Friday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Beware! The end is coming! Jesus tells us today, “know that the Kingdom of God is near” (Lk 21:31b). For us Catholics, we are literally coming to the end of our liturgical year. For a smart-alec like me who enjoys pushing back on popular culture, you might find me telling everyone ‘Happy New Year’ in a couple of days! ;) I cannot wait for the confused look that students at CJ will give me. While we are experiencing the end of a liturgical cycle, the last couple of weeks, our readings have focused on the end times; not just a flip of the calendar, but actually the end of the world. In the Gospels, Jesus has been sharing his final discourse. In revelation, John shares his elaborate and fantastical visions.
How does this sit with you, knowing that over two thousand years later, we’re still here? The end of the world has not come (even though my children sometimes behave as if it is in the process of happening). There are many times it feels like we are genuinely moving closer to that end with the reality of war, violence, political divisions, and hatred that seep into our world. Yet, we are not there and honestly, we do not know when that ending will be. However, we do have endings all of the time like we are experiencing this week. The end of a relationship; the end of college; the end of a job; the end of an athletic season; even simply, the end of a day. With each of these things, we can look forward to a new beginning. Eventually, the world will come to an end and give way to the Kingdom of God. Advent is upon us. Even if we cannot see signs as obvious as the blooms of fig trees, we know that God lives among His people--he is Emmanuel, God with us.
What, in your life, is coming to an end? How can you lean on God to embrace it? What new beginning is possible because of this ending? Let us remember that we do not travel this journey alone; “here God lives among his people” (Rev. 21:3b). In a time of great uncertainty, the promise of “a new heaven and a new earth” (Rev 21:1) looms around the corner. The presence of Christ still reverberates through our loved ones and neighbors. This is near…and so is a new beginning.
Happy Thanksgiving,
Brandon Meyer