34th week in Ordinary Time, Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Scripture: Revelation 14:14-19. Psalm 96:10-13. Luke 21:5-11

During this last week of the liturgical year we continue to listen and read Scriptures that describe the endtime. I am led to see the whole week in the light of Sunday's celebration which was that of Christ the King. With Jesus as Lord over the whole cosmos, we can live through these threatening and dramatic readings which were written in the context of the experiences of the early Christians in a time of crisis. The Apocalypse, of course, is the primary source for such symbolic readings. One should never read this book literally. Symbolic language and the literary construction of apocalyptic works are wrapped in symbolism not in historical reality except for the people who experienced some of the history of oppression and persecution when the works were written. We have seen some of this in Ezekiel and Daniel the prophetic books and in chapter 13 of Mark, the "little apocalypse." Luke has already tempered some of the threatening language as he realizes the endtime cannot be predicted. Jesus himself is said to have no knowledge of when it will come; only the Father knows.

We are however asked to evaluate our behavior and conduct in the light of these Scriptures for the meaning that will touch our lives today. Some parts of the globe seem to be emersed in what appears signs of the endtimes when wars, rumor of wars, and oppressive hunger and poverty attack people lives. As we turn to Luke's Gospel we realize that he has already heard about the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. and has written his descriptions of the event in the light of what he already knows from his sources. For us the writings are then a time for a personal examination of our consciences to see where we are lacking in love for the other person or the stranger. We realize that the end of the world is not near and every prediction about it has come to naught. We must live in the presence. The present moment is and can be sacramental.

A practice that I was taught by the Marianists is to begin my day with prayer in the presence of God. To do this one puts oneself in that presence for a few moments before beginning to pray or reflect on the Scriptures, the Psalms, or some spiritual book we are reading. Strengthened by that presence we are never afraid to listen to these difficult passages in the Bible. Surely they are warnings that are meant to be interpreted in the light of our own personal and communitarian contexts. God and Jesus are suggesting to us to listen to them while remaining confident and secure in their presence. They are faithful to the covenant made with each of us and want us to take it seriously and to observe our part in the covenant. I found the last verse of today's Psalm very helpful to start the day in the presence of God and to remain calm while the readings speak of judgment and the endtimes: "Before the Lord (that is, before the presence of God), he comes to rule the earth. He shall rule the world with justice and the peoples with his constancy." (Psalm 96:13).

Dear readers, I will be in Cupertino giving an Advent Retreat to our Marianist brothers from November 28-Dec.8th. Of course, I will have some time to enjoy the sun there and get some exercise in walking the hills. Father Bert