139. Concerning the Coming of the Kingdom of God. Lk. 17:20–37

Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them: The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, See here! or There! For behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

He said also to the disciples: The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. And they will say to you, See here! or See there! Do not go out or follow them. For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day.

But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.

As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise, as it was in the days of Lot—they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building; but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all.

So it will be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

On that day, let the one who is on the housetop not come down to take away his possessions; and likewise the one in the field must not turn back. Remember Lot’s wife. Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will keep it alive.

I tell you, on that night there will be two people in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. There will be two women grinding together; one will be taken and the other left. There will be two in the field; one will be taken and the other left.

They said to him in reply: Where, Lord? He said to them: Where the body is, there the eagles will also gather.