the best or the worst of all times?
"This is an evil age." —Luke 11:29
While all ages are evil in some ways, some ages are more evil than others. For example, the age during which Jesus walked the earth was more evil than the time of the bloody Ninevites. "At the judgment, the citizens of Nineveh will rise along with the present generation, and they will condemn it. For at the preaching of Jonah they reformed," but the Jewish people did not repent at the preaching of Jesus, Who was greater than Jonah (Lk 11:32). The generation of Jewish people around 30 A.D. was even worse than the pagans living centuries earlier in the empire of the Queen of the South. "She came from the farthest corner of the world to listen to the wisdom of Solomon," but the people of Jesus' generation ignored the wisdom of Jesus, Who is greater than Solomon (Lk 11:31).
We Christians live in the last days (see Heb 1:1-2) and in the age of the Holy Spirit. We live in the time of the kingdom of God and of the fulfillment of God's plan of salvation. Many kings and prophets wanted to see and hear what we have seen and heard but have not (Mt 13:17). The least in God's kingdom is greater than even the greatest people who lived before Christ (Mt 11:11). Of all ages, God expects the most from us. "When much has been given a man, much will be required of him. More will be asked of a man to whom more has been entrusted" (Lk 12:48). Ours will be the best or the worst of ages. Repent! Seek Jesus! Love Jesus with all your heart (Lk 10:27). Be the best.
Prayer: Jesus, on the threshold of the Great Jubilee, I surrender my life to You.
Promise: "...spread His name and bring to obedient faith all the Gentiles, among whom are you who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ." —Rm 1:5-6
Praise: Bill returned to weekly Mass after an absence of over ten years because some members of the St. Lawrence Parish Evangelization team cared enough to knock on his door and invite him to join them.
Nihil Obstat: Reverend Ralph J. Lawrence, April 10, 1999
Imprimatur: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, April 16, 1999