33d Sunday in Ordinary Time

Mark 13: 24-32

 

 

“The End is Near!”

 

This is a phrase that we often hear or use in a humorous or satirical way.   Yet, it is a notion that we hear often in scripture, most especially from the Old Testament prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Joel, Zechariah and Daniel.   Today, however, we hear it from Jesus.   Jesus tells us of the end-times and cautions us that “…of that day or hour, no one knows…” while also telling us we should pay attention to the signs as a warning that the day is near.

 

Most scripture scholars agree that the earliest Christians believed that the end times were going to happen within their lifetimes.   Alas, it did not.   Many believers throughout the centuries up until the present believed, predicted, and warned that it was about to happen.   But we're still here. (And not just Christians – remember the big scare in 2012 over the Mayan Calendar?)

 

So, Jesus' message is still true, relevant and important.   We don't know when, so don't put off being a good and faithful follower of His commandments, lest we be caught unaware and unprepared!

 

However, there's an additional way, perhaps, to look at this passage.   While the end of the world has not yet come on a global scale, there have been many occasions in history where people “thought” the end was near.   And, sadly, for many people, the end has come on a personal level.    Even now, many people see the “signs.”   Namely, we live in a terribly confusing, dangerous and volatile world.   The worry that “the end is near” is always present, no matter how much we'd like to ignore that.

 

The thought occurs to me that I might not be around when the final day of judgment comes, but that will only be because I have already faced my own day of judgment.   The apocalypse is a scary thought, and, certainly, one which should make us look at our faith in a very serious and focused way.   But my one eventual demise should be no less scary or serious, in terms of how I'm living out my faith.

 

Do I truly live, or at least desire to live, in a way which brings God's love, charity, mercy, forgiveness, comfort, hope, peace and joy to the world?   If not, why wait?   If I look at the scary “signs' that are all around I can certainly see that the world is in dire need of God's presence.   So, what am I waiting for?

 

I may not know the day or hour of the second coming.   I may not know the day or hour of my own judgment day.   But I do know the day and hour that I need to bring God into this world.   And that day is today; and that hour is right now.

 

“Call Me Ishmael