But of that day or hour, no one knows,
Neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
But of that day or hour, no one knows,
Neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
November 18, 2018
Mark 13, 24-32
The Gospel reading for next week tells the story of a people, Mark’s people, who were caught in the midst of their struggle to transform themselves and consequently all the world into something that was divine. It is a message of hope, not some wild, imaginative way of scaring people into repentance. It is a promise and a story told to reinforce the sometimes-faltering courage of good people who want to be better, who want the courage to take on opposition, ridicule, and the bitter pain of sometimes standing alone. When the goal is kept before us, we can tolerate the pain. The goal is Christ’s coming, the vision is the reign of God over all people without distinction, without any reference to their color their accent, their size or their appearance. With this hope, Christians never fear the end, for even though the coming of the Son of Man in glory will mean drastic changes, we would not want life to be another way. Christ’s ultimate coming is what you and I hope and long for It is the goal of our faith. Besides, Christians have already seen the end, so the next end is not going to be much of a surprise.
Fr. Tom Boyer