Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Today is the last ordinary Sunday of the liturgical year. Next Sunday is the feast of Christ the King and then we begin the season of advent. It is only appropriate that as both the liturgical and calendar years come to an end that the readings draw our attention to the end times. In biblical terms, literature that focuses on the end times is referred to as apocalyptic literature. This kind of literature has certain characteristics. It always almost is connected to some kind of persecution.
In the Old Testament, for example, the book of Daniel, was written during the Greek persecution under Antiochus Epiphanes about 170 BC. The book of Revelation in the New Testament was written during the persecution of Christians under the Roman Emperor Domitian between 80-95 AD. Persecution is also the reason for the symbolic nature of apocalyptic literature. The strange creatures and complex expressions are meant to communicate important religious and moral truth to the persecuted and suffering people. The message to them is simple – hope. They are encouraged to continue to hope in the even midst of utter hopelessness. They are to hope in the final salvation that God will unleash at God’s appointed time.
Both today’s first reading from the book of Malachi and the gospel reading from Luke are apocalyptic in nature. Jesus says in today’s gospel, “"Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place; and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.” (21:10-11). The history of the Jews and early Christians reminds us that everything is transient. Kingdoms came and kingdoms went; emperors came and emperors went; nations came and nations went. Jesus tells is that even the most consistent laws of nature – sunrise and sunset, the change of seasons are temporary. Meanwhile only one thing remains eternal – God.
As the calendar and liturgical year comes to a close, the church is reminding us of the transient nature of our existence. One day our nation will be no more, our parish will be no more, our world will be no more, our bank accounts will be no more, and all the things we have collected will be no more. The only thing that is forever is God. Today’s readings invite us, then, to invest heavily on God and eternity. Just as we spend a life time investing for our retirement we must invest tirelessly in eternity. I hope we are taking time to build our relationship with God in prayer; I hope we are busy transforming faithful and radical disciples; I hope we are busy with good works; I hope we are on the road to eternity.
- Fr. Satish Joseph