and reward His faithful soldiers and servants.
How great then will be the ignominy and shame of the mighty men of earth if they have not bowed their neck to the King of kings! How full of joy will be the hearts of all who have humbled themselves before Him! How will they be beautiful beyond compare and honoured before His holy Angels!
Learn now to humble yourself under the yoke of Christ!
AnaStpaul 