Sunday 17th of November 2024 - The Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Daniel 12:1-3/ Psalm 15(16)/ Hebrews 10:11-14,18/ Mark 13:24-32

We hear much these days about how human activity is damaging the earth we live in and rely upon for life. We are not owners of creation but custodians of it. God created all things and placed humanity in this world for us to live in. That does not mean that we can do as we like with creation, we have a duty to those who come after us, we must leave this world habitable for our children and our children’s children. Having said that we know that this world is in a natural and constant state of change. The period that our planet will be able to sustain human life is short compared with the whole life of the planet to say nothing of the solar system, galaxy, and the whole of creation. The time will come when human life will not be able to survive on this planet. That time is some considerable way off even if it is hastened by unsustainable human activity. What is certain is that our own time on this planet is very limited and will only last our own lifetime. That is the end time that we need to be concerned about. When we individually as the first reading puts it, will be awakened to everlasting life or everlasting disgrace. While not becoming preoccupied with the thought of death we do have to see it as the reality it is and prepare for it.

As we draw towards the end of the church’s year the readings direct us towards thoughts of the end times, the end time of history but also the end time for us individually. The first reading is the earliest account in scripture that hints at resurrection and eternal life. The psalm continues the theme with the promise of eternal life, the fullness of life in God’s presence. Jesus in the gospel passage predicts the end times but makes it clear that only God the Father knows when that will be. Jesus is calling us to be alert to the signs of the times and to be prepared for the inevitable event that we must each encounter.

Our Christian faith removes the anxiety that these readings tend to raise in us. The faith we have in the actions of Jesus as described in the letter to the Hebrews is a cause of great hope. In the image of the cross we see the supreme act of loving obedience that Jesus carried out for the love of his father and love of us. In his one single act of offering Jesus achieved the eternal perfection that we were created for. We know that we were created in the image and likeness of God. We also know that image has been tarnished by the introduction of sin in the world. We do not need to look very far to see the effect sin has on our lives and how the perfection we were created in has been damaged. In our homes, families, communities, and in the world, there can be hatred and a lack of love for God and love of neighbour.

In the early church there was an expectation that Jesus would return very soon, within their generation. As time passed ideas had to be adjusted and now, two thousand years later, we are still awaiting that glorious, promised event. As Jesus described it the end of our physical world sounds terrifying as he uses the images and language of the time. The lesson we draw from this is to be ready, be prepared, for the hour when we will come face to face with Jesus. Indeed, this will come, ‘before this generation has passed away’ because for each of us it will be at the end of our lives here. On entering eternity time as we know it will cease and indeed all physical things will have passed away. This concept is impossible for us to understand or explain trapped as we are in this physical creation in which time and distance play such an integral part. We are all destined to reach this moment of meeting with our lord and saviour and preparing for it is at the heart of our Christian faith.

We need not concern ourselves too much about the physical end of creation. Even with global warming and the natural life span of our world it will probably be some time off yet. The important thing to grasp is that Jesus is the lord of time regardless of when he will return, and he has the final word. We can forget this truth of our faith when we get carried along by all the tides of change we face in our lives here. The world likes to think it oversees events that ultimately it will not be able to control. When will the world learn that it does not have control over life and death? When will the suffering and injustices inflicted by wars and human conflict be ended? When will the powerless people who suffer so much have their day in court? Will things simply remain as they are with the seemingly endless warring, suffering and injustices inflicted on so many? The end time account given by Jesus in the gospel today assures us that all these things will be ended and there will be justice given to those who suffer so much. A new order, the Kingdom of God, based on true justice and real equity will triumph. This is what we understand of the promised return of Jesus.

Rather than being overwhelmed by the readings today we can take heart and be confident that with Jesus standing for us we have nothing to fear. His humanity is manifested in his suffering and death and even in the fact that he does not know the day or the hour of his final glory. In Jesus we have a God who is very close to us and understands fully what it is to be human living in our physical world with all its joys and sufferings. We must be strong, take heart and most of all be prepared for our own end time, the time when we will come face to face with the perfection of Jesus our Lord and Saviour.

God Bless Brendan