The history of Israel is filled with moments of promise and disappointment. Repeatedly, God reached out to His people with offers of love and forgiveness, yet time and again, they fell back into sin, particularly the sin of idolatry. This recurring pattern emphasizes the importance of grace in nurturing true love and holiness. It is precisely because of humanity's frequent failings that God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to earn that grace for us through His sacrificial love.
In the book of Daniel, God promises to send a deliverer who will awaken those sleeping in the dust to eternal life. This prophecy finds its fulfillment in Christ, who is the ultimate high priest. Unlike the high priests of old who had to offer sacrifices repeatedly, Christ offered Himself once and for all as a perfect atonement for our sins. By doing so, He established a permanent priesthood, ensuring that no further sacrifices are needed.
The Gospel also alludes to another prophecy in Daniel. In Daniel 7, we read about the Son of Man who comes to the Ancient of Days and receives dominion, glory, and a kingdom that will never pass away. This messianic prophecy of a divine and eternal Messiah is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. He came to establish His kingdom on earth, a kingdom that is still on its pilgrimage and will reach its full glory at the end of time.
Although we do not know the exact day or hour when Christ will return in glory, we are assured that He has already redeemed us from our sins and conquered death. For those who live in grace, death no longer has power over them. Instead, they look forward to being gathered from the ends of the earth into eternal beatitude with the Lord.
Each of us is faced with a fundamental choice. We can choose to live in Christ, embracing His promise with faith and love, or we can choose the path of death, clinging to self-love. To live in Christ means accepting His offer of salvation and responding with a life marked by holiness and devotion. Rejecting His promise, on the other hand, leads to a life centered on selfish desires, ultimately separating us from the grace and life that God offers.
This call to decision is a reminder of the transformative power of grace and the radical change that comes with conversion to Christ. It is an invitation to participate in the life of the Trinity, to become part of a new creation shaped by the love and mercy of God. As members of Christ's body, we are called to reflect His glory in our lives, living in a way that honors the profound sacrifice He made for us.
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