20211114 LIVING THE LIFE OF THE KINGDOM HERE AND NOW
14 November, 2021, Sunday, 33rd Week, Ordinary Time
First reading | Daniel 12:1-3 © |
Some will wake to everlasting life, some to shame and disgrace
‘At that time Michael will stand up, the great prince who mounts guard over your people. There is going to be a time of great distress, unparalleled since nations first came into existence. When that time comes, your own people will be spared, all those whose names are found written in the Book. Of those who lie sleeping in the dust of the earth many will awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting disgrace. The learned will shine as brightly as the vault of heaven, and those who have instructed many in virtue, as bright as stars for all eternity.’
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 15(16):5,8-11 © |
Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.
O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup;
it is you yourself who are my prize.
I keep the Lord ever in my sight:
since he is at my right hand, I shall stand firm.
Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.
And so my heart rejoices, my soul is glad;
even my body shall rest in safety.
For you will not leave my soul among the dead,
nor let your beloved know decay.
Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.
You will show me the path of life,
the fullness of joy in your presence,
at your right hand happiness for ever.
Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.
Second reading |
Hebrews 10:11-14,18 © |
When all sins have been forgiven, there can be no more sin-offerings
All the priests stand at their duties every day, offering over and over again the same sacrifices which are quite incapable of taking sins away. He, on the other hand, has offered one single sacrifice for sins, and then taken his place forever, at the right hand of God, where he is now waiting until his enemies are made into a footstool for him. By virtue of that one single offering, he has achieved the eternal perfection of all whom he is sanctifying. When all sins have been forgiven, there can be no more sin offerings.
Gospel Acclamation | Mt24:42 44 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Stay awake and stand ready,
because you do not know the hour
when the Son of Man is coming.
Alleluia!
Or: | Lk21:36 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Stay awake, praying at all times
for the strength to stand with confidence
before the Son of Man.
Alleluia!
Gospel | Mark 13:24-32 © |
The stars will fall from heaven and the powers in the heavens will be shaken
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘In those days, after the time of distress, the sun will be darkened, the moon will lose its brightness, the stars will come falling from heaven and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory; then too he will send the angels to gather his chosen from the four winds, from the ends of the world to the ends of heaven.
‘Take the fig tree as a parable: as soon as its twigs grow supple and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. So with you when you see these things happening: know that he is near, at the very gates. I tell you solemnly, before this generation has passed away all these things will have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
‘But as for that day or hour, nobody knows it, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son; no one but the Father.’
LIVING THE LIFE OF THE KINGDOM HERE AND NOW
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Daniel 12:1-3; Ps 16:5,8-11; Heb 10:11-14.18; Mark 13:24-32]
We are living in the in-between times of Jesus’ First Coming and Second Coming. With Christ’s first coming at His birth, we are living in the end time, which is what eschatology is all about. Our history is orientated towards the Second Coming of Christ when history will find its consummation and realization when there will be a new heaven and a new earth. (Rev 21,22) As we come towards the end of the liturgical year, the Church invites us to think of the end of time. Even if we might not live until the Second Coming of Christ, we will surely meet Him on our last day on earth. The Book of Daniel says, “When that time comes, your own people will be spared, all those whose names are found written in the Book. Of those who lie sleeping in the dust of the earth many will awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting disgrace. The learned will shine as brightly as the vault of heaven, and those who have instructed many in virtue, as bright as stars for all eternity.”
But is this a pie in the sky, a hope borne from the imagination of people who were suffering for a better life in the next world? Is this escapism from the challenges of life, to make this world a better place, fairer, more equitable and just? Karl Marx wrote that belief in God is an opium of the people, desensitizing them to the pain of this world by giving them an illusory hope for a better world in the next life. As a consequence, the people continued to allow injustices and oppression by the institutions, and tolerated the poverty and misery they were going through. This explains why the secular world lives only for this world. They are not bothered about the next life as life ends at death. In fact, to miss out on the fun, the pleasures and thrills of this world would be a great tragedy since there is nothing beyond this world. The secularists argue that for all that we suffer and the sacrifices we make, we might end up with nothing. Our life would have been lived in vain because we have been robbed of our present happiness.
This is not what Christianity believes, and teaches how we should live. The doctrine of the Second Coming of Christ, the resurrection of the dead, the final judgment and the restoration of creation provides Christians what the future would be like. Unless we know what would be the outcome, we will not be able to find focus and direction in this life. For us who know what the future would be, we seek to live this life responsibly. For the future is shaped to some extent by our present decision and disposition. Christians do not sit around idly and wait hopelessly for the future to arrive. On the contrary, we are called to do our part to establish the kingdom of God. We are called to work hard in spreading the gospel message.
We should not be speculating when the Second Coming of Christ would take place, or when the world will be brought to its consummation. The Lord said, “But as for that day or hour, nobody knows it, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son; no one but the Father.” Such vain speculation does not strengthen faith but only breeds fear into the hearts of people. There are some who think that the world is coming to an end because they see the negative trends in the world, the destruction of marriage and family life, the ecological crisis, the threat of a nuclear war or even a World War because of growing competition leading to hostility among superpowers. They cite today’s gospel text as confirmation of their belief. “In those days, after the time of distress, the sun will be darkened, the moon will lose its brightness, the stars will come falling from heaven and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.”
But such signs were always present in the history of humanity and will continue to repeat itself. These are signs of the battle between good and evil. Since the collapse of Jerusalem in 587 BC to the Babylonians, Israel was always under the control of foreign empires, one after another. In 539 the Persians captured Babylon. Then the Persians were conquered by the Greeks in 331. And then during the time of Jesus, they were under the control of the Romans. Like the people during the time of Daniel, written around 165 BC when Antiochus Epiphanes was the Greek Emperor who was controlling Israel, the people were facing persecution of their faith. He tried to force the Jews to abandon their faith and adopt the common faith of the Empire. This is the context of today’s first reading.
In our times, the Church often clashes with the values of the secular world, and sometimes governments who betray the common good of the people. It is not easy for Christians to be faithful to the gospel because it often involves being discriminated by those who are opposed to Christian values. Sometimes, one has to choose between the rich pagan life of pleasure offered by the world, or the sacrifices of the gospel, denying ourselves for the greater good of everyone, serving humbly and justly. It means standing up for truth, justice, the poor and the oppressed. It means standing up for strong and faithful marriages, the wholesomeness of family life, the dignity of the human person, the sacredness of life from conception to old age. But these are not the values promoted by the world. They promote relativism, on one hand, championing human rights but denying the rights of unborn babies. On one hand, they champion the abolition of the death penalty but they advocate wars and merciless killing of even innocent people. The truth is that some lives are more precious than others. It depends on what nationality or colour you are. Such is the hypocrisy of the world.
Today’s second reading from Hebrews is directed at the Christians, especially the Jewish Christians, assuring them that God’s kingdom has been established. Christ is the High Priest who has reconciled us with His Father. He has “offered one single sacrifice for sins, and then taken his place for ever, at the right hand of God, where he is now waiting until his enemies are made into a footstool for him. By virtue of that one single offering, he has achieved the eternal perfection of all whom he is sanctifying.” Christ’s work is now complete, as Hebrew refers to Psalm 110 where Jesus is established King in heaven. To be seated means that the work is done. This was why the priests in the Old Testament offered worship to God standing. There were no chairs simply because the sacrificial work was unending. Hebrews noted, “All the priests stand at their duties every day, offering over and over again the same sacrifices which are quite incapable of taking sins away.”
Within this context, we are to continue the work of Christ in restoring the values of God’s kingdom in the world today. Whilst we work for the prosperity and progress of the country, let us not be deluded into thinking that intellectual, economic, scientific and technology progress alone can bring the people together in unity and love, or that the lives of people would be fulfilled. We know that when a nation is without a soul, without spiritual values, affluence is but the beginning of self-indulgence, temptation, immorality and destruction. The rich will become richer, the powerful more powerful as they seek to dominate the economic, political, ideological and military world. The social imbalance in society and in the world will only lead to greater disorder because of greed and insecurity.
Jesus warns us to see the signs of the times and cling on to His word. As the response says, we must take refuge in the Lord if we want to preserve our life. Jesus said, “Take the fig tree as a parable: as soon as its twigs grow supple and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. So with you when you see these things happening: know that he is near, at the very gates. I tell you solemnly, before this generation has passed away all these things will have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” Only fidelity to His Word will see us through because His word is eternal. The Word of God is truth. St Peter said to the Lord, “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” (Jn 6:68f) He also wrote, “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord endures forever.” (1 Pt 1:24f) Like the psalmist, we must turn to God, “O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup. I keep the Lord ever in my sight: since he is at my right hand, I shall stand firm.”
Written by The Most Rev William Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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