33rd Sunday B
THE END AS WE KNOW IT
Are you already preparing for
Christmas? Many Filipinos surely are! But some people are “prepping” for something else – the end of the
world! Whoever managed to direct
our attention to December 21, 2012 (12-21-12) surely got the whole world on a
year-long suspense mode. There is
much talk, speculation and discussion about the end of this world or of
something else we have yet to know!
A new program on television shows
people preparing for the “end” by stocking piles of food and supplies,
burrowing tunnels, practicing shooting skills and defense tactics against
human, natural or robotic intruders.
A woman stacked up spaghetti enough to feed two thousand people in case
groceries run out!
The first reading from the Book
of Daniel (Ch. 12) is a prophecy of the end. In the midst of distress, the great archangel Michael will appear. Some people will be ushered to life
eternal while others consigned to horror unending. The Gospel of Mark (Ch. 13) recalls Jesus’ saying that the
sun and moon will lose their brilliance and stars and heavenly powers will be
in disarray. Enough basis for talks about a total black-out!
How do you feel about all these predictions? I know some people remain calm while
others become anxious and tremble.
Still, so many of us don’t give a single thought to what will happen
when the end comes, too busy on other things. Still the readings today remain
relevant, not to shock us but to rouse us to consider that everything has a
finality. God’s Word is true; it
will happen one day.
But popular imagination revolves
around frightening scenarios of doomsday events. Remember though that what the Scriptures give are figures
and symbols. Not all are literal
material to be taken exactly. The
Lord Jesus spoke many times in veiled language in parables, and like Daniel, in
apocalyptic terms.
If we examine the gospel today,
we will discover that the decisive event is not the heavenly spectacle or
earthly disruption. At the center
of the “end” is the coming of the Lord.
“The Son of Man will come in the clouds, with great power and glory,
accompanied by His angels.” It is
not doomsday that will come. It is
the Lord who will return to His people with gifts of love and salvation.
The preparation is not about
where to find safety and lasting supply.
The preparation is how to welcome Him when he comes. At Mass, we used to say: “Christ has
died. Christ is risen. Christ will
come again.” And He does come again.
The “end” comes in various ways to different people each day. How aware and prepared are we to welcome
the coming of the Lord in our day-to-day lives?
My friend just discovered that
his liver cancer might have spread to his lungs. But in his text he assured me: I live normally each day as if nothing is wrong. Why can he say that? Because he is at peace with God and
other people. He is prepared every day! This is a man who
waits for Jesus and not for disaster.
In this Year of Faith, let us
focus on Jesus and plan the welcome we will give Him!
