The Monthly Note
September 2010
Dawn Watchers
by Jacques Lauzier, O.P.
Today, at morning prayers, our religious community sang: «The day of your return is near». And it is true that the Lord’s return is near. But what does «near» mean to the Lord, for whom time does not exist? Because He is the God of present time! But for us, mere mortals, this means something different. It means «very soon», «near», «almost there». It may be tomorrow, after tomorrow, in a week, in a month, in two years. In five years?
In the Gospel, Jesus shows us some early warning signs of His return: wars, signs of war, famine, earthquakes, false prophets etc, (Mt 24). And Luke 21 adds plague and terrible phenomenons. We can say that we had a lot of those in the past years. Nuclear war threats, ecological disasters and climate changes were all front page news in the media. Catastrophes brought on by fire, as in Russia and by water, as in Pakistan and China, are on the increase. And the recent disaster in the Gulf of Mexico are an other proof of the negligence and greed of humans.
In his theological comment on the Fatima Message, Cardinal Ratzinger (Benedict XVI) wrote: «The angel with the sword of fire at the left of yhe Mother of God reminds us of similar images of the Apocalypse. He represents the threat of the judgment that hangs over the World. The prospect that the World could be swallowed up by a sea of flames does not appear today to be a pure fantasy: Man has himself prepared the sword of fire with his inventions».
So, does the Lord want to talk to us about His return through these events? Maybe…and probably! Therefore, if we want to be ready for His return tomorrow, in a week, in a month, in two years, in five years, we must remain awake. We must become dawn watchers, with lamps full of oil so that we do not fall asleep and be ready to welcome Him. And this oil is called prayer!
«The one who attests these things says: I am indeed coming soon. Amen; come, Lord Jesus!» (Revelation 22, 20).
