Parousia

In the ancient world a parousia was the official visit of a ruler to a city. The New Testament uses the word for Christ's return in glory, which the Creed confesses: “He will come again to judge the living and the dead.” The Catechism teaches that since the Ascension Christ's coming has been imminent, though its hour is not ours to know, and that the Church awaits it with the prayer Maranatha, “Come, Lord Jesus.” The Mass looks toward it in the acclamation “until you come again.”