Catholic Identity
Jake Wilkinson, Leader of Religious Education & Catholic Identity
The Scriptures - Mark 13:24-32
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘In those days, after the time of distress, the sun will be darkened, the moon will lose its brightness, the stars will come falling from heaven and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory; then too he will send the angels to gather his chosen from the four winds, from the ends of the world to the ends of heaven. ‘Take the fig tree as a parable: as soon as its twigs grow supple and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. So with you when you see these things happening: know that he is near, at the very gates. I tell you solemnly, before this generation has passed away all these things will have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. ‘But as for that day or hour, nobody knows it, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son; no one but the Father.’ Something to Think About This passage teaches us about being prepared and paying attention to what’s important. Jesus reminds us that while we don’t know everything about the future, we can trust that He will come back for us one day. Think about ways we can be ready for Jesus – maybe it’s being kind, showing love, or helping others. Just like we notice signs of the weather changing, we can look for ways to see God’s work in our lives each day. How can we show our love for God and others this week?
Summary
In this Gospel passage, Jesus tells His followers about the future. He says that after hard and difficult times, amazing things will happen in the sky – the sun will go dark, the moon won’t give light, and stars will fall. Then, Jesus says that He will return in a powerful way, with angels gathering His people. Jesus also talks about paying attention to the signs around us, just like how we can tell that summer is coming when we see leaves growing on a tree. He tells us that we might not know exactly when these things will happen, but we should always be ready.
Reflection
This passage teaches us about being prepared and paying attention to what’s important. Jesus reminds us that while we don’t know everything about the future, we can trust that He will come back for us one day. Think about ways we can be ready for Jesus – maybe it’s being kind, showing love, or helping others. Just like we notice signs of the weather changing, we can look for ways to see God’s work in our lives each day. How can we show our love for God and others this week?