First Reading - 2 John 4-9
Gospel - Luke Luke 17:26-37
The first reading is a key passage that summarizes the teaching of Jesus that is love. John exhorts the believers to be bonded in love as according to the instructions of Jesus himself. The exhortation of John, to live the life of love, can be characterized as the identity of every believer in Christ. John also assures the believers that their faithful adherence of the teachings of Jesus implies their close association with the Trinity because the Trine God dwells in the faithful observance of teachings of Jesus. Whereas, unfaithfulness or deviation from the teachings incurs distance from God himself. Therefore, John also warns the believers to be watchful of those who don't believe in the physical Jesus. According to him, disbelief in Jesus is equal to disbelief in his teachings as well. Therefore, John codemns such beliefs.
The gospel passage continues with the theme of the coming of the Son of Man. The passage underlines two important underpinnings of the coming of the Son of Man; firstly, the coming of the Son of Man is unexpected or inescapable which would come about during the usual days of our ordinary living; secondly, the coming of the Son of Man would be noticable to people for some will be taken away from the earth (another example of the noticable character of the coming of the Son of Man is implied by the reference to the vultures which gather around the corpse, a noticable thing).
'Taking away of people' evokes the separation of the people from the other group as in the gospel of Matthew at the last judgement. This has eschatological overtones. The separation implies judgement by the Son of Man over those who believed in him and those who remained unbelievers or culpably ignorant of faith.
Dear friends, a question can certainly be asked: What makes a Christian, Christian? Is it Baptism only or our regularly going to the Church only or something else? Certainly, it's our faithful observance of the teachings of Jesus. The first reading reminds us that the basis of the teaching of Jesus is love. This is the commandment that is enjoined on each believer and this characterizes our identity as Christians. John also tells us that our faithful adherence to the teachings of Jesus will win us an everlasting happiness in heaven. On the other side, the gospel passage reminds us that we can't simply avoid or sideline the teachings of Jesus. In fact, a faithful adherence to teachings of Jesus prepares us for our last day too. The gospel passage emphatically stresses that unbelief or ignorance is not an excuse for the preparation for the coming of the Son of Man. The coming of the Son of Man is unprecedented but sure, on our part, we have to be ever ready.
May God enlighten our minds to know the truth and live by it till the end of our lives.
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