THE DAY IS COMING

The passage from Malachi that opens this Sunday’s Eucharistic liturgy describes the day of the Lord, that is, the divine judgment on human history. On that day, God will inaugurate his Kingdom of justice and peace in a totally renewed world. In some respects, our prophet anticipates the song of the Magnificat, where the powerful will be deposed from their thrones and the humble will be exalted. The worldly logic that exalts the proud and those who commit iniquity will therefore be completely overturned. True blessedness will be reserved for the poor, the marginalized, and those who suffer violence. In a word: to those who worship God’s name, that is, to those who fear the Lord (cf. Mal 3:20). But beware, Malachi warns, that day will be like a fire that will purify the house of Israel but also the world itself. In short, the prophet wants to shake the people’s apathy. The God of Israel is a demanding, incorruptible God, who cannot be comfortably relegated to the heavens, much less stunned. from incense. The anticipation of that day, however, must not be apocalyptic anxiety, much less a withdrawal from history, with all its trials. The coming of the day of the Lord must find the believer active, serenely engaged in the various contexts of life, trusting in his God and Father.

Lord Jesus,
who call us to be in the world
a sign of the transcendence of your Kingdom,
preserve us from all ambiguity and compromise
with the murderous power of darkness.
Keep us pure from lies,
faithful to your Word of truth,
steadfast and persevering
in awaiting your return,
when you, radiant morning star,
will shine in the depths of our hearts
and we, in white resurrection robes
will sing hymns of victory
to the eternal fidelity of your love.

Commentary by b. Sandro Carotta, osb
Abbazia di Praglia (Italy)

Translation by f. Mark Hargreaves,
Prinknash Abbey