Revelation 20:1-4, 11—21:2 / Luke 21:29-33

This Sunday we begin a new liturgical year, with the Time of Advent, our preparation for the coming of Christ and for Christmas.

In these last days of the current liturgical year, the evangelist Luke presents Jesus speaking to us about the arrival of the Kingdom of God and its signs.

Just as people have the intelligence to understand the change of seasons by observing the dynamics of nature and trees, human beings are capable of understanding the arrival of the Kingdom of God by observing its signs. And Jesus is the greatest and most important sign that the Kingdom of God has already arrived.

Jesus also states that heaven and earth will pass away, that is, that all things will be transformed, will be renewed, because they will be freed from the consequences of human sins.

Finally, Jesus guarantees that His word will not pass away, that is, that His teachings are eternal, stable, permanent, and trustworthy.

Let us be attentive to the signs of the times and let us be converted, trusting in the eternal Word of Christ.

In the book of Revelation, John speaks of his vision of the judgment of men and evil by Christ.

Those who preferred to die rather than worship the devil or Satan, had their names written in the book of life and came to life and began to reign with Christ in the new heaven and the new earth.

And those whose names were not written in the book of life were judged according to their deeds and were thrown into the pool of fire, which was the second death.

The devil or Satan, was tied up, was thrown into the abyss and locked up.

Finally, John speaks of the new heaven and the new earth, of the heavenly Jerusalem, which came down from God, like a bride adorned for her husband.

Let us behave holily so that our names are written in the book of life and, then, we come to life to reign with Christ in the heaven and the earth that are to come, in the heavenly Jerusalem!