{"id":25511,"date":"2016-12-20T12:52:14","date_gmt":"2016-12-20T18:52:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/?p=25511"},"modified":"2017-07-20T17:06:49","modified_gmt":"2017-07-20T21:06:49","slug":"the-kingdom-will-never-end","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/the-kingdom-will-never-end\/","title":{"rendered":"The Kingdom Will Never End","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"<p align=\"center\">THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS<br \/>\n for Tuesday, December 20th, 2016<\/p>\n<p align=\"CENTER\">Liturgical texts\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.usccb.org\/bible\/readings\/122016.cfm\"><em>here<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\n <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-25513\" src=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/annunciation.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"590\" height=\"471\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/annunciation.jpg 964w, https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/annunciation-300x240.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/annunciation-768x613.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 590px) 100vw, 590px\" \/><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><i><span lang=\"EN-GB\">The Annunciation<\/span><\/i><span lang=\"EN-GB\">; Sandro Botticelli; 1485<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>AMONG\u00a0<\/strong>the most powerful and prophetic words spoken to Mary by the angel Gabriel was the promise that her Son&#8217;s Kingdom would never end. This is good news for those who fear\u00a0that the Catholic Church is in its death throws&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;\">He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,\u00a0and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,\u00a0and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,\u00a0and of his Kingdom there will be no end. (Today&#8217;s Gospel)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>While I have spoken this Advent of some difficult subjects pertaining to the Antichrist and the Beast\u2014topics which, nonetheless, have <em>everything<\/em> to do with Advent and the return of Jesus\u2014it is time to shift our focus again to\u00a0God&#8217;s plan unfolding in our time. We need to hear afresh the words spoken to Mary, or to the angels when they appeared to the shepherds:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;\">Do not be afraid&#8230; (Luke 1:30, 2:10)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Why, if the Beast may be rising, <span class=\"footnote_referrer\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToReference_25511_1('footnote_plugin_reference_25511_1_1');\" onkeypress=\"footnote_moveToReference_25511_1('footnote_plugin_reference_25511_1_1');\" ><sup id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_25511_1_1\" class=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text\">[1]<\/sup><\/a><span id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_25511_1_1\" class=\"footnote_tooltip\">cf. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/the-rising-beast\/\"><em>The Rising Beast<\/em><\/a><\/span><\/span><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_25511_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_25511_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top right', relative: true, offset: [10, 10], });<\/script>\u00a0should we not be afraid, you might ask? Because this is Jesus&#8217; promise to you who are faithful:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;\">Because you have kept my message of endurance, I will keep you safe in the time of trial that is going to come to the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. I am coming quickly. Hold fast to what you have, so that no one may take your crown. (Rev 3:10)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>So don&#8217;t be afraid or shaken when you see shadows fall upon the entire world, and even the Church itself. This night must come, but for those who are faithful, the Morning Star is already rising in your hearts. <span class=\"footnote_referrer\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToReference_25511_1('footnote_plugin_reference_25511_1_2');\" onkeypress=\"footnote_moveToReference_25511_1('footnote_plugin_reference_25511_1_2');\" ><sup id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_25511_1_2\" class=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text\">[2]<\/sup><\/a><span id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_25511_1_2\" class=\"footnote_tooltip\">cf. <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/the-rising-morning-star\/\">The Rising Morning Star<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/span><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_25511_1_2').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_25511_1_2', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top right', relative: true, offset: [10, 10], });<\/script>\u00a0This is Christ&#8217;s promise!\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>When Jesus walked among us in the flesh, He would often say that the &#8220;Kingdom of God is near.&#8221; With His first coming, Jesus established His Kingdom on earth\u00a0<em>through His body,\u00a0<\/em>the Church:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #000080; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva, sans-serif;\">Christ dwells on earth in his Church&#8230;. \u201con earth, the seed and the beginning of the kingdom\u201d.<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0\u2014<em>Catechism of the Catholic Church,\u00a0<\/em>n. 699<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>If that is so, then what the Archangel Gabriel announced\u00a0is that the\u00a0<em>Church<\/em> will never be crushed (and here, we are not speaking of any temporal power and influence, but of her spiritual existence and sacramental presence)\u2014not even by the Beast. In fact&#8230;<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>The Catholic Church, which is the kingdom of Christ on earth, [is] destined to be spread among all men and all nations\u2026<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014POPE PIUS XI, <em>Quas Primas<\/em>, Encyclical, n. 12, Dec. 11th, 1925; cf. Matt 24:14<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>It is precisely through her own passion that the Church will be purified so as to fulfill her destiny: to become like Mary, who is the prototype and image of the Church.\u00a0<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>We are given reason to believe that, towards the end of time and perhaps sooner than we expect, God will raise up people filled with the Holy Spirit and imbued with the spirit of Mary. Through them Mary, Queen most powerful, will work great wonders in the world, destroying sin and setting up the Kingdom of Jesus her Son upon the ruins\u00a0of the corrupt kingdom which is this great earthly Babylon.\u00a0<\/strong>(Rev.18:20) \u2014St. Louis de Montfort,\u00a0<em>Treatise on True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin<\/em>,n. 58-59<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>But perhaps this sounds confusing. Wasn&#8217;t\u00a0\u00a0the Kingdom of Jesus already set up 2000 years ago? Yes&#8230; and no. Since the Kingdom reigns in and through the Church, what remains is for the Church herself to mature into her &#8220;full stature&#8221; <span class=\"footnote_referrer\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToReference_25511_1('footnote_plugin_reference_25511_1_3');\" onkeypress=\"footnote_moveToReference_25511_1('footnote_plugin_reference_25511_1_3');\" ><sup id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_25511_1_3\" class=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text\">[3]<\/sup><\/a><span id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_25511_1_3\" class=\"footnote_tooltip\">cf. Eph 4:13<\/span><\/span><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_25511_1_3').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_25511_1_3', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top right', relative: true, offset: [10, 10], });<\/script> in order to become a purified Bride&#8230;<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace; font-size: 10pt;\">\u2026that he might present to himself the church in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. (Eph 5:27)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The Beast, then, is merely an instrument that God ultimately works to the good for the salvation of mankind and glory of the Church:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'courier new', courier, monospace;\">For the wedding day of the Lamb has come, his bride has made herself ready. She was allowed to wear a bright, clean linen garment&#8230; Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over these; they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for the\u00a0thousand years.\u00a0(Rev 19:7-8; 20:6)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>It is the result, in part, of the necessary purification that the Church must pass through\u2014the persecution of the dragon and the antichrist system of the Beast. But a\u00a0footnote in the Revised Standard Version of the Bible rightly points out:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>The destruction of the dragon must coincide\u00a0with that of the beast (Rev 19:20), so that the first resurrection with the reign of the martyrs refers to the revival and expansion of the Church after the years of persecution.<\/strong> \u2014footnote on Rev. 20:3; Ignatius Press, Second Edition<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>You see, the rise of the Beast is not a sign of the end, but of a new dawn. Reign of the martyrs? Yes, this is mysterious language&#8230; part of the unfolding mystery of\u00a0these\u00a0times. <span class=\"footnote_referrer\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToReference_25511_1('footnote_plugin_reference_25511_1_4');\" onkeypress=\"footnote_moveToReference_25511_1('footnote_plugin_reference_25511_1_4');\" ><sup id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_25511_1_4\" class=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text\">[4]<\/sup><\/a><span id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_25511_1_4\" class=\"footnote_tooltip\">cf. <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/the-coming-resurrection\/\">The Coming Resurrection<\/a><\/em><\/span><\/span><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_25511_1_4').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_25511_1_4', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top right', relative: true, offset: [10, 10], });<\/script>\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>The essential affirmation is of an intermediate stage in which the risen saints are still on earth and have not yet entered their final stage, for this is one of the aspects of the mystery of the last days which has yet to be revealed<\/strong>. \u2014Cardinal Jean Dani\u00e9lou, S.J., theologian,\u00a0<em>A History of Early Christian Doctrine Before the Council of Nicea<\/em>, 1964, p. 377<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>This final stage is essentially a new fruition\u00a0of Christ&#8217;s Kingdom unlike anything since the Incarnation. As St. John Paul II said, humanity&#8230;<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>\u2026has now entered its final phase, making a qualitative leap, so to speak. The horizon of a new relationship with God is unfolding for humanity, marked by the great offer of salvation in Christ.<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014POPE JOHN PAUL II, General Audience, April 22nd, 1998<\/span>\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Of course, the necessary interior purification of the Church in order to realize this new horizon also has external consequences upon the entire world.\u00a0\u00a0This too is part of God&#8217;s plan, as Jesus said, so that <em>&#8220;this gospel of the kingdom will be preached through the whole world, as a testimony to all nations; and then the end will come.&#8221;<\/em> <span class=\"footnote_referrer\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToReference_25511_1('footnote_plugin_reference_25511_1_5');\" onkeypress=\"footnote_moveToReference_25511_1('footnote_plugin_reference_25511_1_5');\" ><sup id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_25511_1_5\" class=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text\">[5]<\/sup><\/a><span id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_25511_1_5\" class=\"footnote_tooltip\">cf. Matt 24:14<\/span><\/span><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_25511_1_5').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_25511_1_5', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top right', relative: true, offset: [10, 10], });<\/script>\u00a0Many popes have spoken about this hopeful era of peace to come when Christ&#8217;s Kingdom will flourish among us:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>\u2026by its light even the other peoples can walk towards the Kingdom of justice, towards the Kingdom of\u00a0<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright  wp-image-24114\" src=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/childsoldier2-1.jpg\" alt=\"childsoldier2\" width=\"196\" height=\"246\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/childsoldier2-1.jpg 272w, https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/childsoldier2-1-239x300.jpg 239w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 196px) 100vw, 196px\" \/>peace. What a great day it will be, when the weapons will be dismantled in order to be transformed into instruments of work! And this is possible! We bet on hope, on the hope of peace, and it will be possible.<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014POPE FRANCIS, Sunday Angelus, December 1st, 2013; Catholic News Agency, Dec. 2nd, 2013<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>It is God\u2019s task to bring about this happy\u00a0<em>hour<\/em>\u00a0and to make it known to all\u2026 When it does arrive, it will turn out to be a solemn\u00a0<em>hour<\/em>, one big with consequences not only for the restoration of the Kingdom of Christ, but for the pacification of\u2026 the world. We pray most fervently, and ask others likewise to pray for this much-desired pacification of society.<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014POPE PIUS XI,<em>\u00a0Ubi Arcani dei Consilioi \u201cOn the Peace of Christ in his Kingdom\u201d<\/em>, December 23, 1922<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>As I have said before, and will say again: let us prepare, not for the antichrist so much as for Christ, who indeed, is coming (see\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/is-jesus-really-coming\/\"><em>Is Jesus Really Coming?<\/em><\/a>).\u00a0Even though Mary was to face the Passion of her Son such that a sword too would pierce her heart, the Angel Gabriel&#8217;s words remained in effect:\u00a0<em>Do\u00a0not be afraid&#8230;. the Kingdom will never\u00a0end.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">RELATED READING<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/the-coming-dominion-of-the-church\/\">The Coming Dominion of the Church<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/the-kingdom-of-god\/\">The Coming of the Kingdom of God<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/creation-reborn\/\">Creation Reborn<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><br \/>\n Bless you and thank you.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/store.markmallett.com\/donate\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/Donateovalbtnonbeige.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"112\" height=\"48\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">To journey with Mark this Advent in\u00a0the\u00a0<strong><em>The <\/em><\/strong><em><strong>Now Word<\/strong><\/em>,<em><br \/>\n <\/em>click on the banner below to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/subscribe\/\">subscribe<\/a>. <br \/>\n Your email will not be shared with anyone.<br \/>\n <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/subscribe\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12200 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/NowWord-Banner.png\" alt=\"NowWord Banner\" width=\"463\" height=\"148\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/NowWord-Banner.png 798w, https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/NowWord-Banner-300x97.png 300w, https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/NowWord-Banner-768x247.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 463px) 100vw, 463px\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"speaker-mute footnotes_reference_container\"> <div class=\"footnote_container_prepare\"><p><span role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" class=\"footnote_reference_container_label pointer\" onclick=\"footnote_expand_collapse_reference_container_25511_1();\"><h5>Footnotes<\/h5><\/span><span role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" class=\"footnote_reference_container_collapse_button\" style=\"display: none;\" onclick=\"footnote_expand_collapse_reference_container_25511_1();\">[<a id=\"footnote_reference_container_collapse_button_25511_1\">+<\/a>]<\/span><\/p><\/div> <div id=\"footnote_references_container_25511_1\" style=\"\"><table class=\"footnotes_table footnote-reference-container\"><caption class=\"accessibility\"><h5>Footnotes<\/h5><\/caption> <tbody> \r\n\r\n<tr class=\"footnotes_plugin_reference_row\"> <th scope=\"row\" id=\"footnote_plugin_reference_25511_1_1\" class=\"footnote_plugin_index pointer\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToAnchor_25511_1('footnote_plugin_tooltip_25511_1_1');\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" class=\"footnote_plugin_link\" ><span class=\"footnote_index_arrow\">&#8593;<\/span>1<\/a><\/th> <td class=\"footnote_plugin_text\">cf. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/the-rising-beast\/\"><em>The Rising Beast<\/em><\/a><\/td><\/tr>\r\n\r\n<tr class=\"footnotes_plugin_reference_row\"> <th scope=\"row\" id=\"footnote_plugin_reference_25511_1_2\" class=\"footnote_plugin_index pointer\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToAnchor_25511_1('footnote_plugin_tooltip_25511_1_2');\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" class=\"footnote_plugin_link\" ><span class=\"footnote_index_arrow\">&#8593;<\/span>2<\/a><\/th> <td class=\"footnote_plugin_text\">cf. <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/the-rising-morning-star\/\">The Rising Morning Star<\/a><\/em><\/td><\/tr>\r\n\r\n<tr class=\"footnotes_plugin_reference_row\"> <th scope=\"row\" id=\"footnote_plugin_reference_25511_1_3\" class=\"footnote_plugin_index pointer\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToAnchor_25511_1('footnote_plugin_tooltip_25511_1_3');\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" class=\"footnote_plugin_link\" ><span class=\"footnote_index_arrow\">&#8593;<\/span>3<\/a><\/th> <td class=\"footnote_plugin_text\">cf. Eph 4:13<\/td><\/tr>\r\n\r\n<tr class=\"footnotes_plugin_reference_row\"> <th scope=\"row\" id=\"footnote_plugin_reference_25511_1_4\" class=\"footnote_plugin_index pointer\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToAnchor_25511_1('footnote_plugin_tooltip_25511_1_4');\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" class=\"footnote_plugin_link\" ><span class=\"footnote_index_arrow\">&#8593;<\/span>4<\/a><\/th> <td class=\"footnote_plugin_text\">cf. <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/the-coming-resurrection\/\">The Coming Resurrection<\/a><\/em><\/td><\/tr>\r\n\r\n<tr class=\"footnotes_plugin_reference_row\"> <th scope=\"row\" id=\"footnote_plugin_reference_25511_1_5\" class=\"footnote_plugin_index pointer\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToAnchor_25511_1('footnote_plugin_tooltip_25511_1_5');\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" class=\"footnote_plugin_link\" ><span class=\"footnote_index_arrow\">&#8593;<\/span>5<\/a><\/th> <td class=\"footnote_plugin_text\">cf. Matt 24:14<\/td><\/tr>\r\n\r\n <\/tbody> <\/table> <\/div><\/div><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> function footnote_expand_reference_container_25511_1() { jQuery('#footnote_references_container_25511_1').show(); jQuery('#footnote_reference_container_collapse_button_25511_1').text('\u2212'); } function footnote_collapse_reference_container_25511_1() { jQuery('#footnote_references_container_25511_1').hide(); jQuery('#footnote_reference_container_collapse_button_25511_1').text('+'); } function footnote_expand_collapse_reference_container_25511_1() { if (jQuery('#footnote_references_container_25511_1').is(':hidden')) { footnote_expand_reference_container_25511_1(); } else { footnote_collapse_reference_container_25511_1(); } } function footnote_moveToReference_25511_1(p_str_TargetID) { footnote_expand_reference_container_25511_1(); var l_obj_Target = jQuery('#' + p_str_TargetID); if (l_obj_Target.length) { jQuery( 'html, body' ).delay( 0 ); jQuery('html, body').animate({ scrollTop: l_obj_Target.offset().top - window.innerHeight * 0.2 }, 380); } } function footnote_moveToAnchor_25511_1(p_str_TargetID) { footnote_expand_reference_container_25511_1(); var l_obj_Target = jQuery('#' + p_str_TargetID); if (l_obj_Target.length) { jQuery( 'html, body' ).delay( 0 ); jQuery('html, body').animate({ scrollTop: l_obj_Target.offset().top - window.innerHeight * 0.2 }, 380); } }<\/script>","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS for Tuesday, December 20th, 2016 Liturgical texts\u00a0here The Annunciation; Sandro Botticelli; 1485 &nbsp; AMONG\u00a0the most powerful and prophetic words spoken to Mary by the angel Gabriel was the promise that her Son&#8217;s Kingdom would never end. This is good news for those who fear\u00a0that the Catholic Church is in [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,873,44],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25511","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-daily-journal","category-mass-readings","category-era-of-peace"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Kingdom Will Never End - The Now Word<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/the-kingdom-will-never-end\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Kingdom Will Never End - The Now Word\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS for Tuesday, December 20th, 2016 Liturgical texts\u00a0here The Annunciation; Sandro Botticelli; 1485 &nbsp; AMONG\u00a0the most powerful and prophetic words spoken to Mary by the angel Gabriel was the promise that her Son&#8217;s Kingdom would never end. 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