Thirty Third Sunday of Ordinary Time (Lk 23:35-43)“When Will It End”
Thirty Third Sunday of Ordinary Time (Lk 23:35-43)
“When Will It End”
Today we read a small section from the Book of the Prophet Malachi. We often think of prophets as those who were able to tell the future. We all would like to know the future. Perhaps that is why fortune tellers have been so popular in human history. But prophets weren’t fortune tellers.
Prophets are always those who look at present realities reflecting on the incongruity of what they see. A prophet points out the difference between what God expects and how human beings behave.
A prophet might reflect today on the fact that God wants all people to live at peace with each other. Throughout history, we have had millions of people die in war. Most wise people see the futility of war. Someone once said that “All war is a symptom of man’s failure as a rational animal.”
Just this past week, it was stated that both the Russians and Ukrainians have lost over 100,000 soldiers in the war they are fighting and that 40,000 civilians have died as well. We see no end in sight. The bloodshed will continue. Billions of dollars will be spent. Modern day prophets would say that this war is an omen for the future. Could there be nuclear conflict as a result? Some have said that we are closer than we have been since the Cuban missile crisis in the early 1960’s. Predictions are based on present realities.
This time of the year we reflect religiously, on the end times. Christians are very interested in when Jesus will return at the end of the world. We hold this to be a truth of our faith. Jesus will come again. Every Sunday we say in the creed, “He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead.”
Jesus was a prophetic figure so people came to him asking when the day of the Lord would come. What does Jesus say about it? He comments on the magnificence of the temple as he sat looking at it. The temple inspired awe. We hear about the temple often in the scriptures, but we fail to appreciate its size.
The temple sat at the highest point in Jerusalem. The temple complex covered 40 acres. King Herod the Great procured 10,000 craftsman to work 10 years to build this place of worship. The edifice was built of limestone which shimmered in the sun as people approached the city of Jerusalem to worship. The largest stone in the temple weighed 40 tons, most were over a ton.
The highest point in the temple was 45 stories in the air. The structure sat on a plateau atop the city of Jerusalem. The longest wall, the western wall, was four and a half football fields long
The thought was that the sanctuary in the temple, was where God lived. Because God lived there, because of the magnificence of the building, it was thought that it would exist forever. Yet, when Jesus was asked about the future, he said that the temple would be leveled. Before a hundred years had passed the temple was no more. Nothing is forever. No earthly structure is eternal.
Do prophets simply preach doom? Jesus didn’t respond to questioning about the end time in the way he did to scare people. He had two reasons for what he said. His first purpose was to teach people that there would be no exact time given for the end of the world. If anyone tells us they know when the end will come, they are being deceitful. No one knows.
The second purpose that Jesus had was to bring hope to people. Apocalyptic preaching isn’t pessimistic preaching. Apocalyptic preaching is hopeful preaching. The world we live in is meant to be transitory. Yes, the earth is magnificent. We think of the great mountains, the wide prairies, the great oceans, the blue skies, all the natural wonders. We can’t imagine that it would ever pass away. But one day the world we live in will evolve into the eternal kingdom that will never pass away, a kingdom that we can only imagine. Everything we see is transitory.
Jesus came to tell us that we needn’t fear. He came to show us the great mercy of God. He is the love of God made flesh. Prophets are people who point to that hope. We remember that truth as the liturgical year draws to an end with the Feast of Christ the King next Sunday.
Reflection Questions:
1. Am I afraid when I think of Jesus’ second coming? Why?
2. Would I like to know the exact moment the world will end? What would I do if I knew.
Dear Parishioners,
There will be a great event coming up for our parish on December 3rd. Mike Maynard and Matt Martell will be ordained deacons for the Diocese of Peoria. Mike and Matt have prepared for almost six years for this moment. They have spent one weekend a month away from home in a classroom setting and they have done a lot of practical ministries as well. Both have been active in church activities throughout the years. We also remember that Denise Maynard attended all the classes as well. We thank her for investing so much time.
Deacons are able supposed to be individuals who serve the church by performing charitable works. They are engaged in the spiritual and corporal works of mercy. They also engage in liturgical functions like assisting at the altar. A deacon has faculties to preach, baptize, marry people, have funerals and preside at liturgies other than Mass. Fr. Matthew and I look forward to collaborating with our two new deacons. There has been a long history of diaconal ministry here at Sacred Heart.
When Mike and Matt are ordained in Peoria, the ordination will be live streamed on the diocesan WEB page. We will be publishing information about that in upcoming bulletins. Also, there will be an opportunity in the audio-visual room at Culemans Hall. Mike and Matt will have a reception on the Fourth of December after the 11 a.m. Mass. They will preach for the first time on December 10th and 11th. Please pray for them as their ordination approaches.
May St. Steven, the first deacon, pray for us.
Fr. Mark