UNTIL THE TIMES OF THE GENTILES ARE FULFILLED

Rev 18,1- 2.21-2 3; 19,1-3.9a; Ps 99; Lk 21,20-28
29 NOVEMBER

Prophets reveal that God is the Lord of peoples and nations. No kingdom on earth and no king must feel masters, lords and rulers of the world or of history. Everyone must know that in every instant and moment the Lord can intervene in his creation and overturn it, disfigure it and deprive it of all security. No man is God and never might he be it. Every man is mortal. Today, he reigns, tomorrow he will be in the dust. If a kingdom prevails over another kingdom it is because the Lord permits it. However, the dominant kingdom will always have to know that it will become a dominated kingdom. Knowing this, it will always act with great justice, humanity and respect; it will abstain from every evil, evil action and from every useless evil. Evil is always useless in itself. But there is an evil in evil that makes man’s actions abominable, nefarious, perverse, cruel, wicked and ruthless. This satanic, diabolical and infernal evil, is always in hatred to the Lord and always He intervenes with his divine and eternal justice in history. The Lord also grants time to evil, then time is fulfilled and it is the hour of his judgment and perfect justice. The Book of the Apocalypse announces Christ Jesus as the only Lord of history.

I saw a scroll in the right hand of the one who sat on the throne. It had writing on both sides and was sealed with seven seals. Then I saw a mighty angel who proclaimed in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to examine it. I shed many tears because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to examine it. One of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. The lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has triumphed, enabling him to open the scroll with its seven seals.” Then I saw standing in the midst of the throne and the four living creatures and the elders, a Lamb that seemed to have been slain. He had seven horns and seven eyes; these are the (seven) spirits of God sent out into the whole world. He came and received the scroll from the right hand of the one who sat on the throne. When he took it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each of the elders held a harp and gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the holy ones. They sang a new hymn: “Worthy are you to receive the scroll and to break open its seals, for you were slain and with your blood you purchased for God those from every tribe and tongue, people and nation. You made them a kingdom and priests for our God, and they will reign on earth” (Rev 5,1-10).

The pagans can conquer Jerusalem not for their strength, but for the weakness of the city. The Lord had put a wall of fire around it. It turned it off with its sin. The wall no longer exists and even a fox can conquer it.

“When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, know that its desolation is at hand. Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains. Let those within the city escape from it, and let those in the countryside not enter the city, for these days are the time of punishment when all the scriptures are fulfilled. Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days, for a terrible calamity will come upon the earth and a wrathful judgment upon this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword and be taken as captives to all the Gentiles; and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.”

What is said for Jerusalem is valid for every man. God has placed a wall of fire around it. With sin all divine fire is extinguished and one remains without any protection. One is abandoned to himself. There is no resistance, protection and defence. He is at the mercy of every invading and destructive agent. Let everyone pay attention not to extinguish the fire. But also let everyone always remain in humility and great justice. Every sin destroys the wall of fire and the winner already becomes a defeated.

Wise Virgin, Angels and Saints ensure that we never extinguish the wall of fire around us.