33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
This weekend we celebrate the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time and the readings remind us that God is always at work, even when times are hard and for many people these days they certainly are. The readings also speak of judgment, they give us a warning about what we need to do and also give us hope. They call us above everything else to stay faithful and trust that God will care for those who honor Him. In the First Reading A fierce day will come in which a fire will consume the arrogant and wicked, says the Lord. But those who honour him will see the healing sun of righteousness rise. The promise of the “sun of righteousness” reflects Malachi’s theme of God restoring His people. For those who honor Him, healing and renewal are certain.
In the Second Reading St Paul tells the Thessalonians we worked hard among you as an example to follow. We taught that one must work to eat and advised against idleness and meddling. Living in hope of Christ’s coming does not excuse laziness but calls for service and steady work. The vision of the future in the Gospel Reading for this Sunday doesn’t look very appealing. The bad news is delivered first of all. Jesus imagines a time of terror and trouble and persecution ‘Nation will fight against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes and plagues and famines and there; there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven. Jesus says, “These things must happen.” Then there will be cosmic upheavals: “the sun will be darkened, the moon will lose its brightness, the stars will come falling from heaven”. After this catalogue of disaster there is the good news. Jesus looks beyond the time of distress to the final time, when the Son of Man will gather the nations the scattered people of God to himself. Jesus sees beyond suffering and persecution to a future of peace with God and one another. God does not want us to be anxious, but he calls us to confidence in the message we hear in the gospel and asks us to live it in our lives so that we will remain in his light. Let us encourage one another to remain steadfast in faith, to live with vigilance, and to look forward to Christ’s coming with joy and trust.
The Lord calls us to stay awake amidst the many distractions of life, so that we will recognize him when he comes again. St. John of the Cross wrote, “When evening comes, you will be examined in love” (Sayings, 60). We prepare for the day of Christ’s coming by recognizing him in the people around us our families and friends as well as those in the communities where we live and by knowing him through his word and the sacramental life of faith. As we see in the world these days false securities and shallow guarantees will not sustain us in times of real strife and testing and we see this in many places in the world. By rejecting the false securities that are offered to us and placing our trust in God, we find true confidence, strength and peace. In our trials God alone must be our hope our salvation and our shield for God’s ways must be our ways, so that when our misplaced confidences fail us we can turn our eyes to the Fathers saving light. We are called this weekend to be living signs of God’s promise a people prepared for the glory that awaits all who honour the Lord. Let us be vigilant and not anxious for that day when God calls us and looks at us with love and says Your endurance has won you your life.’
Fullerton T 