THIRTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
(Malachi 3:19-20; II Thessalonians 3:7-12; Luke 21:5-19)
Sixty-five years ago, atomic scientists contrived the
Doomsday Clock in an attempt to avert a nuclear catastrophe. The concept of the
Clock is simple. When in the judgment of scientists there is more likelihood of
nuclear war, they advance the clock closer to midnight. Midnight, of course, is
a symbol for the end of the world. During the Cold War the clock was close to
the dire hour. But, according to this clock, the end has never been closer than
now. Surely it is reasonable. Russia has said that it may use nuclear bombs in
Ukraine. China is threatening Taiwan, a close ally of the United States. North
Korea also has nuclear bombs, and Iran may have them soon.
Are we reaching the moment of complete destruction that
Jesus speaks of in the gospel today? Surely one of the signs has been realized.
Nations have risen up against one another. Also, there has also been the Covid
pandemic and earthquakes like the one that caused great damage in Puerto Rico
three years ago. In addition, persecutions against Christians continue. A few
months ago some Muslim terrorists massacred fifty people in a Nigerian Catholic
church. Not as severe but also worrying is the intense criticism against some
Catholic organizations such as the Knights of Columbus. For opposing abortion
as the taking of innocent life and for declaring that marriage is the union of
one man and one woman, the Church encounters the disdain of many. Now they not
only roll their eyes but look for ways to coerce members into conforming to contemporary
ideas. An American cardinal twelve years ago said that he expected to die in
bed, but his successor would die in prison, and his successor will die a martyr
in the public square. The cardinal was exaggerating, but we have seen the
denunciation against the Church grow.
We have to prepare for persecution, not with weapons of
steel but with weapons of the Holy Spirit. We must form the habit of praying
frequently. If we don't, we may find ourselves leaving the faith under
persecution. We also need to develop the strength that trusts in the words of
Jesus. As he says in the gospel today, he will give us wise words to refute our
adversaries. In addition, we want to study the word of God so that we know Jesus
as our companion and his thoughts as our own.
It is not time to retreat thinking that Christ is so close
that he will rescue us from these challenges. This is the pretext of the idlers
in the second reading. Saint Paul completely rejects it when he says that those
who do not want to work should not eat. Rather, Paul wants the Thessalonians to
imitate his example of working for the good of the community. Even more
important, we should follow Paul in his eagerness to bear witness to Jesus
Christ. In Jesus we not only have a prophet who tells us the will of God. We
also have a savior who gave himself to us to free us from sin.
Would we prefer that the world ends sooner rather than later?
It seems that it is better to do it earlier because we want to be with the Lord
as soon as possible. However, we do not want it to end with a nuclear bomb. In
any case, when the Lord Jesus comes, may he find us bearing witness to him.
Both with works and with words may we bear witness to him.
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