First Reading
Malachi 3:19-20a
Lo, the day is coming, blazing like an oven, when all the proud and all evildoers will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire, leaving them neither root nor branch, says the LORD of hosts. But for you who fear my name, there will arise the sun of justice with its healing rays.
Second Reading
2 Thessalonians 3:7-12
Brothers and sisters: You know how one must imitate us. For we did not act in a disorderly way among you, nor did we eat food received free from anyone. On the contrary, in toil and drudgery, night and day we worked, so as not to burden any of you. Not that we do not have the right. Rather, we wanted to present ourselves as a model for you, so that you might imitate us. In fact, when we were with you, we instructed you that if anyone was unwilling to work, neither should that one eat. We hear that some are conducting themselves among you in a disorderly way, by not keeping busy but minding the business of others. Such people we instruct and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to work quietly and to eat their own food.
Gospel Cycle Cycle C
Luke 21:5-19
While some people were speaking about how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings, Jesus said, “All that you see here—the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.” Then they asked him, “Teacher, when will this happen? And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?” He answered, “See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’ Do not follow them! When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end.” Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place; and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky. “Before all this happens, however, they will seize and persecute you, they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons, and they will have you led before kings and governors because of my name. It will lead to your giving testimony. Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand, for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute. You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death. You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”
Today, it is very clear, we must speak about the end of the world and about the meaning of these readings that have been given to us for this Sunday. First of all, we should say, the end of the world, most likely, will not happen in my lifetime. For two thousand years, some people have been waiting for the end of the world. In every age and time, there are people who expect the end of the world to happen very soon, this year, next year, or very soon. So far it has not happened.
Did early Christians believe in a physical end of the world? Surely they did, and many of them thought it likely to end soon.
Is there a more spiritual teaching about the end of the world? Yes, and we must pay attention to it. The deepest teaching about the end of the world is not about its physical ending, but about how you and I should be living now.
The Prophet Malachi in the first reading reminds us that at some point we must all come before the Lord and answer for our lives. Lots of people today no longer believe this. Other people believe that we must answer for our lives in other ways, such as though reincarnation or being born again. We Christians believe that we have only one life and at the end of it, we shall have to account for this life and how we have used it.
Most of us have not used our lives so very well. Lots of the time we want to use our lives well, but we get distracted. Sometimes we get caught up in desires of the flesh. Other times we get caught up in desires for power. Sometimes we are just concerned about what others think of us. The reasons for being distracted from the inner goal of a strong spiritual life in God are numerous.
Today, the readings want to remind us to trust in the Lord. If we trust in God, then the sun of justice will arise with its healing rays. That is to say, we come to recognize that we cannot lead strong spiritual lives just by our own will power. Rather, we must ask God to change us and to help us.
What does it mean to be prepared? One of things the being prepared means is that I must be able to stand up for my faith. Probably I shall never be called on to give my life for my beliefs, but I should be willing to do that. What kind of a person am I? This is a question that comes before us on this Sunday. Do I believe in anything? And I willing to stand up for anything? Do I believe in something strongly enough that I would be willing to die for it?
In the Christian understanding of these passages of Scriptures, the final days of the world are always right in front of us. That means that we must be ready to die now, at this very moment. There is never any time to waste. If we need to repent from some sin, now is the time. If we want to thank God for something, now is the time. If we need to forgive someone, now is the time. The Scriptures tell us that now is the day of salvation. Now is the time when the Lord is with us, bringing compassion and love. Let us celebrate this Sunday as if it is our final Sunday.