First Reading: Dan 12:1-3
Second Reading: Heb 10:11-14, 18
Dear friends we are in the
thirty-third Sunday of the Ordinary Time. As we are almost completing the
liturgical year, the readings of the day are also focused on the end time. It is
the thoughts about end time or the future that orients the course of one’s
life. The rulers of the world govern their subjects by imposing on them the
fear of death. The prevalence of war – even in this century – is nothing but an
affirmation that the desired end could be met when fear of death is inflicted upon
the subjects or on the weak. Today’s readings speak about the end of this
material world and our earthly life. Jesus warns us to be on guard when this
world and one’s life draws to closure. We need not be worried about the
imageries that Jesus uses in describing the end time. They are only symbols, taking
them literally and trying to see some similarities with the things happening in
the world is a waste of time – for we have all seen enough at the end of last century.
The Church has a purpose in keeping this kind of readings at the end of each liturgical
year. The life of Jesus – rather the history of salvation – became meaning only
with the completion of Jesus human life through death. The resurrection of
Jesus turned the focus of worldly life. Therefore, looking at the end time or
what is going to come after this life is an often-recollected theme to reorient
and refocus the life of the Church.
We have the Sacrament of Reconciliation
in the church which is a constant reminder about our next life. As Christians we
plan and design our life in this world not according to what we could profit on
this world, rather what profit could we gain in the next world – heaven or hell.
Therefore, we need to reread Jesus’ warning about end time. These readings are
not to frighten us about death and hell. They are only a reminder that we have
a great treasure assured after this life. Thus, we need to focus on what good
could we get after being a good Christians on this earth. Most of the time we focus
on people who would get hell as reward and imagine ourselves to be one among
them. Jesus speaks about both; those who would get heavenly reward as well as
those who would be deprived of diving consolation. The second reading taken
from Hebrews assures that Jesus, the high priest has made once and for all an
eternal sacrifice for all our sins. We need to place our trust in him (Jn 3:17).
Today’s readings are a voice of God to go to that eternal high priest in the Sacrament
of Confession and get our path cleared for the end time. It is those who continue
to persist in sin and be away from God show fear. For those who hope for
eternal bliss humbly submit themselves in the confessional and reorient their
lives. The word of God says, “fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom”
(Prov 9:10). But, the end of wisdom is love. We need to move from fear to love,
which is a humble trust in the Lord.
Today also the Catholic
Church observes the 8th World Day of the Poor. Pope Francis has
given “The prayer of the poor rises up to God” (cf. Sir 21:5) as the theme in
his message for the day. The poor are the great example for us to place our
complete trust in the Lord. The everyday life of the poor is filled with divine
surprises. They exhibit how we should live our life based on hope. Being poor
is a curse in the eyes of the world but in the eyes of God poor are great because
He hears their cry and restores justice on their behalf. The answer of God to
the cry of the poor and the suffering people seem to be slow but it is definite.
In the civil circumstances the justice delayed is justice denied owing
to its limitation to time in realizing the justice. On the contrary, divine
justice is delayed for it to take definitive form as it is beyond time. Civil
justice is time bound. Whereas God’s justice is for eternity. Thus, justice
delayed is not a deprivation of the cry of the poor but a waiting period for
the definitive justice.
In his message Pope writes, “The
mentality of the world demands that we become somebody, that we make a name for
ourselves at any cost, breaking social norms in order to accumulate wealth.” This
attitude keeps poverty existing and wars going at all centuries. The respective
leaders are not able to hear the cry of the suffering as they have closed their
interior life with their own interests and concerns; there is no longer room
for others, no place for the poor. For God’s voice is no longer heard, the
quiet joy of his love is no longer felt, and the desire to do good fades in the
heart of people who have gone away from recollected and prayerful life (Cf. Evangelii
Gaudium, 2). Thus, Pope stresses on the need for prayer to overcome our
negligence of the poor and the weak. It is the heart that moves from prayer
could draw the attention of the whole world for which Mother Teresa is a
champion. In prayer, one learns to become poor with his/her sins and weaknesses.
The recollection of the end time and realization of one’s spiritual poverty is the
key to refocus one’s life and concretely commit towards the cause of the poor. May
the Lord who hears the cry of the poor make us poor in praying and rich in showing
mercy.
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