REVEALED

 “Revealed” is a word you will occasionally see as the headline of a news story. This past Thursday, there was a headline in the “Daily Mail” which read: “Lockdown tiers for England are finally revealed.” Another in “the Guardian” ran: “Revealed: UK supermarket and fast-food chicken linked to deforestation in Brazil.” There is a hint of sensationalism in this use of “revealed”, but the sense of it is clear: what is revealed is already there. Until now it has been hidden, but it has been present, already a fact, already at work. Revelation simply means that the veil over it has been removed for everyone to see, to know. Revelation may mean that my view about something or someone will change, one way or the other.

 In the reading of today’s Mass from St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul tells us that we “are waiting for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.” But this means that he is already present, already here, as a matter of fact and of truth. And we know this to be the case because He is in us by baptism. We receive Him really and truly present in the Holy Eucharist. Paul refers to the “graces we receive” through Jesus, which is only possible if He is here. He also adds that Jesus is working now to “keep you steady and without blame until the last day”, that is, the day of his revelation.

For someone who lives in this kind of spiritual and sacramental union with Jesus, his revelation will show forth plainly and for every eye to see the extent and beauty and glory of the intimate rapport between Jesus and all who have loved Him and longed for Him. The veil will be thrown off and the truth of Jesus’ hidden presence will become manifest. This also means that we ourselves will be revealed. The truth of our faith, hope and love of Him will be seen in all their reality. Much like a bright light shows up what is hidden in the shadows of a dark space, the light of Jesus will unveil the truth of every human heart.

We speak of Jesus coming in glory. That “coming” won’t mean that he somehow moves from point A (heaven) to point B (earth). Rather, it means that the presence of the Risen Jesus, already at work in the world now, will emerge with clarity to our eyes and to our spirits, as if great cataracts fell from our eyes and the deafness of our ears was opened. All that pertains to sin and evil will be scattered and dissipated, but all that is true and good and worthy of His Love and His Cross will remain and be glorified. It is therefore our vocation to live with and for Jesus in the here and now so that, when he is revealed, we, too, will be revealed in glory with Him. Marana tha! Come, Lord Jesus!