Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Last week, the title for my homily was the “The Art of Dying Well.” The theme revolved around one thought - that the art of dying well is really about the art of living well. So this week I decided to focus in the “art of living well.” The focus of last week’s readings was death and dying. This week’s focus is on the end times and when that actually happens how might be we be found living well. The irony is that we have no insight into when these cataclysmic events might occur. The only thing we can do is to make sure that when these things do happen, we are found living well. Really! That is all we can do!
Three points that are part of the "art of living well."
1. Change is Unchanging Reality. Today’s gospel reading begins with some people admiring the costly stones and votive offerings in the temple. In response, Jesus made a wise remark. He said, “All that you see here— the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.” He was talking about the Temple of Jerusalem. He then went on to also talk about the destruction of the world. The lesson we can draw from all of this is simply this - that nothing is permanent. Just look into the mirror! Change is unchanging and sometimes we put too much emphasis on that which is impermanent. The art of living well is to be wise about those things on which we place value. This is Jesus’ point in the gospel. When the world crumbles, we better be found with faith. When the world crumbles our relationships better be good because we will need each other. When the world crumbles, we better be at peace with God and with ourselves. When the world crumbles we better be found living the life of a disciples. When the world crumbles we better be found thinking, talking and acting like Christ. These are the only unchanging realities. Everything else, as Jesus says, not one stone will be left upon another.
2. Terrific not Terrified! It seems truly amazing to me that as Jesus describes the terrifying details of the destruction of the world, Jesus also says to his disciples, “Do not be terrified!” Really? Jesus himself was terrified in the garden of Gethsemane. I am sure that Jesus did not mean that his disciples will never be terrified. If you ever have had a health scare, or lost your job, or lost a child, or been in a natural disaster… you know the meaning of terror. The context of Jesus statement is crucial to understand his statement. We must remember that the gospel of Luke was written very close to the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD. For people who lived in those times, it did feel like the end of the world. For Christians, persecution added to their sense of despair. They really believed the apocalypse was at hand. Luke was writing these words to his audience to assure them that the one thing that they do not have to be terrified about is their final destiny. This was not some empty promise or some placebo like assurance. The art of living well is simply this — that we live with undaunted faith in the eternal destiny that Jesus has assured us. Our life on earth might be destroyed, but eternal life has been assured to us by Jesus Christ. A contrast will be helpful here. Today’s second reading from Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians was written before Luke wrote his gospel. The Temple was not yet destroyed. There were people in Thessalonica who sat idle anticipating the second coming and apocalypse. They were not living well, instead, like most lazy people, became a burden to everyone else. Paul tells them to follow his example of hard work and integrity. The bottom line is this - that Christ has assured us of our eternal destiny. However, to get there we must live well today.
3. By Your Perseverance! The fact that persecution was a major concern becomes more and more obvious as we reach the end of today’s passage. The scene that Luke describes of Christians being dragged before synagogues, kings, governors, and betrayal by family members that resulted in death was not a hypothetical situation he was presenting. Luke was actually describing actually happening as he was writing. In this context, the art of living that Jesus teaches us is this - “By your perseverance you will secure your lives.” What does this mean for us? Even though we do not face persecution like the early Christians did or live in the imminent danger of an apocalypse, it is not common for our lives to be thrown into disarray. In these times what do we fall back on? This just happened to me. Single handedly ministering in two parishes and my father’s health deteriorating has thrown my life into disarray. I found five things helpful - undying faith in God, enduring friendships, and careful management of my financial resources, caring about the poor and the church, and taking care of my own health. Jesus is right - by our perseverance we will secure our lives! You have to come up with your own formula for securing your lives! This is the art of living well.
The Eucharist is an integral part of the art of living well. It gives us food for the journey. Let us equip ourselves well.
- Fr. Satish Joseph