Homily for the week of November 15, 2009

Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, 2009

First Reading: Daniel 12:1-3

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 16:5, 8, 9-10, 11

Second Reading: Hebrews 10:11-14, 18

Gospel: Mark 13:24-32

Human beings have always tried to answer the question: When will the world end? And there have been about as many different answers as there have been those asking the question. A blockbuster movie named 2012 has been or will soon be released in movie theatres. The movie tells us that the world is coming to an end on December 21, 2012 as predicted by the Mayans. That date is not based on a specific prophecy, but the end of their calendar. The Mayans viewed time and the concept of time different than we do. We’re linear in our time and we think of time as a timeline with a beginning point and an end point. Time for the Mayans was very much a cyclic pattern based on the sun.

In recent decades, our understanding of the origins of the universe has grown immensely. We have learned how our universe flashed forth 15 billion years ago in a great explosion of light and that it is ever-expanding, bursting with life from the center outward in creative, chaotic, unique patterns. But what happens at the end?

Bible writers have also tried to tell us when and what will happened at the end of the world. In today;s first reading and the Gospel, two different biblical writers reflect on the end times. Both are writing for a people under a lot of pressure, a people who may feel that the trials and tribulations they are undergoing are the signs of the end time. Will there be something beyond this earthly life?

The ancient Israelites thought not. Some believed they would merely live on in the memories of their descendants. Some spoke of Sheol, the shadowy underworld in which a shade of the former self survived. It was only in the second century B.C. that the belief in resurrection and an eternal reward for the righteous began to emerge. Daniel also mentions “everlasting horror and disgrace” for the wicked, but he focuses his attention on what happens to those who have lived wisely and who have led others to seek and do justice. He envisions these people as shining brightly. He says they will be “like the splendor of the firmament...[they] shall be like the stars forever.”

In today’s Gospel Jesus speaks to his disciples about the things that will happen at the end of time. The light of the sun and moon will be extinguished with the stars falling from the sky. Against the backdrop Jesus interjects the assurance that he will come again in power and glory, gathering his elect from “the end of the earth to the end of the sky.”

He then offers the image of a tender green shoot at springtime, one that bursts forth from the fig tree. Stripped of its leaves and giving every appearance of having died, its life tenaciously sprouts forth anew, much like the yellow dandelions blossom overnight after being dormant all winter. And so Jesus assures use that no matter what horrendous suffering we endure, life will rise again in us through his power. In the Gospel there is no reference to punishment of those who are not faithful, only of gathering in all his scattered “elect.”

The question of when all this will take place hangs unanswered. There is a tension in the Gospel. Jesus first says that it will happen in the lifetime of “this generation,” but then he asserts that no one knows the day or the hour—not even he—but only God the Father.

Being followers of Jesus does not exempt us from ordinary problems of human life. Yes, there will be sickness, there will be auto accidents, our homes may be hit by lightening, marriages may break up. Jesus never told his followers how to avoid trouble. Instead, he tells them how to prepare for it.

If Daniel's words do not persuade us that rescue and redemption are ours, the reading from Hebrews should. The author points out that Christ's sacrifice for us was not only perfect and true, but once and for all. It is important for us to realize that the great challenges of our life are not a punishment for our sins or an indication that God has forgotten us. After we have tried out every solution we come to the conclusion that nothing helps but our faith in a loving God.

When will the world end? Most of us like to know when important things are going to happen. If we are concerned about what might happen to us this afternoon or tomorrow, or when we get older, then it is normal for us to speculate about the end of the world as we know it. Some persons have predicted for a long time that, if certain events took place, then it would be the end of the world. This was especially more of concern as we approached the year 2000. Nostradamus predicted that the world would end when Easter falls on April 25th. And that has happened already 4 times since he predicted it.

Jesus tries to convince us that the answer to those questions are mysteries. There are no answers. But how do we prepare for those times? Jesus' answers are simple. Jesus does not tell us to store up food and water, or to find a bomb proof shelter, or an electric generator. Instead, he tells us to have a strong faith. A strong faith can take years to develop, but once you have a strong faith you can weather any storm.

In the meantime, let us be persons of deep spiritual faith. Let us appreciate the joys that God sends us: weddings, the birth of children, family reunions, visits from friends, music and dance, e-mails from friends.

Let this faith in God hold us up under difficulties and tragedies such as disappointments in relationships, misunderstandings, loss of family through death or separation, physical and emotional sickness, times when we feel we are failures. The message of God is clear: TRUST IN GOD, TRUST IN THE WORDS OF JESUS, BE RENEWED THROUGH HOLY COMMUNION.