Thursday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
During this last week of the liturgical year before the beginning of Advent, we have readings from the book of Daniel as well as hear of the second coming of Christ in today’s gospel from Luke. In the first reading (Daniel 6: 12-28), we read the familiar story of Daniel not being harmed when he is thrown into the lion’s den for his faithfulness to God. The book of Daniel was written to give hope to those experiencing oppression and persecution at that time. The story says that Daniel was “unhurt because he trusted in his God.”
Now, we know that there have been many martyrs and Jesus himself was put to death even though he trusted completely in God, so it would be naïve of us to take this to mean we will befall no physical harm if we trust in God. But clearly Daniel is an example of one with tremendous courage and faith that he was even willing to risk his life, trusting in God whatever the outcome may be.
In today’s gospel reading (Luke 21: 20-28) we hear of the terrible destruction of Jerusalem by Rome (in AD 70), which Luke and his community are looking back on as something Jesus predicted that was fulfilled. This provides assurance to them (and to us) that so too will Jesus’ announcement of their final redemption be fulfilled. Yesterday’s gospel reading from Luke (which was also the gospel reading two Sunday’s ago) includes that some would even be put to death, “but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.” (Luke 21: 18) Clearly, we are not guaranteed protection from physical harm in this world, but God will not leave us or forget us.
Sometimes I find myself overwhelmed with the amount of suffering and evil in the world. From violence and poverty to injustices in all corners of the earth (the very earth that we have not taken good care of), as well as the suffering of illness and aging, death and natural disasters, such as the recent typhoon in the Philippines, that seem to abound it can be rather depressing.
But as we are about to enter the season of Advent, we are reminded that God was willing to take the form of a human, being born of a woman, and living and dying on this earth, the God incarnate in Jesus whose coming we will prepare our hearts for again this Advent.
We do not know when or even how Christ’s second coming will be, but as Christians we have faith and hope in the promise that God will ultimately be victorious over evil and death. I don’t think this is meant to be an excuse for not doing our part to decrease the suffering and injustice in the world today. As Christians aren’t we called to bring about God’s kingdom on earth, as we are all part of the body of Christ? Will we be prepared for Jesus’ second coming? As Luke writes, I pray that we can “stand erect and raise (our) heads because (our) redemption is at hand.” (vs. 28)
Eileen Miller