St. Cyril of Jerusalem teaches new converts about Jesus’ two appearances on earth: his birth at Christmastime and his final return to judge the living and the dead.
Reflect:
John 1:6-8,19-28, Isaiah 61:1-11, Matthew 24
Read:
We preach not only one advent of Christ, but a second also, far more glorious than the former. For the first showed us his patience; but the latter brings with it the crown of a divine kingdom.
For all things, for the most part, are twofold in our Lord Jesus Christ. A twofold generation: one, of God, before the ages; and one, of a virgin, at the close of the ages. His descents [are] twofold: one, the unobserved, like rain on a fleece; and a second his coming openly, which is still to be. In his first advent, he was wrapped in swaddling clothes in the manager; in his second, he covers himself with light as with a garment. In his first coming, he endured the cross, despising shame; in his second, he comes attended by a host of angels, receiving glory.
We rest not then upon his first advent only, but look also for his second. And as at his first coming we said, Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord, so will we repeat the same at his second coming; that when with angels we meet our master, we may worship him and say, Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord. The Savior comes, not to be judged again, but to judge them who judged him; he who before held his peace when judged, shall remind the transgressors who did those daring deeds at the cross, and shall say, These things have you done, and I kept silence. Then, he came because of a divine dispensation, teaching men with persuasion; but this time they will of necessity have him for their king, even though they do not want it.
For this reason, Paul, warning us beforehand, says, If any man builds on the foundation gold, and silver, and precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man’s work shall be made manifest; for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed in fire. Paul also knew these two comings, when he said while writing to Titus, The grace of God has appeared which brings salvation unto all men, instructing us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, and godly, and righteously in this present world; looking for the blessed hope, and appearing of the glory of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ.
You see how he spoke of a first coming, for which he gives thanks; and of a second, to which we look forward. So also the words of the creed which we are announcing were just now spoken; that we believe in him, who also ascended into the heavens, and sat down on the right hand of the Father, and shall come in glory to judge living and dead; whose kingdom shall have no end (see Catechetical Lectures 15.1-2).
Remember:
Christ’s first coming should help us prepare for his second, which we must all face either at the end of the world or at our own death.
Pray:
O Jesus, as we faithfully prepare for the feast of your first coming, lead us to the highest joys awaiting us at your final return.
The End of the World as We Know It
Many of the early Christians thought the world was ending within their lifetime. Scripture hints that even St. Paul may have held this opinion at one point: “We who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, shall not precede those who have fallen asleep” (1 Thess. 4:15). Paul quickly figured out, though, that Jesus might not be coming when he first assumed; and by his second letter to the Thessalonians, he was cautioning his flock not to lose peace about the timing of Christ’s return (2 Thess. 2:1-6). But some Thessalonians were still so convinced that the end of the world was coming that they had quit their jobs. And Paul had to remind them: if they wanted to keep eating, they had to keep working (2 Thess. 3:10).
These early Christians can be forgiven for assuming Christ’s imminent return. The Incarnation (and the Resurrection) did mark the end of the world, at least as they knew it. God himself was made man; and furthermore, man was now transfigured to be like God! The pagan cults, even the Jewish Temple, were obsolete. And so we are living in the end times—and have been ever since Jesus rose from the grave. Some of the first Christians may have been wrong about the timing, therefore, but not about their attitude. Advent, when we prepare for the world-changing moment of Christ’s first arrival, is the perfect time to remember his second one. Ancient peoples waited in hope, even for millennia, for the first coming of the Messiah. And Christian people have that same hope for Christ’s second coming, and the final fulfillment of all things: for “the time is short . . . and this world in its present form is passing away” (1 Cor. 7:29,31).
This reflection comes from our new book, Faith of Our Fathers, a rich exploration of the Catholic liturgical calendar to aid in prayer and meditation. Buy it here.