being with jesus

¹⁸The Lord is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth.

¹³Then, seeing the constancy of Peter and John, having verified that they were men without letters or learning, they wondered. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.

³And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will return again, and then I will take you to myself, so that where I am, you also may be.

¹⁷Next, we who are alive, who are remaining, shall be taken up quickly together with them into the clouds to meet Christ in the air. And in this way, we shall be with the Lord always.

¹⁵For we say this to you, in the Word of the Lord: that we who are alive, who remain until the return of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. ¹⁶For the Lord himself, with a command and with the voice of an Archangel and with a trumpet of God, shall descend from heaven. And the dead, who are in Christ, shall rise up first. ¹⁷Next, we who are alive, who are remaining, shall be taken up quickly together with them into the clouds to meet Christ in the air. And in this way, we shall be with the Lord always. ¹⁸Therefore, console one another with these words.

¹Therefore, if you have risen together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. ²Consider the things that are above, not the things that are upon the earth. ³For you have died, and so your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴When Christ, your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

⁹The Lord is not delaying his promise, as some imagine, but he does act patiently for your sake, not wanting anyone to perish, but wanting all to be turned back to penance.

¹Therefore, having been justified by faith, let us be at peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. ²For through him we also have access by faith to this grace, in which we stand firm, and to glory, in the hope of the glory of the sons of God. ³And not only that, but we also find glory in tribulation, knowing that tribulation exercises patience, ⁴and patience leads to proving, yet truly proving leads to hope, ⁵but hope is not unfounded, because the love of God is poured forth in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. ⁶Yet why did Christ, while we were still infirm, at the proper time, suffer death for the impious?

¹So what shall we say? Should we remain in sin, so that grace may abound? ²Let it not be so! For how can we who have died to sin still live in sin? ³Do you not know that those of us who have been baptized in Christ Jesus have been baptized into his death? ⁴For through baptism we have been buried with him into death, so that, in the manner that Christ rose from the dead, by the glory of the Father, so may we also walk in the newness of life. ⁵For if we have been planted together, in the likeness of his death, so shall we also be, in the likeness of his resurrection. ⁶For we know this: that our former selves have been crucified together with him, so that the body which is of sin may be destroyed, and moreover, so that we may no longer serve sin.

⁸Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners! And purify your hearts, you duplicitous souls!

⁷And immediately, looking around, they no longer saw anyone, except Jesus alone with them.

¹⁶For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that all who believe in him may not perish, but may have eternal life.

⁶Jesus said to him: “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.

⁷Behold, he arrives with the clouds, and every eye shall see him, even those who pierced him. And all the tribes of the earth shall lament for themselves over him. Even so. Amen.

²In my Father’s house, there are many dwelling places. If there were not, I would have told you. For I go to prepare a place for you. ³And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will return again, and then I will take you to myself, so that where I am, you also may be.