Jesus is warning his followers about the frightening natural events that will accompany the return of Son of Man.
When these things happen, stand straight and lift up your heads for your redemption is near at hand.
In verses we hear this Sunday, Jesus talks about fear, foreboding, and signs in the heavens that the end is near. Chaos in nature is a common way to express the overturning of human expectations. Rather than be afraid, Jesus recommends we stand up straight and raise our heads. Our salvation is near, our wholeness is here. The gospel message reminds us that no matter how threatening world or personal events, we live from beginning to end in the embrace of God.
In our experience of being alive, we find God within us. In turning to one another and bridging our separate selves we find God among us. In experiencing our human limits, we find we have heart and hope for mystery—God beyond us.
The God of our beginning is the God of all we will become. In Jesus we find God incarnate among us and recognize the holy in him and in our human selves. Jesus gives us every reason to hope that the loving actions he teaches will get us through not only every day but any day.
What suggests to you the world is falling apart?
What suggests to you we are building a just and holy world?
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