The Good News in the Little Apocalypse

Homily for the 33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time

The days will come…
When nation will rise against nation.
There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues;
and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.
You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends,
but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.
By your perseverance you will secure your lives. (Lk 21:5-19)

Jesus describes what’s going to happen during these end times.  And his description is terrifying!  He says, “The days will come…”  The days will come where the temple will be destroyed, many deceivers will offer false promises, “nation will rise against nation”, and “earthquakes, famines and plagues” will roam the earth.  Powerful rulers will oppress you.  Family and friends will betray you.  During these end times, there will be division.

We live in the end times, the time between the resurrection of Jesus and his second coming. In this in-between time, we await the coming of the Son of Man and the restoration of the kingdom of God. 

This is part of God plan, which is to restore all creation to its original beauty and glory.  Through the sin of Adam and Eve, all creation was broken.  Suffering and death entered the world.  Through the resurrection of Jesus, God initiated the plan to end suffering and death.  The final step is the coming of the Son of Man, all the dead shall be raised, God will create a new heaven and earth, and all the blessed will be stewards of God’s creation in their glorified bodies, giving fitting praise and glory to God. 

While living in the end times, we must be mindful of the glorious kingdom that awaits us. 

~

Jesus talks about warring nations.  Each day, we hear of not only the waring nations, but the warring opinions between people.  Even in our Church some follow this voice or that voice, and are not following the voice of the Lord.  Hear are a few controversial issues – Altar rails, Traditional Latin Mass, immigration, Co-Redemptrix, and social justice – in a church that is Catholic, which means ‘universal’.  Saint Ignatius of Antioch first used the term, saying we are Catholic because we share the same belief.

Jesus talks about plagues and famine going from place to place.  The plague today is division, a sickness infecting all parts of society.  The famine today are people starving for the word of God, the love of God, the mercy of God and the forgiveness of God. 

Jesus talks about families being torn apart.  The toxic atmosphere makes it difficult to share an opinion with another, even with certain family members.  I talked with a woman who didn’t want to gather with her family for Thanksgiving because they attack her Catholic faith. 

Buried in the theses terrifying details, Jesus offers four words of hope to his disciples and to us to get through the tough times ahead:

Do not be deceived.

Do not be afraid.

I will give you wisdom.

Persevere in your faith.

First, do not be deceived.  Do not be deceived by all of these divisive voice clamoring for attention.  These voices are loud, urgent, and demanding.  The voices sometimes put down others to elevate their opinion.  Jesus said, “Many will come in my name…  Do not follow them!”  Follow the voice of the Good Shepherd.  In contrast to the voice of the false prophets, the voice of the Good Sheperd in contrast is soft, patient, and inviting.  The voice of the Good Shepherd never diminishes another person, but restores dignity and value. 

Second, do not be afraid.  It is easy to look at the direction society is taking and be afraid.  Just as in the time of Jesus, powerful forces dominate the landscape and silence any opposition.  The result is to cause many to withdraw in fear.  To those who feel helpless in the face of such power, Jesus says, “Do not be afraid.”  Have faith in me.  Have faith that even though the world is broken, God’s plan to bring about a kingdom of love and peace is steadily marching toward fulfillment.  Do not look with fear on the trials and troubles of this but look instead with confidence that the God who has saved you in the past will save you today. 

Third, I will give you wisdom.  Wisdom comes from God. In the end times, seek out the wisdom that comes from that voice I just described, not from You Tube or Facebook.  The woman I mentioned asked me, “What should I do when people attack my faith?”  I thought about this scripture and said, “Pray.  Jesus promised that he will give you the wisdom you need.  Listen to his voice.” 

Fourth, persevere in your faith.  Stay steady in your prayers, practice the virtues – especially faith, hope and love – and trust that the kingdom is coming.  Until it comes, God cares for every hair on your head.

We may live in the end times, but our gaze should always be fixed on  God’s ultimate plan to create a new heaven and a new earth.  Amidst all these difficulties, listen to the promise of the prophet Malachi:  “But for you who fear my name, there will arise the sun of justice with its healing rays.”