Jesus warns of the turmoil and destruction of His Second Coming and protection of the faithful. Every Catholic man can grow in happiness by building the Virtue of Chastity so he can experience freedom and pray for all those enslaved to sexual sin and by seeking the Gift of Counsel so he can be guided to strive for personal holiness and avoid eternal destruction.
Liturgy
32nd Week in Ordinary time – Friday – Lk 17:26-37
Commentary
After mysteriously predicting His Passion and Resurrection and warning the disciples to not follow those who proclaim false messiahs, Jesus uses the Old Testament to describe His Second Coming, the end of the world and the Final Judgment.
Jesus likens His Second Coming to the sudden cataclysmic destruction wrought by God in punishment for rampant and perverted sin, revealed in well-known Old Testament accounts. During Noah’s time, despite the perversion and sinfulness, human activities continued up until the sudden and devastating flood. So too, during Lot’s time, while abhorrent homosexual acts were widely accepted in some places, humans lived and worked up until the destroying fire and brimstone from Heaven completely obliterated Sodom and Gomorrah, a warning of God’s hatred of sexual perversion. Despite the appearance of normality, where there is widespread mortal sin at the time of the Second Coming of Jesus, there will be sudden and utter destruction.
Jesus reveals the selective nature of the coming holocaust and offers Divine Counsel to those who will be granted eternal life. Men (or women) in identical circumstances will be selectively saved (one man/woman taken, the other man/woman left); the sinful will be destroyed and the just preserved. When the destruction comes, men are to flee, abandoning possessions, and not to look back with sorrow for the life they are leaving behind. Rather, men must be prepared to give up their lives for the sake of God and their brothers and sisters; in this self-sacrifice will come the reward of eternal life.
Be awed by Jesus Christ
Be frightened but resolute by what Jesus, the Divine Prophet, says of future worldwide destruction: Person of the Trinity, with God the Father from the beginning, Jesus confirms that God knows of, and causes, periodic mass destruction of the sinful (the Flood, Sodom); Divine Knowledge, Jesus reveals that coming future destruction will be broad, but mysteriously selective (one taken, one left); the perfection of Justice, Jesus confirms that men who willingly sacrifice (lose their lives for others) will be saved (rewarded with Heaven).
Seek Chastity and pray for all enslaved to sexual sin
Realize: While some have recently declared that homosexual acts are acceptable and not sinful, Jesus warns men of the grave sinfulness of homosexual acts by referring to God’s destruction of Sodom for homosexual acts multiple times (Mt 10:15, Mt 11:23-24; Lk 10:12, Lk 17:29); these“sins that cry to Heaven” (CCC 1867) have always been condemned as mortal sins (Rom 1:24-27, 1 Cor 6:9, 1 Tim 1:10, 2 Pet 2:6, Jude 1:7).
Believe: Reflect upon the Church’s unchanging teaching on Chastity and Homosexuality (CCC 2357-2359), The 6th Commandment (CCC 2331-2359), and The 9th Commandment (CCC 2514-2533).
Pray: Almighty Father, help me build the Virtue of Chastity (a part of Temperance) so I can better resist sexual sin and pray for all who are enslaved to sexual sin that they might find healing, chastity, freedom and peace in You and Your Holy Catholic Church.
Strive for holiness to avoid destruction
Realize: Every Catholic man should somberly heed Jesus’ explicit warning that He knows some men are stuck in mortal sin and some are holy, despite looking the same, and that the wicked will be destroyed and the holy saved.
Believe: Reflect upon why many will be Excluded from Entering the Kingdom (CCC 1033-1037, 1852, 1861, 2450).
Pray: Holy Spirit, give me the Gift of Counsel so I clearly recognize my sins, repent, receive forgiveness in the Sacrament of Penance, and be guided to make seeking holiness my highest priority in life.