2018-11-18

朋友们，今天福音的重点是末日的冥想。“apocalypse”的意思是启示、天启。耶稣再一次使用《达尼尔先知书》第七章的话语：“天上的万象也要动摇。那时，人要看见人子，带着大威能和光荣，乘云降来。”

 

达尼尔说到四个王国的更替，然后天国降临。这就成全了纳堂对于达味之子将成为恒久君王的预言。

 

我知道这一切听起来很奇怪，但背后隐藏着非常重要的灵修意义。我们不应指望任何世俗权力来为我们带来安全及和平。只有当天国降临，我们才会有真正的和平。

 

我们应当指望的是人子乘云降来。这是不是一种终极意义？是的，我们都知道耶稣的光荣降临意味着世界末日。但人子此时此刻在教会的生活中就正乘云降来。

 

Friends, our Gospel for today features apocalyptic musings. Recall that "apocalypse" means unveiling, a revelation. And Jesus uses, once again, the language from the seventh chapter of the prophet Daniel: "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."

 

Daniel spoke of a succession of four kingdoms, which would be followed by the arrival of God’s definitive kingdom. This is the fulfillment of Nathan’s prophecy that a son of David would reign forever.

 

I realize how strange all of this can sound, but there is a spiritual point of enormous significance behind all of it. We should not trust in any of the powers of the world to give us security and peace. Such peace will come only with the arrival of God’s kingdom.

 

What you should look to is the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven. Now, is this meant in an ultimate sense? Yes, the second coming signals the end of the world as we know it. But the Son of Man is coming on the clouds of heaven even now, in the life of the Church.