Introducing Kingdomtide and Advent
The Church year begins and ends — ends and begins — with a memory and anticipation of the capital-E End: with parables of the Kingdom and of Judgement, prophetic promises, visions of the Second Coming, and the unity and persistence of the Church in the midst of the turning of the ages.
Christ has promised to be with his Church until the end of the age (Matt 28:20), and to come again as her Perfecter, Bridegroom, and Savior (Phil 1:6, Rev 21:2). We remember and focus in this season on how Christ is present and comes to his Church as we wait for his great and final coming again to bring full completion to his work.
Adam Kirk, Jesus Returns
He is present to us in and through his Body, the Church: by the power of the Holy Spirit, he comes to us and meets us in the midst of his people, as “two or three are gathered together” in his name (Mat 18:20).
He is present to us in and through the poor, and meets us in the poor — even when we do not always see and recognize him there (Mat 25:31-46).
He is present to us in and through the Sacraments: he comes to us and meets us in the Sacraments, teaching us that whenever we break the bread and drink the cup, we proclaim the Lord’s death until his coming again (1Cor 11:26).
He is present to us in and through our prayers and praises: he comes to us as his Word is opened to us, and hears us and he comes to us as we cry out to him (Ps 34:4-7).
He is present to us in and through the Incarnation: in the Incarnation, he has entered fully into the human condition, and taken humanity into himself (Jn 1:18).
He is present to us in and through the final Judgement: coming to us as our ultimate and final Judge, he will also be present with us then as he is present with us now by the power of the Holy Spirit as our ultimate and final advocate (1Jn 2:1).
