Reflection on Mass readings for Nov. 17 (33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time)
Daniel 12:1-3
Psalm 16:5, 8, 9-10, 11
Hebrew 10:11-14, 18
Mark 13:24-32
Most of us want to be sure that our income in retirement will provide the standard of living we want, and possibly leave an inheritance for our children and grandchildren. We can prepare for it, and most of us can determine when our retirement happens.
However, retirement is not the most important thing for which we need to prepare. It is the afterlife, our life after our time here on earth. Like retirement, we would all like to be prepared for it, but unlike retirement, it can’t be predicted, and we can’t determine when it will begin. The Scripture readings this weekend speak to us about this.
The last verse of our Gospel reading tells us: “Of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven nor the Son but only the Father.” We can’t predict the end of time; the things that will happen before tell us the end is near, but not when it will take place.
What “near” means to us may not mean the same thing for God. If we die before the end of time, we don’t know for sure when that will happen. Since we don’t know the timing of our passing from this life to the next, it behooves us to start preparing now. If we don’t start now, we may not have time to get our lives in order before either event occurs.
The readings this weekend give us insight into our preparation. The reading from Daniel tells us those who have their name “written in the book” will escape the things to come before the end. Jesus tells us in the Gospel reading that, at the end of time, the Son of Man will send his angels to gather the elect from the four corners of the earth.
We all know that through Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection, we are saved. Through our baptism, we are joined to Christ in his passion and death. We become members of the Body of Christ, and our names are written in the book; we are part of the elect.
St. Paul tells us our lives must be consecrated: “This one [Christ] offered one sacrifice for our sins … for by one offering he has made perfect forever those who are being consecrated.”
Consecrating our lives to God doesn’t mean that we all become priests, deacons or men and women religious. It is through our baptism that we are all called to consecrate our lives to God.
We do this by living in the way Jesus calls us and shows us. When we consecrate our lives to God, the day or time the end comes or when we are called home to God doesn’t matter.
The Book of Daniel tells us: “Those with insight will shine brightly … those who lead the many to justice shall be like the stars forever.” Our challenge this weekend lies in this Scripture reading. The wise are the ones who know God the Father, Son, and Spirit, and know God’s ways. We get to know God by reading and understanding the Scriptures, especially the Gospels. If we are truly wise in the knowledge of God, we become imitators of Jesus.
Imitating Jesus is not easy. Jesus brought justice to people. He removed the barriers that kept people apart. As we approach the end of the Church year, it is a good time to examine our lives.
Have we grown in our knowledge and love of Jesus Christ? Have we become people who imitate Jesus and live justly in our lives?
Deacon Christopher Colville serves at Church of the Redeemer, Mechanicsville.