Wednesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 505​

"Great and wonderful are your works,

Lord God almighty.

Just and true are your ways,

O king of the nations.

Who will not fear you, Lord,

or glorify your name?

For you alone are holy.

All the nations will come

and worship before you,

for your righteous acts have been revealed."

It's probably safe to say most Christians have mixed feelings about the Judgement Day. It's even safer to say we'd rather not think about it at all. Can anything good come of this cataclysmic event?

But we didn't learn that attitude from the authors of New Testament writings. "Maranatha!" Saint Paul wrote as he finished his First Letter to the Corinthians, "Come, Lord Jesus!" The Book of Revelation (Apocalypse) also ends with that cheerful invitation.

Paul's Letters to the Thessalonians indicate an excited, eager expectation of the Day of the Lord. During those heady days before the Gospel was a document; or the New Testament, a book, when Christians met in public squares or underground catacombs, the story of Jesus' astonishing conquest of death could mean only one thing: the End is Near! His resurrection was not ancient history, it had been witnessed by that very man who spoke to the crowd; or by someone he knew. There were no six degrees of separation between Jesus and the Corinthians.

Besides, there seemed no better time than the present for that mighty work to be accomplished.

This enthusiasm waxes and wanes in our historic march through the centuries. At times -- the 19th century, for instance -- the Gospel with its church seems like a good program for living. If everybody would just keep the Ten Commandments and observe the moral law, which has been revealed to everyone by the Natural Law, we could all get along just fine.

At other times -- the 20th century, for instance, when the world suffered total war and indiscriminate killing -- Christians hoped and expected the Lord must surely appear now!

In this 21st century, as we watch the creeping effects of human intervention on the Earth's climate, we fear another kind of Judgement Day may ensue as beautiful walls fail to stem the tide of human migration. We might be forgiven for again praying, "Come, Lord Jesus!"

If there is a Wonderful Work greater than the Resurrection of Jesus, it must be the coming Day of the Lord, when justice and mercy meet, and every wicked deed is reconciled with God's goodness.

We've all experienced small examples of that: disappointments that led to great opportunity; failures that proved to be successful; curses that proved to be blessings. Many disabled persons would not surrender their disabilities for the world; they are their identities and missions. Great friendships have appeared across national, religious and racial lines, reconciling warring parties. These are so unusual the news media will pick them up as the feel good story to close the program.

Might these little miracles of grace herald the Wonderful Work that God has promised to those who love him?

If only it were so! Come, Lord Jesus!