"I saw One like a son of man coming, on the clouds
of heaven; When he reached the Ancient One and was presented before him, He
received dominion, glory, and Kingships; nations and peoples of every language
serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away”, (Cfr
Daniel 7:2-14).
The prophecy of Daniel helps us understand
more the identity of Christ, his self- identification, particularly during a
crucial moment in his life.
It is interesting to note that while Jesus was often presented as the Messiah, the anointed, the Son of God, and the Son of David, the title “Son of Man” is the only one He used to refer to Himself. He did this at a particularly pivotal moment: when the plot to kill Him intensified. He said to His disciples, “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified” (cf. Matthew 26:1). This mention of the ‘Son of Man’ brings us back to Daniel's vision, which may foreshadow a significant future event in Christian eschatology.
The Son of Man coming in the clouds of
heaven, as prophesied by Daniel, could be a vision announcing the second coming
of Christ. The most important aspect to underline here is the triumph of Christ
over Satan, sin, and death. The Son of Man who “received dominion, glory, and
kingships” in the first reading today is the same who said to His disciples
after His resurrection, “All authority in Heaven and on earth has been given
to me.” This statement is followed by the Great Commission: going into the
world to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom of God. It is heartwarming to
know that Jesus, whom we love, worship, and serve, has all authority given to
Him. Therefore, if we remain faithful in this friendship with Jesus, we shall
move from victory to victory.
The Gospel’s (LUKE 21:29-33) emphasis on the imminency of the Kingdom of God ties directly into how Jesus
embodied and conveyed this kingdom during His mission. Christ made visible this
Kingdom of God, which is a central topic in His mission. One of the greatest
signs of the Kingdom of God is the casting out of demons (Luke 11:20). Destroying the reign of satan and restoring to
us what we have lost because of sins of Adam and Even was at the heart of Jesus’
mission.
A realistic look at the world today shows
us that evil, crimes, violence, conflicts, wars, moral crisis, family and relational crisis, are on the increase. Humanity’s
future is more than threatened. The
enemy of the children of God is doing everything possible to prevent many souls
from entering the Kingdom of God, from experiencing the reign of God in their
lives, in this world.
In this context of confusion and uncertainty,
the word of Christ gives us an assurance. He said at the end of the today’s
Gospel : “My Words shall not pass away.” So, we can be sure that Christ
doesn’t change because the world is changing. He is capable of manifesting his divine
presence to whosoever accepts to be his friend.
A typical example to help us understand
further the Kingdom of God is the teaching of Jesus when a doctor of the Law
asked Him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” Jesus,
seeing that he had answered wisely, said to him, “You are not far from the
Kingdom of God.” This leads us to a deeper understanding of what it truly
means to be near God's Kingdom and how we can strive to be a part of it. It means that loving God with all our heart
is key to entering His Kingdom. The more we love God, the closer we come to His
Kingdom. And we know that love is concrete and not just a concept. To love Him
is to keep His commandments. To be part of this Kingdom is to collaborate with
Christ in His mission.
If we remember that the radical
disobedience of Satan and his pride led to his downfall along with other
angels, then we should prioritize doing the will of God. And we cannot do this
without the help of Jesus and Mother Mary.
As we look forward to a significant period
in the Christian calendar, let us seek divine assistance to live out these
teachings more fully. As we begin this
new month, in which we are going to celebrate the incarnation of the Son of
Man, the climax of God’s plan of salvation for humanity, let us, with humility
and faith, ask Christ to help us be closer to Him and collaborate more
efficiently in making God’s Kingdom come.
Christ has given us a special mission: to
pray always. In the prayer of Our Father, He asked us to pray, “Thy Kingdom
come.” May God’s Kingdom, His reign, be a reality in our lives, homes,
villages, cities, countries, and all over the world... Amen.
Let us Pray :
Heavenly Father, we come to you again today,
at the beginning of this new month. We are grateful for your infinite Love and
Mercy towards us.
As we reflect upon the profound insights
from the Vision of Daniel and the teachings of Your Son, Jesus Christ, we
humbly seek Your guidance. May our hearts be open to the mysteries of Your
Kingdom, as revealed through Your Word.
Help us to understand the role of the Son of Man, and to embrace the mission You have entrusted to us with faith and courage. Strengthen our resolve to follow Your commandments, and to live in the light of Your love. Guide us to be faithful servants, working tirelessly for the coming of Your Kingdom on Earth as it is in Heaven.
We make our prayers through Christ our
Lord!
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