Did you know that in eschatology, by some, that the birth of Christ is considered the beginning of the “the last things”? This simply means that since the birth of Christ the Parousia, or the second coming of the Messiah, is at hand and the final judgment will end life as we currently know it. The word of God will come to its fulfillment and history will begin anew.
It is true that Christmas signifies and celebrates the birth of God incarnate, that the Messiah has come and taught us the way to salvation. And it is right that we celebrate this day of mystery. It is right that we celebrate it by extending our love to each other beyond the everyday niceties we regularly practice.
But, at least for today, let us extend this thought a little further than we normally do. Let us imagine that we are indeed one day closer to the last things of Earth as we know it, and by that same end we are also one day closer to a new life that we can’t even imagine. This new life would be forever that of perfect love. This is our hope, not to be comfortable in this life of Earthly existence, but to be in heaven however you believe it to be, and to live with our God, Spirit, or Higher Power in the perfection of love.
Consider this, after the ‘last things” the Holy Trinity may no longer be understood as it is today, perhaps it may not need to be understood at all. Perhaps there will no longer be a Father Son and Holy Spirit, but instead we will have a full knowledge of the one true God, as Christ “hands over the kingdom to his God and Father. . . so that God may be all in all”. (1 Cor. 15:24a, 28b)
What if the end times are our individual lives? After all we live through many if not all the circumstances that are described in the Bible. What if the Parousia is a personal experience instead of a general or global experience that we all seem to expect? Could it be that during this time of life, we experience all that is imperfect, before we can reach perfection? “For behold, the kingdom of God is among you” (Luke 17; 21b), perhaps it is at the time of our physical death that we experience the Parousia, final judgment, and of course, Heaven or Hell. ? Do we not start dying at the moment of our birth?
Given the teaching of Christ “the last will be first” (Luke 13; 30-Mark 9; 35b-Matt 20; 26, 27) might this mean that those on skid-row are the first in heaven? And if so where does that leave the rest of us? Are you the “rich man” (Luke, 16; 19-31) or are you “the good Samaritan” (Luke, 10; 29-37) and how are you looked upon by your friends and neighbors?
In the story of Sodom and Gomorrah God doesn’t smite the dwellers of these cities until the last “good” has left. Could this mean that the second coming of Christ will be when the last “good has already been taken from this Earth? This would leave only the wicked to experience what they have created.
If heaven is being in the total presence of God, and God is love in its totality, then Hell would be the complete absence of God and the complete absence of love. In the world today we can see the absence of love at work. In the world today we can also see love at work. Perhaps this is a preview of what is meant by the terms, Heaven and Hell.
The Messiah has given us our place in heaven, but it is our responsibility to reserve that place in heaven by the way we live our lives. The best question I can think of is, are we living our lives in selfishness or charity? When you look in the mirror and ask this question, what do you see?
I truly do not mean to be so glum before we celebrate this season that is normally light hearted, but this is where the Spirit has lead me. Christmas is a day of celebration; it is also a day to rededicate our lives in love.
May the love of Christ be with you and your loved ones throughout this season of beginnings.
Scripture is from the NABRE
by David E.Gonzales
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