Thirty Third Sunday of Ordinary Time (Mk. 13:24-32) “Enter the Journey”
Homily Thirty Third Sunday of Ordinary Time (Mk. 13:24-32) “Enter the Journey”
When we came to church today, we might feel a little depressed. What did we see and feel? The colorful leaves are falling off the trees. The sky is gray. The mist is falling. Some people might say that there is a snap in the air. Others might say that there is a damp cold that penetrates the bones. The changes of seasons always cause some anxiety doesn’t it?
What better time is there to reflect on Apocalyptic literature? We have such writing in the Book of Daniel. We have similar words in the Gospel of Mark. The end times are mentioned. Are the end times the end? Or are they the times that we live through to get to the end? Really, apocalypse describes the time in between. Whenever we live in between two eras there is a lot of tension in the air.
We live in an in-between time in our world today. Perhaps this is the most unstable time in the history since the 16th Century. What was going on then? The invention of the printing press had taken place. For the first time books, pamphlets, and flyers, could be mass produced. Consistent information could be spewed into society (be it true or false). More people learned to read. A whole new hemisphere was also discovered which led to mass migration across the Atlantic. The Christian church in Europe divided into many parts. Everything that gave stability to the western world was thrown up for grabs.
Today, we have another information revolution. The internet means we can share news instantaneously with the whole world. No paper and ink are required. We worry about the survival of our planet contemplating if we will destroy life as we know it. Will we have to leave earth we wonder? We have a sense that we oversee our own fate, but will we seize the moment? In the religious realm, the church has lost credibility because of scandal. People wonder what to believe.
How do we react? One way is to wait for the figure that will solve all our problems. The Book of Daniel was written when the people of Israel were in exile in Babylon. The Jews were unmoored from the certainties they had relied on for centuries. Daniel felt it was a time of unsurpassed distress. And what does he see? He sees Michael the Archangel coming. He sees that escape from all the struggle and turmoil will be provided through this supernatural event.
What does Jesus say in the Gospel? He predicts a time when the Jewish society will collapse again. He says, “the powers of heaven will be shaken.” But another other worldly figure will come, “The Son of Man.” Jesus referred to himself by that title. Jesus was predicting his second coming.
We have two ways of reacting to these readings. One way is to believe we should hunker down and wait for an all-powerful leader to arrive to solve all our problems. Wouldn’t that be easy? We just survive as we can. We look around for some leader that has all the answers. We place our fate in that person’s hands. We seem to have a lot of people who want to do that today. But is that the way to make it through a change?
Maybe there is another way. We have a rhetorical question that is often asked in our world. “Is it the journey or it is it the destination?” The heroic journey is often what inspires us. Two powerful myths of our time fascinate people. One myth is a myth J.R. Tolkien wrote about in his Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Another myth is the Star Wars movie. What is the common theme? Both stories speak of apocalyptic times. In both cases the thing that is uplifting is the characters traveling together, meeting challenges, supporting each other, and bonding through the experience. When one adventure is over, another begins. Character is built by moving ahead through the chaos, learning to live in the in-between spaces of history. Having faith.
As we come to the end of the year, our church seems to be undergoing a shift in how we do business. Our leader, Pope Francis, is saying to us, “I don’t have all the answers.” He is a different type of leader. And this is disconcerting for many. Francis has called for a worldwide study of how to be a synodal church. How can we listen to one another he asks? How might we make corporate decisions guided by the Holy Spirit? The process will unfold over the next few years. We are all being asked to help the church live through the apocalyptic times. Making this journey will challenge us all. But it may bring us to a greater maturity in our faith life, a deeper bond with each other and a stronger faith in the teachings of Jesus. Everything depends on whether we invest in the journey, or whether we refuse to move.
Reflection Questions:
1. Do I feel like I want someone to take care of me? Am I resolved to face the problems of my life?
2. Is the church better off with a top-down governmental structure? What are the problems with a more collegial church?
Dear Parishioners,
This Sunday we will commemorate the Feast of Christ the King. This Feast marks the end of the church year. We also look forward to Thanksgiving and the beginning of the holiday season.
As we move from one year into the next, we have anxiety, and we feel gratitude. There have been many challenges that we have had to overcome, and this continues to be the case. Right now, there are worries about inflation and supply chains. Will we get all the stuff we usually have for Christmas? The worry is that if we don’t this will depress our mood more.
Our Christian spirituality could help us through. Jesus taught us that our happiness does not have to depend on what we own. Didn’t our savior say, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven”? The virtue of holy indifference is something that many saints taught about, people like St. Francis, St. Ignatius Loyola, and St. Mother Teresa.
Advent might be a time to live a little more simply. We can move around more freely than last year so we could revert to hyperactivity the next four weeks. Maybe this is the year to say no to excess.
May Our Lady and all the Angels and saints watch over you.
Fr. Mark
Remember Sacred Heart in your estate planning.
As we move to the end of the church year, we remind you to consider contributing to Sacred Heart. We have need to pay our ongoing bills so remember to contribute to our regular collections.
Thanksgiving Meal Prayer
May this food restore our strength,
giving us new energy to tired limbs,
new thoughts to weary minds.
May this drink restore our souls,
giving vision to dry spirits,
new warmth to cold hearts.
And once refreshed,
may we give new pleasure to you,
who gives us all.