Friday of the
Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
(Daniel 7:2-14; Luke 21:29-33)
Jesus seems to be talking about the end of time in the
gospel today. The event has now been
expected for generations, but has not yet taken place. Perhaps his words may be reinterpreted to
mean the end of each human life.
The image he uses of a fig tree leafing makes good sense
then, at least for the just. The spectacle
takes place as summer approaches. It is
a time of flourishing. Jesus is
predicting that death for his disciples will not mean the cold earth reclaiming
their beings but a time of warm delight.
They will see Christ in all his glory.
This thought should bring solace to Syrian Christians
undergoing persecution today. All of us really
might consider the challenges we face daily in this same light. Perhaps we were overlooked for a promotion at
work. Perhaps we are suffering from a
wound or disease. Perhaps our car has been totaled. When we bear these troubles patiently, we
might not flinch as we sense our life’s number being called. Rather we should anticipate a time of
flourishing.
