HOMILY FOR 33rd SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME-B

TODAY’S GOSPEL FROM MARK 13 DEALS WITH THE END OF THE WORLD AND IS A VERY CHALLENGING ONE, BUT MAYBE NOT FOR THE REASON A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK SO.  WE HEAR A LOT OF PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE END OF THE WORLD.  PEOPLE ON TV SAY THIS IS A SIGN OR THAT IS A SIGN THAT THE END OF THE WORLD IS UPON US, JESUS’ RETURN AND THE FINAL JUDGMENT IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER, THE SIGNS ARE IN THE SKY OR IN THE POLITICAL SITUATION IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

IT MIGHT BE OR IT MIGHT NOT BE.  THERE IS NO QUESTION THERE WILL BE A FINAL JUDGMENT.  BUT, THE CHURCH ALSO TEACHES THERE WILL BE A JUDGMENT EVEN BEFORE THE FINAL ONE.  THAT’S CALLED THE PARTICULAR JUDGMENT AND THAT JUDGMENT WILL OCCUR IMMEDIATELY WHEN EACH OF US DIES AND FACES THE LORD.  THAT’S THE ONE JESUS IS TELLING US TO WORRY IN CHAPTER 13 OF MARK.

BEFORE GETTING ON TO THAT, LET’S TRY TO CLEAR UP TWO PROBLEMS IN THE WORDING OF TODAY’S GOSPEL.  JESUS SAYS THAT ALL HE PREDICTS WILL OCCUR BEFORE THE PRESENT GENERATION PASSES AWAY.  WELL, THE END OF THE WORLD HASN’T COME.  WAS JESUS WRONG AND HOW CAN HE BE GOD IF HE IS WRONG?

HERE’S THE CLUE.  WHEN HE MADE THAT STATEMENT HE WAS NOT REFERRING THERE TO THE END OF THE WORLD BUT TO THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM WHICH HE PREDICTED EARLIER IN THE FIRST PART OF CHAPTER 13.  THAT’S PRETTY CLEAR SINCE IN THE NEXT SENTENCE HE SAYS ONLY THE FATHER KNOWS WHEN THE END OF THE WORLD WILL OCCUR.  SO JESUS WOULD NOT PREDICT THE END OF THE WORLD IN ONE SENTENCE AND THEN IN THE NEXT SENTENCE SAY THAT HE DOESN’T KNOW WHEN THE END WILL BE.  IN 70 A.D., JERUSALEM AND THE TEMPLE WERE DESTROYED WITH HORRIBLE LOSS OF LIFE.  THE JEWISH HISTORIAN JOSEPHUS ESTIMATES OVER ONE MILLION JEWS DIED OF STARVATION AND BATTLE IN THE ROMAN SIEGE OF JERUSALEM.  JESUS EVIDENTLY DID KNOW WHAT HE WAS TALKING ABOUT.

THAT BRINGS UP ANOTHER PROBLEM.  IF JESUS IS GOD, HOW COME HE DOESN’T KNOW WHEN THE END OF THE WORLD WILL BE?  HERE WE ARE DEALING WITH THE INTERNAL WORKINGS OF THE TRINITY AND WE ARE IN WAY ABOVE OUR HEADS.  WHY IT’S THE FATHER THAT KNOWS AND NOT THE SON OR HOLY SPIRIT, WE CANNOT SAY.  ALL WE KNOW IS THAT THE PERSONS OF THE TRINITY DO DIFFERENT THINGS FOR REASONS OF THEIR OWN.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE FATHER DID NOT DIE ON THE CROSS, THE SON DID.  THE SPIRIT IS WITH US NOW TO GUIDE US ON EARTH AND NOT THE SON OR THE FATHER.  THE FATHER CREATED THE WORLD AND NOT THE SPIRIT.  MAYBE WE WILL UNDERSTAND WHEN WE MEET ALL THREE PERSONS FACE-TO-FACE.  NOW WHEN I MEET THEM FACE TO FACE FOR MY PARTICULAR JUDGMENT, I DON’T PLAN ON TELLING THEM THAT THEY HAD IT ALL WRONG, THAT THE SPIRIT SHOULD HAVE DONE THIS, THE FATHER THAT AND THE SON SHOULD HAVE KNOWN WHEN THE END OF THE WORLD WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.  I’M ALREADY IN ENOUGH TROUBLE SO I PLAN TO KEEP MY MOUTH SHUT.

NOW TO THE REAL POINT OF TODAY’S GOSPEL.  IT IS INTERESTING THAT WHEN WE SPEAK OF THE END OF THE WORLD, WE CAN REALLY MEAN TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.  FIRST, IT CAN MEAN THE END LIKE THE END OF A MOVIE.  THIS MEANING WHEN APPLIED TO THE WORLD IS NOT CONTROVERSIAL AT ALL.  EVERYONE, FROM THE MOST ATHEISTIC SCIENTIST TO THE MOST DEVOUT SAINT, BELIEVES THAT THE WORLD WILL END.  WHEN AND HOW IT WILL END IS NOT WORTH WORRYING ABOUT, JESUS TELLS US, SINCE WE CAN’T KNOW AND WE MAY NOT BE ALIVE WHEN IT HAPPENS ANYWAY.

BUT THERE IS ANOTHER MEANING TO THE WORD “END” THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT AND THIS IS THE MEANING THAT JESUS WAS STRESSING.  WE ALSO USE THE WORD “END” TO MEAN MEANING OR PURPOSE.  WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE WORLD AND WHAT WERE WE SUPPOSED TO DO TO HELP ACHIEVE THAT PURPOSE?  WELL, THE WORLD WAS CREATED TO GIVE GLORY TO GOD.

SO WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS TO MAKE SURE OUR LIVES HELPED THE WORLD GIVE GLORY TO GOD.  THAT’S WHAT THAT PARTICULAR JUDGMENT OCCURRING AT THE EXACT TIME OF OUR DEATH WILL DETERMINE.  IF OUR LIVES DID GIVE GLORY TO GOD, WE’RE IN GOOD SHAPE.  IF NOT, WELL, WE ALL KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.  GOD IS GOD AND WE’VE MADE A DEADLY MISTAKE IF WE’VE CROSSED HIM.

THE VERY NEXT VERSES THAT FOLLOW TODAY’S GOSPEL BRING HOME THE POINT JESUS WAS MAKING.  HE TELLS A PARABLE OF HOW THE SERVANTS OF A HOUSE OWNER WHO IS ON A TRIP HAD BETTER BE ON THEIR TOES SINCE THEY DON’T KNOW WHEN THE OWNER IS GOING TO RETURN.  ONLY THE OWNER KNOWS THAT.  THE SERVANTS HAD BEST BE PREPARED AT ALL TIMES.  SO SHOULD WE.

AT A VERY PRACTICAL LEVEL, TODAY’S READINGS INVITE US TO MEDIATE, NOT ONLY ON THE FINAL END OF THE WORLD, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY ON OUR OWN DEATH.  THIS IS NOT SOME MEDITATION THAT IS SUPPOSED TO MAKE US SAD OR FRIGHTENED OR UPSET, BUT IS DESIGNED TO REMIND US THAT EVERYTHING IS THIS WORLD COMES TO AN END.  IN SHORT, ALL OF US WILL DIE.  WE MUST LEARN TO LOOK DEATH IN THE EYE, TO THINK ABOUT IT AND WHAT IT MEANS.

THAT MEDIATION INVITES US TO FURTHER REFLECT ON HOW WE ARE LIVING OUR LIVES, AND IS REALLY FULL OF HOPE.  AS DANIEL IN OUR FIRST READING POINTS OUT, IF WE LIVE OUR LIVES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REASON GOD CREATED THE WORLD, WE SHALL SHINE LIKE STARS IN HEAVEN.  WE WILL BE AMONG THOSE THAT JESUS IN TODAY’S GOSPEL PROMISED HIS ANGELS WILL GATHER TO HIM FOR ETERNITY.