"We know that there are three comings of the Lord. The third lies between the other two. It is invisible, while the other two are visible. In the first coming he was seen on earth, dwelling among men; he himself testifies that they saw him and hated him. In the final coming all flesh will see the salvation of our God, and they will look on him whom they pierced. The intermediate coming is a hidden one; in it only the elect see the Lord within their own selves, and they are saved. In his first coming our Lord came in our flesh and in our weakness; in this middle coming he comes in spirit and in power; in the final coming he will be seen in glory and majesty."
St Bernard's Advent Homily
St Bernard's Advent Homily
There is another foretelling of this middle coming of the Lord which I just recently came upon at: Countdown to the Kingdom.
Fr. Ottavio Michelini was a priest, mystic, and member of the Papal Court of Pope St. Paul VI (one of the highest honors bestowed by a Pope on a living person) who received many locutions from Heaven. Among them are the following prophecies of the Advent of Christ’s Kingdom upon earth:
On November 7, 1977:
The shoots of the announced springtime are already springing up in all places, and the ADVENT OF MY KINGDOM and the victory of the Immaculate Heart of my Mother are at the doors…
In my regenerated Church, there will no longer be so many dead souls, that are numbered in my Church today. This will be my proximate coming to the earth, with the ADVENT OF MY KINGDOM IN SOULS, and it will be the Holy Ghost who, with the fire of his love and with his charisms, will maintain the new Church purified, that will be eminently charismatic, in the best sense of the word… Indescribable is its task in this intermediate time, between the first coming of Christ to earth, with the mystery of the Incarnation, and his second coming, at the end of time, to judge the living and the dead. Between these two comings that will manifest: the first the mercy of God, and the second, divine justice, the justice of Christ, true God and true man, as Priest, King, and universal Judge there is a third and intermediate coming, that is invisible, in contrast to the first and the last, both visible. This intermediate coming is the Kingdom of Jesus in souls, a kingdom of peace, a kingdom of justice, that will have its full and luminous splendor after the purification.
A middle coming, "the Kingdom of Jesus in souls, a kingdom of peace...of justice, that will have its full and luminous splendor after the purification." For anyone who has studied the writings of Luisa Piccarreta this line jumps out at the reader in neon as the living in the Divine Will however often this middle coming is interpreted as being the visits we receive throughout the day as we reflect on and love the Lord, Jesuit reflection on the Three Comings of the Lord. It is also interpreted as the visits we receive through the vehicle of grace as we participate in the Sacraments, particularly communion. I believe that this in fact minimizes the true import of the middle coming of Jesus and does not take into account other passages in the Bible which would then remain obscure. St Bernard himself goes on to further explain in his homily the justification for this middle coming.
"In case someone should think that what we say about this middle coming is sheer invention, listen to what our Lord himself says: If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him. There is another passage of Scripture which reads: He who fears God will do good, but something further has been said about the one who loves, that is, that he will keep God's word. Where is God's word to be kept? Obviously in the heart, as the prophet says: I have hidden your words in my heart, so that I may not sin against you.
Keep God's word in this way. Let it enter into your very being, let it take possession of your desires and your whole way of life. Feed on goodness, and your soul will delight in its richness. Remember to eat your bread, or your heart will wither away. Fill your soul with richness and strength.
Because this coming lies between the other two, it is like a road on which we travel from the first coming to the last. In the first, Christ was our redemption; in the last, he will appear as our life; in this middle coming, he is our rest and consolation.
If you keep the word of God in this way, it will also keep you. The Son with the Father will come to you. The great Prophet who will build the new Jerusalem will come, the one who makes all things new. This coming will fulfill what is written: As we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, we shall also bear the likeness of the heavenly man. Just as Adam's sin spread through all mankind and took hold of all, so Christ, who created and redeemed all, will glorify all, once he takes possession of all. "
St Bernard's Advent Homily
I would like to look at some of these passages in the Bible which allude to this coming of Jesus which is more than what we receive in the Sacraments. As St Bernard says, first we must keep Gods word in the heart for the Father to love him and for Jesus and the Father to come and make a home in him. But how are we to do this? Paul sheds light on this subject when he speaks about the new more perfect covenant which Jesus establishes.
6 But Jesus has now obtained a more excellent ministry, and to that degree he is the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted through better promises. 7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need to look for a second one.
8 God finds fault with them when he says:
“The days are surely coming, says the Lord,
when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah;
9 not like the covenant that I made with their ancestors,
on the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt;
for they did not continue in my covenant,
and so I had no concern for them, says the Lord.
10 This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel
after those days, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their minds,
and write them on their hearts,
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
11 And they shall not teach one another
or say to each other, ‘Know the Lord,’
for they shall all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest.
12 For I will be merciful toward their iniquities,
and I will remember their sins no more.”
when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah;
9 not like the covenant that I made with their ancestors,
on the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt;
for they did not continue in my covenant,
and so I had no concern for them, says the Lord.
10 This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel
after those days, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their minds,
and write them on their hearts,
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people.
11 And they shall not teach one another
or say to each other, ‘Know the Lord,’
for they shall all know me,
from the least of them to the greatest.
12 For I will be merciful toward their iniquities,
and I will remember their sins no more.”
Gods laws are written in their minds and on their hearts, they know God and do not have to learn about God but simply know the truth of God and understand his spirit communicating with him in like manner.
23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
John 4:23-24
But in all the history of the Church can we really say that there is one who has not been taught but has simply known the Lord or had his laws inherent in their minds and hearts as second nature or is this alluding to a time to come? There is Mother Mary but she stands alone in this and Jesus clearly talks about more than just one possessing this gift. Now Jesus states that the Father would send the Holy Spirit as another Advocate to his people as he must return to the Father. And the Church has been guided under the faithful tutelage of the Holy Spirit which has been shaping, guiding her and guarding her from the trust given as Advocate. But there will also be a day where Jesus says that he is "coming to you," and that the world will not see him but "you will see me...(because)...you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you." It is in keeping his word that the Father will love these and they (Jesus and the Father) will come and make a home with them. A home, a permanent indwelling of God in the creature. If before he came in spiritual visits to the soul through grace he promises that there will be a time when God makes a permanent home in his creature and live there in perpetual communion with her.
15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. 17 This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.
18 “I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. 19 In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.” 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?” 23 Jesus answered him, “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me.
John 14:15-24
And then in Jesus' prayer for unity which is often simply interpreted as being unity among all the different divisions in the Church on the earth there also contains a deeper meaning. Jesus prays that those who will believe will be one as the Father is in the Son and the Son is in the Father. And to further this point he continues that they may be one, "I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one.." One as God is one in three. One, bound in the true essence of God himself, bound to God himself. This is much more than all people following one religion. This is the permanent indwelling of God in the creature and the creature in God through the hypostatic union which joins the Triune God himself.
20 “I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 24 Father, I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.
25 “Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you; and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
John 17:20-26
And again there is the hint at what is to come when it is stated that there will be a time when we shall be more than adoptive children of God. A time is coming when we will see him as he is for we shall be like him. God is spirit and truth and we will be able to see him as he is, spirit and truth, because we too will be one with him in spirit and truth.
1 See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. 3 And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.
1 John 3:1-3
"And all have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure." Note it does not say endeavor, or try to purify themselves but it says they purify themselves just as he is.
48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew 5:48
Again even with all the remedies that we receive through the Church in this present day through all the sacrament who out there can claim that they've never fallen into sin again after confession or claim the purity and perfection of God? There must be something more coming which is alluded to in the Bible, more than our own poor interpretation of everyone joining one church and converting to one faith. We have to see God as he is, spirit and truth, to even begin to grasp his designs and then if it's a kingdom that we can imagine with our limited intellect and vision is it really a work worthy of God. It seems to me that God delights in astounding and amazing his creature and would blow away any limited plan that we might envision just for the surprise effect. And as for these visions of an earthly kingdom of everyone converting and belonging to one church, Jesus himself refutes this.
20 Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, “The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; 21 nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you.”
Luke 17:20-21
It should also be noted that that last line, "For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you" is also translated "...within you." The Kingdom of God is within you." But again for us to understand and perceive this kingdom we can only do it if reborn in spirit and truth. We have been reborn through our baptism with water but there is still another baptism we require in order to see God as he is.
2 He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born? 5 Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. 6 What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.”
John3:2-5
There was a time when I was so jealous of those who lived during Jesus time on earth. To see him, to hear him, to be able to touch him and be with him. But what if you were alive then and didn't recognize him for who he is.... I asked someone once "do you think you'll recognize Jesus when he comes again?" He assured me that of course he would without hesitation. But what if he has come again, what if we blissfully go on with our little lives content with how they are missing the boat so to speak. What if I told you that Jesus has come again, his middle coming and now the way is open to those who want it to reach his kingdom. Not the kingdom of earthly bliss where everyone believes as we do and never does anything which annoys us ever again but the true kingdom of spirit and truth which we can hold within us. A kingdom which can never be taken away, overthrown or destroyed. But who can aspire to such a lofty vision. Who can possibly hope to "be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect", to see him as he is, and possess the permanent indwelling and intimate communion of God himself living in us? Jesus has come again, his middle coming, and he has begun with Luisa Piccaretta. He has written his law into her heart and led her to see him as he is in spirit. He has used her to pave the way for us to reach him in his second coming as conquering King. He offers this to anyone who wants it. God himself wants to give us this kingdom and when God wants something it is as good as done. We only have to accept and trust in him. The key to being born again, to being perfect and seeing in spirit and truth is that it is not us who do it but Him who does all.
32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Luke 12:32
