In times of crisis, we come to understand the deep meaning of our faith that the Lord does not abandon us but rather gives us the grace to know and experience His love for us.

 

 

Thirty Third Sunday in OT  B  2021

Autumn now seems to be giving a hint of the winter to come. Many leaves have fallen and others are continuing to fall.  There seems to be more cold darkness as the days grow shorter. 

We experience the mystery of the change of seasons.  In the Gospel, Jesus invites to reflect on the change of seasons in our lives.  What are your moments of winter?  What are the springtime moments of your life?  When do you enjoy the sunshine of summer in the story of your life?

The Gospel calls us to learn a lesson from the fig tree.  Even in the midst of the deep winter of our lives, the twigs on the fig tree will again become supple  in the springtime.  In the big picture, before this generation has passed away, new and wonderful things will have taken place.

Lord, prayer is trusting totally in your love, knowing with unshakeable confidence that heaven and earth will certainly pass away, but your love for us will not pass away.

Even before the ultimate end times, all of us at one time or another experience our life being shattered;

                --we lost our job

--our family life is hurting;

                --we fell into serious sin;

                --we learned we were seriously ill;

                --we lost someone dear to us.

Our world fell apart—the sun was darkened; the moon lost its brightness.

But you did not abandon us, Lord God.   In the midst of turmoil, we received a great grace.  We understood for the first time the meaning of our faith.  We discovered inner resources we didn’t know we had; friends rallied around us.

Again Jesus calls us to learn from the fig tree.  The fig tree seems to lose all signs of life in the dead of winter, and yet in the cycle of nature, spring and summer will bring new life and hope to the vibrancy of the fig tree. 

The meaning of faith in our lives is the capacity to trust that the Lord does not abandon us in the turmoil of lives.  Our future is full of hope despite all the struggles of our lives when we know that the Lord is with us and we are a people who believe in the triumph of the resurrection.  We believe in the Lord’s promise to us that our future is full of hope.

The liturgy calls us to consider the end times as we approach the end of the liturgical year.  The first reading from Daniel and the Gospel from Mark uses very apocalyptic language designed to be sensational.  “The sun will be darkened.  The stars will be falling from heaven and the power in the heavens will be shaken.”

They speak of the breakdown of the stable parts of our surroundings.  Yet, apocalyptic language is a message of hope.  Why?  Because Jesus has triumphed over sin and evil.  The ultimate victory belongs to

 

Jesus.  Even though it seems like our world is falling apart, for those who trust in Jesus, the message is always one of hopefulness.

Chapter 13 in Mark’s Gospel begins with Jesus making his way out of the temple with his disciples.  The disciples marvel at the greatness of the stones and buildings.  But Jesus’ response begins a deeper discussion about what is important and what they will need to look for in the coming times.

This chapter in Mark’s Gospel contains strong and alarming images.  “Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom.”  There will be earthquakes from place to place and there will be famines. The primary reason for apocalyptic literature, such as this reading from Mark, is to offer hope to those who feel there is no hope in sight.  This literature arises from a community that is facing deadly force and serious threats.  Yet even if the situation seems impossible, God will prevail.

As we approach the end of the liturgical year, the readings call our attention to the last things – the end of the world and the end of our own lives.  How do we approach and prepare for our going home to the Lord?

Jesus makes it very clear that we do not know when the end will come; of that day or that hour no one knows. 

 The Gospel invites us to do the right thing no matter what.  The Gospel gives the motivation to trust in Jesus.  Faith alone gives us the perspective to see that our current troubles are not “the end of the world.”  By trusting in God, we can successfully navigate the troubled waters of any earthly storm.  The faith perspective we seek is not that having faith in God is an insurance policy that guarantees that our lives will be devoid of troubles, but that having faith in God is the only thing that will get you through the troubles that come in every life.

I guess there are many ways for us to prepare for our ultimate encounter with the Lord.  The Gospel message is that God’s promise of faithfulness is firm.  We read in our newspapers daily about places that seem devoid of hope.  We see faces of bewildered children caught in circumstances over which they have no control.  We all know that every death on any side of the conflict of war brings loss to someone’s family, someone’s parent, or someone’s child.

What are to do?  As a people of faith, today’s psalm response:  “You will show me the path of life, you, my hope and my shelter,” reminds us that we can be certain that God is found in darkness.  God is near, walking beside us, calling us to live lives of justice and witness so that the Gospel may be carried to all the places where we go.

May this Eucharist offer us the opportunity to strengthen our faith and nourish our life in Christ. 

May God give you the virtue of hope in all the challenges in your life.