I.
He Will Come Again in Glory
Christ
already reigns through the Church
668
"Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and
of the living."548 ( Rom 14:9.) Christ's Ascension into heaven signifies his
participation, in his humanity, in God's power and authority. Jesus Christ is
Lord: he possesses all power in heaven and on earth. He is "far above all
rule and authority and power and dominion", for the Father "has put
all things under his feet."549 (Eph 1:20-22. ) Christ is Lord of the cosmos and of
history. In him, human history and indeed all creation are "set forth"
and transcendently fulfilled.550 (Eph 1:10; cf. ⇒ 4:10; ⇒ 1 Cor 15:24, ⇒ 27-28. )
669
As Lord, Christ is also head of the Church, which is his Body.551 (Cf. ⇒ Eph 1:22.) Taken up to
heaven and glorified after he had thus fully accomplished his mission, Christ
dwells on earth in his Church. the redemption is the source of the authority
that Christ, by virtue of the Holy Spirit, exercises over the Church. "The
kingdom of Christ (is) already present in mystery", "on earth, the
seed and the beginning of the kingdom".552 (LG 3; 5; cf. ⇒ Eph 4:11-13.)
670
Since the Ascension God's plan has entered into its fulfillment. We are already
at "the last hour".553 (I ⇒ Jn 2:18; cf. ⇒ I Pt 4:7.) "Already the final age of the world is
with us, and the renewal of the world is irrevocably under way; it is even now
anticipated in a certain real way, for the Church on earth is endowed already
with a sanctity that is real but imperfect."554 (LG 48 # 3; cf. ⇒ I Cor 10:11.) Christ's kingdom already
manifests its presence through the miraculous signs that attend its
proclamation by the Church.555 (Cf. ⇒ Mk 16:17-18, ⇒ 20.).
. . until all things are subjected to him
671
Though already present in his Church, Christ's reign is nevertheless yet to be
fulfilled "with power and great glory" by the King's return to
earth.556 (Lk 21:27; cf. ⇒ Mt 25:31.) This reign is still under attack by the evil powers, even though they
have been defeated definitively by Christ's Passover.557 (Cf. ⇒ 2 Th 2:7.) Until everything is
subject to him, "until there be realized new heavens and a new earth in
which justice dwells, the pilgrim Church, in her sacraments and institutions,
which belong to this present age, carries the mark of this world which will
pass, and she herself takes her place among the creatures which groan and
travail yet and await the revelation of the sons of God."558 (LG 48 # 3; cf. ⇒ 2 Pt 3:13; ⇒ Rom 8:19-22; ⇒ I Cor 15:28.) That is why
Christians pray, above all in the Eucharist, to hasten Christ's return by
saying to him:559 (Cf. ⇒ I Cor 11:26; ⇒ 2 Pt 3:11-12. ) Maranatha! "Our Lord, come!"560 (1 Cor 16:22; ⇒ Rev 22:17, ⇒ 20.)
672
Before his Ascension, Christ affirmed that the hour had not yet come for the
glorious establishment of the messianic kingdom awaited by Israel 561 (Cf. ⇒ Acts 1:6-7.) which,
according to the prophets, was to bring all men the definitive order of
justice, love, and peace.562 (Cf. ⇒ Is 11:1-9.) According to the Lord, the present time is the time
of the Spirit and of witness, but also a time still marked by
"distress" and the trial of evil which does not spare the Church 563 (Cf. ⇒ Acts 1:8; ⇒ I Cor 7:26; ⇒ Eph 5:16; ⇒ I Pt 4:17.) and ushers in the struggles of the last days. It is a time of waiting and
watching.564 (Cf. ⇒ Mt 25:1, 13; ⇒ Mk 13:33-37; I ⇒ I Jn 2:18; ⇒ 4:3; ⇒ I Tim 4:1.)
The
glorious advent of Christ, the hope of Israel
673
Since the Ascension Christ's coming in glory has been imminent,565 (Cf. ⇒ Rev 22:20.) even though
"it is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has fixed by
his own authority."566. (Acts 1:7; Cf. ⇒ Mk 13:32.) This eschatological coming could be accomplished
at any moment, even if both it and the final trial that will precede it are
"delayed".567 (Cf. ⇒ Mt 24:44; ⇒ I Th 5:2; ⇒ 2 Th 2:3-12.)
674
The glorious Messiah's coming is suspended at every moment of history until his
recognition by "all Israel", for "a hardening has come upon part
of Israel" in their "unbelief" toward Jesus.568 (Rom I 1:20-26; cf. ⇒ Mt 23:39.) St. Peter says
to the Jews of Jerusalem after Pentecost: "Repent, therefore, and turn
again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come
from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for
you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for establishing all that
God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old."569 (Acts 3:19-21.) St. Paul
echoes him: "For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world,
what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?"570 (Rom 11:15.) The "full
inclusion" of the Jews in the Messiah's salvation, in the wake of
"the full number of the Gentiles",571 (Rom 11:12, ⇒ 25; cf. ⇒ Lk 21:24.) will enable the People of God
to achieve "the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ", in
which "God may be all in all".572 (Eph 4:13; ⇒ I Cor 15:28.)
The
Church's ultimate trial
675
Before Christ's second coming the Church must pass through a final trial that
will shake the faith of many believers.573 (Cf. ⇒ Lk 18:8; ⇒ Mt 24:12.) The persecution that accompanies her
pilgrimage on earth 574 (Cf. ⇒ Lk 21:12; ⇒ Jn 15:19-20.) will unveil the "mystery of iniquity" in the
form of a religious deception offering men an apparent solution to their
problems at the price of apostasy from the truth. the supreme religious deception
is that of the Antichrist, a pseudo-messianism by which man glorifies himself
in place of God and of his Messiah come in the flesh.575 (Cf. ⇒ 2 Th 2:4-12; ⇒ I Th 5:2-3; 2 ⇒ Jn 7; ⇒ I Jn 2:1 8, ⇒ 22.)
676
The Antichrist's deception already begins to take shape in the world every time
the claim is made to realize within history that messianic hope which can only
be realized beyond history through the eschatological judgment. the Church has
rejected even modified forms of this falsification of the kingdom to come under
the name of millenarianism,576 (Cf. DS 3839. ) especially the "intrinsically
perverse" political form of a secular messianism.577 (Pius XI, Divini Redemptoris, condemning the "false mysticism" of this "counterfeit of the redemption of the lowly"; cf. GS 20-21. )
677
The Church will enter the glory of the kingdom only through this final
Passover, when she will follow her Lord in his death and Resurrection.578 (Cf. ⇒ Rev 19:1-9.) The
kingdom will be fulfilled, then, not by a historic triumph of the Church
through a progressive ascendancy, but only by God's victory over the final
unleashing of evil, which will cause his Bride to come down from heaven.579 (Cf ⇒ Rev 13:8; ⇒ 20:7-10; ⇒ 21:2-4.) God's triumph over the revolt of evil will take the form of the Last Judgement
after the final cosmic upheaval of this passing world.580 (Cf. ⇒ Rev 20:12 ⇒ 2 Pt 3:12-13.)
II.
To Judge the Living and the Dead
678
Following in the steps of the prophets and John the Baptist, Jesus announced
the judgment of the Last Day in his preaching.581 (Cf. ⇒ Dan 7:10; ⇒ Joel 3-4; ⇒ Mal 3: 19; ⇒ Mt 3:7-12.) Then will the conduct of
each one and the secrets of hearts be brought to light.582 (Cf ⇒ Mk 12:38-40; ⇒ Lk 12:1-3; ⇒ Jn 3:20-21; ⇒ Rom 2:16; ⇒ I Cor 4:5.) Then will the
culpable unbelief that counted the offer of God's grace as nothing be
condemned.583 (Cf. ⇒ Mt 11:20-24; ⇒ 12:41-42.) Our attitude to our neighbor will disclose acceptance or refusal
of grace and divine love.584 (Cf. ⇒ Mt 5:22; ⇒ 7:1-5.) On the Last Day Jesus will say: "Truly I say
to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to
me."585 (Mt 25:40.)
679
Christ is Lord of eternal life. Full right to pass definitive judgment on the
works and hearts of men belongs to him as the redeemer of the world. He
"acquired" this right by his cross. the Father has given "all
judgement to the Son".586 (Jn 5:22; cf. ⇒ 5:27; ⇒ Mt 25:31; ⇒ Acts 10:42; ⇒ 17:31; ⇒ 2 Tim 4:1.) Yet the Son did not come to judge, but to save
and to give the life he has in himself.587 (Cf. ⇒ Jn 3:17; ⇒ 5:26.) By rejecting grace in this life, one
already judges oneself, receives according to one's works, and can even condemn
oneself for all eternity by rejecting the Spirit of love.588 (Cf. ⇒ Jn 3:18; ⇒ 12:48; ⇒ Mt 12:32; ⇒ I Cor 3:12-15; ⇒ Heb 6:4-6; ⇒ 10:26-31.)
IN
BRIEF
680
Christ the Lord already reigns through the Church, but all the things of this
world are not yet subjected to him. the triumph of Christ's kingdom will not
come about without one last assault by the powers of evil.
681
On Judgement Day at the end of the world, Christ will come in glory to achieve
the definitive triumph of good over evil which, like the wheat and the tares,
have grown up together in the course of history.
682
When he comes at the end of time to judge the living and the dead, the glorious
Christ will reveal the secret disposition of hearts and will render to each man
according to his works, and according to his acceptance or refusal of grace.
GO TO:
CHAPTER TWO
ARTICLE 4 "JESUS CHRIST SUFFERED UNDER PONTIUS PILATE, WAS CRUCIFIED, DIED AND WAS BURIED"
ARTICLE 5 "HE DESCENDED INTO HELL. ON THE THIRD DAY HE ROSE AGAIN"
ARTICLE 5 "HE DESCENDED INTO HELL. ON THE THIRD DAY HE ROSE AGAIN"
Copyright © 2020 by Ekklesia Katholos (9:31)
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