May we in this Eucharistic celebration pray the good Lord to give us the grace to always be vigilant, so that when Christ comes He will see us ever ready by our way of living.
DOCTRINE AND FAITH
(Daniel 12,1-3; Hebrew 10, 11-14.18; Mark 13,24-32; 33rd Sunday of the Year B, 14th November, 2021)
As we are approaching the end of the liturgical year, the Church makes us read texts that are related to the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the world.
In the Gospel, Jesus' discourse begins with the question of a disciple who is overwhelmed in his admiration of the facade of the magnificent construction of the temple in Jerusalem. King Herod the Great had it rebuilt. It was truly an impressive construction. Jesus answers this question with a terrible prophecy: Do you see these great constructions? There will not remain here stone upon stone, all will be destroyed. The disciples then ask for clarification, and Jesus gives a long speech in which the end of Jerusalem also becomes the anticipated figure of the end of the world. However, in this discourse it is not possible to distinguish between what concerns the end of Jerusalem and the end of the world. Jesus warns his disciples against inattentiveness, saying that one must always be attentive and vigilant. It matters a little whether the end of the world is near or far: we must always be ready for the coming of the Lord.
The prophets had announced catastrophic events. In the first reading, taken from the book of the prophet Daniel, it speaks of a time of anguish, such as has never been since the rise of the nations up to that time. But the message of the prophet is positive for those who are faithful to the Lord: In that time your people will be saved, those whose names are written in the book [= the book in which God writes the name of the elect]. Daniel also foresees the resurrection: Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will awaken: one to eternal life, others to eternal shame and infamy. These impressive events announced must make us think of the final judgment, in which we will be evaluated according to our works, and, therefore, be admitted to the eternal life, or damned. But we must always have confidence, and take advantage of these predictions to be more committed in our Christian life in union with Christ and in charity towards our brothers.
Similarly, in the Gospel passage Jesus announces catastrophes: In those days, after that tribulation, the sun will darken, and the moon will no longer shine, and the stars will begin to fall from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens will be upset. They are images that Jesus takes from the prophets to describe the final events. Then the Son of man will appear, that is, Christ, who will send angels to gather his chosen ones. So, these people can remain quiet, but on condition that they are vigilant. Then Jesus says: As for that day or hour, no one knows them, not even the angels in heaven, and not even the Son, but only the Father. We are uncertain, and Jesus himself confesses that he is unable to specify the day and time of these final events (the end of Jerusalem or the end of the world). This condition of uncertainty must make us to be always vigilant. It is a favorable condition, because it forces us to commit ourselves. If we knew the day and hour of our end, we could not be committed, knowing for a time that we were not in danger. Instead, not knowing this certainty, we must always be vigilant.
Jesus' discourse aims to make us live fully. On the one hand, it frees us from fear, because Jesus assures us of his help and intervention. If we are united with him, nothing can harm us in a definitive way; on the other hand, it pushes us to a life of serious and confident commitment.
The second reading tells us about Jesus' sacrifice and its consequences for us. In fact, our current situation is positive and complete due to Jesus’ sacrifice, which is presented once again for us in the Eucharist. Jesus offered to the Father a fully effective sacrifice. The Letter to the Hebrews reminds us that in the ancient cult ineffective sacrifices were offered, sacrifices that were not able, in any way, to eliminate sins. But, Christ offered a single sacrifice for sins once and for all, and then sat down on the right hand of God, because his sacrifice is sufficient for all our needs, and perfectly effective. We read in the Letter to the Hebrews: With a single oblation he has made perfect forever those who are sanctified. In baptism, Jesus’ sacrifice communicates to us the perfection necessary to be in relationship with God. Then, in the Christian life we must continue to welcome sanctification, which is communicated to us by Jesus’ sacraments, the fruit of his only offering. Thanks to this sanctification, we find ourselves in a serene and trusting relationship with God, even in the midst of all possible upheavals. Whoever is united with God must not fear anything, because God is always with him to help and make him draw good even from evil. Let us therefore, prepare for the end of the liturgical year with these sentiments of trust and vigilance. Trust, because the Lord has given us everything necessary to live fully and reach the eternal life of union with him in love. Vigilance, because we know that we are fragile, and weak people, who find themselves in the midst of many dangers. Evil is rampant in the world, but we must not allow it to contaminate us. Therefore, we must always have recourse to the source of grace, to be able to overcome all dangers, not only without being harmed, but also gaining spiritual profits.
We live with trust and vigilance, always intent on progressing in love. This is our fundamental vocation, which is given to us by Jesus' offering, which also makes us capable of carrying it out. +John I. Okoye.
(graphics by Charles O.Chukwubike)
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