An ordinary evening, an ordinary supper for two older people after the children have driven off, except that this evening an uninvited guest sat down at their table and glanced at the clock. That scene opens a reflection on the questions the Christians in Thessalonica asked in the face of death, questions we still ask today (1 Thessalonians 4). Along the way comes an old sailors’ phrase, non plus ultra, nothing further beyond, and the question of whether anyone has been to the other side and come back. Listen if you are looking for a hope stronger than the farewells none of us can learn to like.
(non) Plus Ultra – Nothing Beyond
Eternity? Now!
When we live in the present, it’s sometimes easy to forget about eternity and live as if what is here and now were all we can expect. However, the Apostle Paul, in his First Letter to the Thessalonians, though writing about very everyday matters, constantly reminds his readers of eternity, and every chapter of this letter ends with a reference to the second coming of Jesus. He does this because, even though we live in the present and struggle with the here and now, we can learn to view our lives, our daily struggles, and our everyday choices from the perspective of eternity-and that changes everything.
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