THE BEGINNING OF THE END

SUNDAY, THIRTY THIRD WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Mal 3:19-20; Ps 98:5-9; 2 Thess 3:7-12; Lk 21:5-19

The Sign of the Coming of the Son of Man

As we draw close to the end of the Church’s Liturgical year, the readings take on the aspect of Parousia or eschatology. The Church intends to remind us of the end of time, subjective and objective. The time allotted to each of us in this temporary life is limited. Therefore, we must be cautious about how we use the most limited resource on earth, namely, time. We are also reminded that time, in its objective understanding as a material phenomenon, will come to an end one day. Just as it started with the creation of the universe, like any other material creature, time would end and everything contained in it. If both individual and objective time have an end, we must live as conscientious stewards of God’s grace. Our entrance into eternity, which is the life that ought to belong to us, according to the plan of God, depends on our usage of the limited time and grace entrusted to us now. A wise steward, who understands the limited nature of the resources he received in entrustment, uses them in such a way as to maximise the gain or profit made from them. But ignorance of the inherent limitation of time causes the doom of the foolish steward. For the foolish steward wastes the precious resources, thinking he has them in abundance, and he is to render an account of every bit of the usage of the limited resources to the Master. The Church, like a wise mother, calls the attention of her children to these important realities that would determine the outcome of their lives on earth.

What is the nature of the end of time? We cannot say for certain, but some signs are given as indicators of the end. The coming of the end of time would be marked by the coming to the light of the works of darkness. Just as the dawn is marked by the dispersal of darkness and the revelation of all that was hidden by darkness by the rays of the coming Sun, the prophet Malachi says the wicked would be consumed, root and stem, by the rising of the Sun of Justice. “The day is coming now, burning like a furnace, and all the arrogant and the evil-doers will be like stubble. The day that is coming is going to burn them up, says the Lord of Hosts, leaving them neither root nor stalk.” The coming of the Son of Man, who is the Sun of Justice, would destroy the wicked because their lives and works were wrought or based on falsehood; their presuppositions and beliefs were lies, since they were all conceived in falsehood, without the light of the word of God. The revelation of the divine truth would reveal them as baseless and useless for anything meaningful. Thus, they would disappear as the morning dew and fog that are made of them. All who have built their lives on these demonic lies would discover they have based their lives on illusions. But those who have built their lives on the truth of the word of God would discover the solidity of that everlasting foundation of reality. “But for you who fear my names, the sun of righteousness will shine out with healing in its rays.”

Just as truth measures the wisdom of the wise and the foolishness of the fools, the revelation of the Son of Man would be the judgment of both the righteous and the sinners. Everything created by God would rejoice at the coming of the word of God. Hence, all who lived truly human lives would rejoice with the whole of creation at the coming of the Son of Man, for he comes to liberate God’s creation. “Let the rivers clap their hands and the hills ring out their joy at the presence of the Lord. For the Lord comes, he comes to rule the earth. He will rule the world with justice and the people with fairness.” All who have lived justly, mindful of their creatureliness and regarded themselves as stewards of God’s creation, would rejoice at the coming of the Son of Man, for they have principled their lives on his. They would have him as their ruler, for he has been the measure of their lives; even in his absence, his light has guided their lives.

Subsequently, Saint Paul considers his life a measure for his own converts and instructs that all those who have not taken his example as a measure of their own lives are to be called to order in the congregation, for they do not follow the examples of Christ. “We gave you a rule when we were with you: do not let anyone have any food if he refuses to do any work. Now we hear that there are some of you who are living in idleness, doing no work themselves but interfering with everyone else’s.” The thought of not working is not from God, but from the evil one. For as Jesus revealed, the Son works because the Father is always at work. All who belong to Jesus Christ are therefore called to work along with him to bring about the will of the Father. We redeem the time when we employ it to fulfil the will of the Father. But any time that is used to do our own good pleasure is lost to us forever. The Father works through us who obey his word in all things to renew the face of the earth and prepare it for the glorious transformation that will come with the appearance of the Son of Man. His glorious appearance will rid the world of all that is not of the Father’s will.

Based on this, the Lord directed the admiration of his disciples away from the works of human hands, which will soon pass away, to the inner and spiritual works of God that would endure forever. “When some were talking about the Temple, remarking how it was adorned with fine stonework and votive offerings, Jesus said, ‘All these things you are staring at now—the time will come when not a single stone will be left on another: everything will be destroyed.” They questioned him about when the prophecy would come to pass and the preceding signs, but he spoke rather of the trials and conflicts that will destroy the works of man and their civilizations in preparation for the revelation of the kingdom of God. “Nations will fight against nations, kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes and plagues and famines here and there; there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.” What is of importance to our Lord is that we maintain our obedience to the word of God we have come to believe as truth in the face of these tribulations. The steadfastness of the disciples is the first stage of the revelation of the Son of Man. “You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relations and friends; and some of you will be put to death. You will be hated by all men on account of my name, but not a hair of your head will be lost. Your endurance will win you your lives.” Through our endurance and faithfulness, what is false would be revealed, convicted, and destroyed, and God’s eternal edifice in each and in all would be revealed.

Let us pray: Grant us, we pray, O Lord our God, the constant gladness of being devoted to you, for it is full and lasting happiness to serve with constancy the author of all that is good. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.