Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Do you sense a revolt brewing inside you when, in the middle of September, you see a decorated Christmas tree at the malls? I feel violated. I feel someone has taken something very sacred to me and made a mockery out of it. It is as if someone was wishing me ‘happy birthday’ in November when my birthday isn’t until February. Over the past few days, I have also seen Christmas lights – it must be the warm weather; or a rather depressing political season (people actually want some good news), or the drudgery of the economy is making people impatient for celebration. Liturgically, however, we are at a different place. After all, no matter how impatient we might be, we cannot avoid the natural cycle of life can we?
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. I would like to draw three practical implications from these readings.
1. 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.
2. Jesus talks about persecution as well in the gospel reading. He says, “"Before all this happens, however, they will seize and persecute you…, because of my name. It will lead to your giving testimony.” (Lk 21:12-13). We often think of ourselves being a fortunate people because we live in a secular country that treasures freedom of religion. That is indeed a blessing. But secularism has its own disadvantages. In a secular world God is banished to the private realms of society. Today, God is banished from the public realm. Be it public schools, be is public offices, be it government offices, be it political office be it public media or entertainment – it is not easy to live a God-centered life. I call this a subtle persecution. It is easier to give testimony in the face of blatant persecution than when it is subtle, as it is in secular societies. Testimony in secular societies has to be by the example of life. You and I are called to be public Christians in a society that banishes God from the public to the private realm of society and give testimony that continues to challenge our secular society.
3. It has been the trend in our modern world to focus on the dramatic in apocalyptic literature. Preachers have loved to focus on wars, natural calamities, and millennial milestones to predict the end of the world. The latest prediction is that the end will be in 2012. Even in today’s gospel reading the temptation is to focus on the “powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place; and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.” But that is precisely where Christ’s focus is not. The gospel ends with the words, “By your perseverance you will secure your lives” (Lk 21:19). Malachi says in today’s first reading, “But for you who fear my name there will arise the sun of justice with the healing rays” (Mal 3:20a). Perseverance is the key. Our world will be rocked – illness, professional setback, broken relationships, betrayal, hardships, difficult children, uncommitted parents, hateful relatives – oh yes, our world will be rocked. But constantly, unceasingly, persevering efforts to keep our eyes on the Lord – that is the key to salvation. So, for a moment, I am asking you to take your eyes of the pre-lit Christmas tree, decorations and lights. There is plenty of time for that. But for a moment focus on the inside. Let us take time to focus our eyes of God.
Very soon we will bring bread and wine and place them on the altar. This bread and wine represent all of creation – light, water, soil, and human labor. But most of all they represent our lives. Just as we lay the bread and wine before God that God may transform them into God’s real presence, let us lay our lives before God in total surrender. May God transform our lives for today and for eternity, Amen.
- Fr. Satish Joseph