7 November 2020 – Mass on the eve of the 32nd Sunday, Year A[1]

By Father Tomislav Vlašić

(Translated audio)

Dearest Brothers and Sisters; I great you all and I thank for your closeness, your prayers, your self-offering, your love. We are in the time of preparation for the feast of Christ the King. The word “Christ the King” appears frequently in the liturgy of this week. Last Sunday, the prophet Malachy warned the priests: “I will send a curse on you, and I will curse your blessings.”[2] He said that they were destroying the alliance with God. This Sunday, through St. Paul we are called to be vigilant as we are waiting for the glorious coming of Christ. The Gospel presents the parable of the wise and the foolish virgins. The foolish virgins were not vigilant, but the wise ones were. The reading from Wisdom teaches us the right attitude before God.

In this context, we will also read the message of St. Michael the Archangel[3], which you have certainly read. In this message, there are many passages, many points to reflect on, but I want to highlight only some important ones. “The Lord called me to be the Precursor of His glorious coming. It is my responsibility to gather all His people from the whole Universe and protect them from evil.”

The brothers and sisters that remained faithful to God from the beginning are submitted to St. Michael, to the seven great Archangels, and are always obedient to the pure spirits who serve the Almighty God. In the past years, the Middle Universe has also submitted to the authority of St. Michael so that he may guide the people to the living God. Now St. Michael said: “It is my responsibility to gather all His people from the whole Universe and protect them from evil.”

Why does St. Michael speak to us in this time? Because he has found the small remnant on Earth that said: “Yes, we want to submit to the laws of the pure spirit so that no human authority can guide and protect us but only one pure spirit who serves the Almighty God, a spirit that is more powerful than the others.” St. Michael said: “I will do it with the power that God has given to me. I am His servant who only wants to accomplish his duty before God and humanity. No man could bear the weight of this responsibility, as the battle between good and evil will be of cosmic proportions. My angelic hosts are ready and will be at the side of the people of God.” Now, even people are joining his hosts.

At this point, we understand that this is a great time and that it also requires serious commitment. What does St. Michael suggest in this message? He takes us to the divine Judge, to Jesus Christ, to God, and he contemplates Him, Jesus Christ, and transmits us what he receives from Him. This is his service, but this is also his service towards us, that is, to lead us progressively, with all angels and all his armies, towards the highest authority of Jesus Christ, the just Judge. This obligation to respond is not only meant for all Christians but also for all men of good will who want to change their life, be transformed, participate in the path and enter the new creation. Consequently, it becomes clear that the Church of the Universe is not a sect, as has been said. A sect is closed in on itself. The Church of the Universe comes together through the servants, the pure servants, the increasingly pure servants, who elevate themselves to the dimension of the pure Spirit to be definitively transformed and to change their life to live eternally in that dimension, as has been foreseen from the beginning of the Universe.

St. Michael says: “I am His servant who only wants to accomplish his duty before God and humanity. No man could bear the weight of this responsibility, as the battle between good and evil will be of cosmic proportions.” Therein lies the responsibility of each of us to understand this great time and the great responsibility of Christianity, of the Church of the whole Universe, to move forward and reach the new creation. All of us are called. We are all subjected to God’s judgment through Jesus Christ, no one can escape. This is the time when no one can justify himself anymore. We may all have our reasons: that we have to do business, work, hurry, enjoy ourselves. We may follow human logic to justify our attitude, but no one can justify himself before the One who is Justice. We will all have to submit to the Laws of the pure Spirit, which are the Laws of eternal life in God.

Therefore, we are invited to participate in this grace, which goes through St. Michael. People cannot all respond in the same way, in the same dimension, but each one must take his responsibility. If those respond who understand and are ready to offer themselves totally and to put themselves at the disposal of God, they will pave the way for those who are weak, who arrive later, in order to welcome with St. Michael all those who want to enter the Kingdom of God.

St. Michael does not add anything to what Jesus Christ has explained to us. In this relatively short message he sums up all we have to do. In the last part of the message, he says that we shall love each other as Christ loved us, and he gives six concrete points to follow. How can we get involved? Everyone has to start with himself, make his contribution and grow and remain in the same Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, to fully reach the Father, in the Holy Spirit, through Jesus Christ. He invites us to consider that everyone must become the Mystical Body of Christ because our resurrection, the final transformation, will make us righteous in spirit, soul and body, in the fullness of life. It is up to each one of us to think about it and take a healthy attitude.

I think that the call of Wisdom this Sunday is even stronger: “Wisdom is radiant and unfading, and she is easily discerned by those who love her, and is found by those who seek her. She hastens to make herself known to those who desire her. One who rises early to seek her will have no difficulty … because she goes about seeking those worthy of her, and she graciously appears to them in their paths, and meets them in every thought.”

With these words, I come to the end. I invite you to take the steps that will follow and to welcome the instructions that will be given to those who decide to follow these programmes. As I said, these programmes are for all Christians as Christ is the Head. “Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.”[4] There is no discussion about this because the Church of Jesus Christ is not a hierarchical structure, nor is it a movement or a congregation: it is the Church of Christ as He wanted her from the beginning, and in the end she will have to present herself as His unblemished Spouse, because He has given His Blood and His Sacrifice to wash each one of us.

I bless you; the Holy Spirit may fill you, guide you and protect you in communion with the whole Church of the Universe; in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

 

[1] First Reading: Wis 6,12-16; Psalm 62(63); Second Reading: 1Thess 4,13-18; Mt 25,1-3

[2] Mal 1,14-2,2b.8-10

[3] See Message of St. Michael the Archangel of 31 October 2020, “THE LORD WILL COME WITH ALL HIS SAINTS”, published on our website, https://towardsthenewcreation.com/

[4] See Rom 8,9