In today's Gospel Jesus teaches us about the signs of the coming of the Son of Man.
Holy Spirit, fill my heart and illuminate my mind. Help me to hear and understand God's message today. Help me to recognize when God is trying to speak to me in my daily life. Amen
Jesus said to his disciples: "In those days after that tribulation the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from the sky, and 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, and then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the end of the earth to the end of the sky.
"Learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see these things happening, know that he is near, at the gates. Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
"But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5ZpuLVaGM4 (attributed to Catholic Kids Media)
Ask: What signs does Jesus say will signal the end times? (the sun darkening, stars falling, the coming of the Son of Man, and so on) Do you think we will be able to predict the end times? (Accept all reasonable answers.) Who does Jesus say knows when these things will happen? (only God)
Say: We don’t know when the things that Jesus talks about will happen, but we know that they will happen. Jesus does not want us to be frightened by these signs, nor does he want us to be fearful about the fact that the world will one day come to an end. Many things in the world may change, but Jesus’ words to us and God’s love for us will never change.
Conclude in prayer together thanking God for the great, unending love that he showed us by sending us Jesus. Pray together the Glory Be to the Father.
Father in heaven, for the conversion of sinners, we give you today, all that we think and do and say, and we join it with all that was done by Jesus Christ, your Son. Amen
