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Preaching the Gospel, with particular reference to the conversion (or enlightenment) of the Jews, is a fundamental contribution to lovingly preparing for the Second Coming of the Lord. This requires us to do our utmost, for fruitful evangelization means living in accordance with the message we proclaim. Who would want to stand before the Lord one day and have Him say that, although they transmitted the right words, those words lacked inner strength because of the great discrepancy between their speech and the witness of their lives?

In the first meditations of this week, we spoke of how our lamps should be lit like those of the wise virgins (cf. Mt 25:1–13), which is achieved through good works and by putting our talents at the service of the Kingdom of God (cf. Mt 25:14–30).

In last Sunday’s meditation, I mentioned the serious signs that herald the nearness of the Lord’s Return. One of them is the decline of faith—the great apostasy. Read More

Another sign that will precede the Lord’s Return is the conversion of the Jews. Specifically, this means that many Jews will accept the Gospel and recognize Jesus as the Messiah.

One may wonder why the conversion of the People of Israel is so important that it is mentioned as one of the signs preceding the Second Coming of Christ. Let us try to understand this: it is not that God has rejected Israel, even if only a “holy remnant” of Israelites believed in the Messiah and took on the great task of proclaiming him to all peoples, thus fulfilling God’s will. But we must never forget that it was thanks to the proclamation of the apostles, who came from the Jewish people, that faith in the Messiah of Israel reached us. Therefore, not all the people hardened their hearts and rejected the Messiah; there were those who gave their lives to follow the Lord. Let us think of St. Paul, who tirelessly proclaimed the Gospel.

Let us listen to one of his letters to see how much he loved his brothers “according to the flesh”:

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In the last two meditations, we spoke about vigilance and how we must keep oil in reserve for our lamps, just as the wise virgins did in the Gospel parable (cf. Mt 25:1–13). Both aspects are essential for increasing love, which is necessary so that we do not falter along the way or in our waiting for the Lord.

There are many ways to express love for Jesus and for our neighbor. As we heard yesterday, love is creative. Love is also concerned with knowing the deepest desires of the Beloved. If we ask Jesus what the greatest desire of His Heart is, the answer will be clear: that the Father be glorified!

“I glorified thee on earth, having accomplished the work which thou gavest me to do; and now, Father, glorify thou me in thy own presence with the glory which I had with thee before the world was made. “I have manifested thy name to the men whom thou gavest me out of the world; thine they were, and thou gavest them to me, and they have kept thy word. Now they know that everything that thou hast given me is from thee; for I have given them the words which thou gavest me, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from thee; and they have believed that thou didst send me.” (Jn 17:4–8)

How the Heart of the Redeemer burns for the Father who sent Him and for mankind! If this love were kindled in us too, our greatest desire would be the same as His.

We can offer a concrete response to this desire of the Lord: to proclaim the Gospel throughout the world (cf. Mt 24:14; Mk 13:10). Nothing glorifies the Father more than when humanity responds to His love, welcomes His words, and begins to live in communion with Him, thus giving Him the opportunity to fill him with His love. In the introduction to this week’s meditations, which prepare us for the Second Coming of Christ, we hear that one of the precursory signs is precisely the proclamation of the Gospel throughout the world.

Has the Gospel already been preached throughout the world? Can we tell the Lord that this condition has been fulfilled and therefore ask Him not to delay His coming?

Perhaps we realize that, in a way, we can answer both “yes” and “no.” It is true that the Gospel has reached remote corners, perhaps every nation and practically every people. But has it taken root everywhere?

Let us think of so many Asian countries or Islamic nations that do not truly know the Gospel; let us think of those generations that have fallen under communist rule or are still under it, or of so many other countries where the authentic proclamation of the Gospel is increasingly rare. Faced with this panorama, we must admit that the situation is bleak. Often, preaching is limited to the “horizontal,” that is, it focuses primarily on helping people with their earthly needs. However, the first priority should be the eternal salvation of souls and that people lead a meaningful life in this world.

The possibilities for proclaiming the Gospel everywhere have multiplied thanks to modern means of communication. If they are used for evangelization, they achieve their highest purpose. Of course, we cannot ignore the fact that technical possibilities often fall under the control of the powers of darkness, and we can see that those who make these means available run the risk of abusing their power. Nevertheless, as long as it is possible, we should take advantage of these channels, without neglecting the opportunities to proclaim the Gospel from person to person.

There is much to be done!

Meditation on the O Antiphon for December 17: https://en.elijamission.net/first-o-antiphon-o-sapientia-4/

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In the last meditation, we spoke about vigilance as a basic attitude of the faithful who await the Lord’s Return: a vigilance that awakens us from our general slumber and keeps us attentive to His imminent Coming, as well as to the signs that will precede it.

How does this drowsiness come about, and what can we do to overcome it? How can we live fully focused on the Lord who is returning? How can we maintain an attitude of vigilance even when the Lord seems to delay His Coming?

In chapter 25 of the Gospel according to St. Matthew, the Lord points out two elements that encourage our vigilance.

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“As were the days of Noah, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they did not know until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two men will be in the field; one is taken and one is left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one is taken and one is left. Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the householder had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Mt 24:37–44)

If I had to choose one word that should stand among the dominant concepts in relation to the Second Coming of Christ, it would be “vigilance.” Vigilance means breaking free from the habit and lethargy that so easily envelop us. Vigilance means that the soul focuses on what is essential and lives in the kairos.

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We dedicated the first week of Advent to meditating on the historical coming of Jesus into the world. In the second week, we focused on the birth of the Lord in our hearts and on how to deepen our relationship with Jesus within ourselves.

Now, in this third week, we turn our attention to the Second Coming of the Lord—a topic that is generally seldom discussed in our Catholic Church. Who speaks of the Return of Christ? Who preaches it? Who dares to address eschatological realities? In Protestant communities, awareness of the Return of Jesus is often more present. However, since they lack Tradition, their reflections may be insufficient and cause confusion.

For our Catholic Church, it is very important to pay more attention to the Second Coming of Christ, because then we would be more focused on the true goal, which we are approaching day by day. We could also put it this way: with each passing hour, the Lord’s return draws nearer, so we should prepare ourselves.

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Before ending the second week of Advent, let us briefly review the essential points of the meditations from the last few days, which will serve as a guide for deepening our interior life. They are as follows:

• Meditation on the Word of God
• Praying the meditated Holy Rosary
• Prayer from the heart
• Participation in worthy Eucharistic celebrations, together with the reception of Holy Communion
• Approaching contemplation, with its respective preparatory dispositions (seeking silence, overcoming disordered attachments to the things of this world and to people…)

Returning to this last point, it should be noted that most people are not called to a total abandonment of the world, as is the case in contemplative monasteries. They live in the world and, according to their duties of state, have obligations that keep them in contact with passing things. Those who fulfill their duties of state are in no way separated from God, even if they do not spend as much time in silence or are unable to withdraw constantly.

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This week’s meditations lead us step by step toward the theme of contemplation.

In our Holy Church, we have a rich mystical tradition that describes the profound encounter between God and the soul and invites us to embark on such a journey. We know of religious orders that devote themselves entirely to contemplative prayer and, in this way, present to God all the concerns and intentions of the Church and the world. They withdraw completely from the world and allow the flame of divine love to burn in their hearts.

Certainly, this is a special vocation that is not meant for everyone. However, the interior journey—such as the path taken by contemplative Carmelites—contains essential aspects for all who wish to deepen their faith. Just as in the world we learn from those who are experts in a particular field, on a spiritual level we can learn from those who have intensely cultivated the interior life.

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In this week’s meditations, we reflected on the internalization of the Word of God, the Holy Rosary, and prayer from the heart. We also briefly mentioned receiving Holy Communion at Holy Mass, a topic I would like to dwell on a little more in today’s meditation.

Through Holy Communion, an intimate union with the Lord takes place, and He penetrates more deeply into our soul. In God the Father’s message to Sister Eugenia Ravasio, a private revelation that I have quoted on several occasions, our Heavenly Father offers the following reflection on this subject:

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On several occasions, I have spoken and written in detail about the “Prayer of the Heart,” which is practiced mainly in the Eastern Church. I recommend that you reread or listen to what I have said, which you can find in the links at the bottom of the page[1]. You can also find other sources to learn more about this valuable prayer and its history[2].

Since this week we are focusing on deepening our relationship with Jesus and on his deeper indwelling in our hearts, I return once again to this prayer, which is almost indispensable for souls seeking silence and recollection. Personally, I have been practicing it for almost forty years, and now I find it impossible to imagine my life without the “Prayer of the Heart.” Anyone who has tasted the “spiritual flavor” of this prayer will agree with me and understand why I recommend the “Jesus Prayer” to all Christians. It is unsurpassed in its simplicity and can be prayed anywhere.

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