Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 158
Lectionary: 158
In those days, I
Daniel,
heard this word of the Lord:
"At that time there shall arise
Michael, the great prince,
guardian of your people;
it shall be a time unsurpassed in distress
since nations began until that time.
At that time your people shall escape,
everyone who is found written in the book.
“Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake;
some shall live forever,
others shall be an everlasting horror and disgrace.
“But the wise shall shine brightly
like the splendor of the firmament,
and those who lead the many to justice
shall be like the stars forever."
heard this word of the Lord:
"At that time there shall arise
Michael, the great prince,
guardian of your people;
it shall be a time unsurpassed in distress
since nations began until that time.
At that time your people shall escape,
everyone who is found written in the book.
“Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake;
some shall live forever,
others shall be an everlasting horror and disgrace.
“But the wise shall shine brightly
like the splendor of the firmament,
and those who lead the many to justice
shall be like the stars forever."
Responsorial PsalmPS 16:5, 8, 9-10, 11
R. (1) You are my inheritance, O Lord!
O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,
you it is who hold fast my lot.
I set the LORD ever before me;
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord!
Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices,
my body, too, abides in confidence;
because you will not abandon my soul to the netherworld,
nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord!
You will show me the path to life,
fullness of joys in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord!
O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,
you it is who hold fast my lot.
I set the LORD ever before me;
with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord!
Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices,
my body, too, abides in confidence;
because you will not abandon my soul to the netherworld,
nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord!
You will show me the path to life,
fullness of joys in your presence,
the delights at your right hand forever.
R. You are my inheritance, O Lord!
Reading 2HEB 10:11-14, 18
Brothers and
sisters:
Every priest stands daily at his ministry,
offering frequently those same sacrifices
that can never take away sins.
But this one offered one sacrifice for sins,
and took his seat forever at the right hand of God;
now he waits until his enemies are made his footstool.
For by one offering
he has made perfect forever those who are being consecrated.
Where there is forgiveness of these,
there is no longer offering for sin.
Every priest stands daily at his ministry,
offering frequently those same sacrifices
that can never take away sins.
But this one offered one sacrifice for sins,
and took his seat forever at the right hand of God;
now he waits until his enemies are made his footstool.
For by one offering
he has made perfect forever those who are being consecrated.
Where there is forgiveness of these,
there is no longer offering for sin.
AlleluiaLK 21:36
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Be vigilant at all times
and pray that you have the strength to stand before the Son of Man.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Be vigilant at all times
and pray that you have the strength to stand before the Son of Man.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMK 13:24-32
Jesus said to his
disciples:
"In those days after that tribulation
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will be falling from the sky,
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,
and then he will send out the angels
and gather his elect from the four winds,
from the end of the earth to the end of the sky.
"Learn a lesson from the fig tree.
When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves,
you know that summer is near.
In the same way, when you see these things happening,
know that he is near, at the gates.
Amen, I say to you,
this generation will not pass away
until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away.
"But of that day or hour, no one knows,
neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."
"In those days after that tribulation
the sun will be darkened,
and the moon will not give its light,
and the stars will be falling from the sky,
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,
and then he will send out the angels
and gather his elect from the four winds,
from the end of the earth to the end of the sky.
"Learn a lesson from the fig tree.
When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves,
you know that summer is near.
In the same way, when you see these things happening,
know that he is near, at the gates.
Amen, I say to you,
this generation will not pass away
until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away.
"But of that day or hour, no one knows,
neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."
Scripture Study, Nov. 15, 2015
November 15, 2015 Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
This week we celebrate the Thirty-Third Sunday of Ordinary Time.
This is the second last Sunday of this liturgical year. As we approach the end
of the Church’s year, she calls upon us to meditate on the great themes of the
end time and about the return of Christ in glory. Whether we make it to the end
time or not is really not important. Death will eventually come for us all and
there will eventually be a final judgment. The real message that the Church
wishes to share on this subject is that for those who follow Christ, the end
too is a cause for joy. Christians hold that, for us, no destruction is truly
final. We shall rise again to be with Christ just as we rose from the waters of
Baptism. Do the readings this week speak encouragement to me as they were intended
to do or do they spark fear in me? If I don’t see them as encouraging, then how
should my attitude change so that I will see them in the same light as the
early Christians did?
First Reading: Daniel 12: 1-3
1 “At that time there shall arise Michael, the great prince,
guardian of your people; It shall be a time unsurpassed in distress since
nations began until that time. At that time your people shall escape, everyone
who is found written in the book. 2 Many of those who sleep in
the dust of the earth shall awake; some shall live forever, others shall be an
everlasting horror and disgrace. 3 But the wise shall shine
brightly like the splendor of the firmament, And those who lead the many to
justice shall be like the stars forever.
NOTES on First Reading:
* 12:1 This is part of the last and longest of the apocalypses
in the book of Daniel. This is the poetic conclusion of the revelation of
chapters 10 and 11. The elect of God, whose names are “found written in the book”
of life, will survive the terrible sufferings of the eschatological crisis. See
Exod 32:32-33; Ps 69:29.
* 12:2 Sleep was a common euphemism for “dead”. See John
11:11-13; Acts 7:60; 1 Thess 4:13. Shall awake is a euphemism for “shall come
back to life”. In this passage we have the earliest clear statement in the
Bible of belief in the resurrection of the dead. This passage is also the first
Biblical use of the term, “unto everlasting life” which is the literal meaning
of the words translated in the NAB as “shall live forever.”
Second Reading: Hebrew 10: 11-14, 18
11 Every priest stands daily at his ministry, offering
frequently those same sacrifices that can never take away sins. 12But
this one offered one sacrifice for sins, and took his seat forever at the right
hand of God; 13 now he waits until his enemies are made his
footstool. 14 For by one offering he has made perfect forever
those who are being consecrated. [15 The holy Spirit also testifies
to us, for after saying: 16 “This is the covenant I will
establish with them after those days, says the Lord: ‘I will put my laws in
their hearts, and I will write them upon their minds,'” 17 he
also says: “Their sins and their evildoing I will remember no more.”] 18 Where
there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer offering for sin.
NOTES on Second Reading:
* 10:11 The author speaks of “every priest” rather than of the
high priest alone and therefore is no longer thinking of the Day of Atonement
but of the daily priestly service of the Old Testament.
* 10:12 Although there is a contrast between the seated kingly
posture of Christ and the standing posture of the priest, that contrast may not
have been the intended thrust of the passage. See also 8:2-3. The images of
Christ functioning as King and as Priest overlap. The image of Jesus seated in
heaven as king is an application of Ps 110:1 to Jesus. In addition the author
may have in mind 2 Sam 7:18 where David prays seated before the Lord, as a
claim to the fulfillment of God’s covenant promises to David. The understanding
of Jesus as the eternal priest before the Father derives from an understanding
of eternity as being outside of time rather than simply as time continued
forever.
* 10:13 The time of waiting is an allusion to Ps 110:1b. This
time stretches from the enthronement of Jesus to His return in glory.
* 10:14 Their consciences having been cleansed, His followers
are able to worship the living God, 9:14. So they too have access to the Father
and share in the priestly consecration of Jesus.
* 10:15-17 This portion [in brackets above] is not included in
the reading this week. Here, the testimony of the Holy Spirit in Scripture is
invoked by citing part of the prophecy from Jer 31:31-34 which speaks of a new
covenant.
* 10:18 The point is that it is the sacrifice of Jesus that
resulted in the forgiveness of sins and thus no further sacrifice is needed.
Gospel Reading: Mark 13: 24-32
24 “But in those days after that tribulation the sun will be
darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25 and the stars
will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 And
then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in the clouds’ with great power and
glory, 27 and then he will send out the angels and gather
(his) elect from the four winds, from the end of the earth to the end of the
sky. 28 “Learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branch
becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near. 29 In
the same way, when you see these things happening, know that he is near, at the
gates. 30 Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass
away until all these things have taken place. 31 Heaven and
earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. 32 “But
of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son,
but only the Father.”
NOTES on Gospel:
* 13:24-32 This describes the event that makes sense of all
human history. The justice and love of God will be made clear. In the traditional
language of the prophets, cosmic events are used to describe powerful
interventions of God in history and in this case to the messianic crisis,
followed by the final triumph of chosen people with the Son of Man at their
head. Mark does not tie in the end of the world to this event the way Matthew
does.
* 13:26 The term and description comes from Dan 7:13. Jesus
referred to the statement in Daniel when He stood before the high priest in Mt
26:64; Mark 14:62; and Lk 22:69.
* 13:27 Here Mark portrays the reversal of Zech 2:10. God
gathers the elect in Deut 30:4; Isa 11:11, 16; 27:12; Eze 39:27 and in many
other places in the Old Testament. Nowhere in the Old Testament does the Son of
Man do it; it is always God. Here the writer ascribes one of the functions of
God to the Son of Man. It is a way of indirectly ascribing divinity to Jesus.
* 13:32 Here Jesus tells us not to try to figure out God’s time
schedule because we are not meant to know. This verse was a problem for many of
the patristic (early Fathers of the Church) writers. It was sometimes used as
evidence by those who denied the divinity of Jesus. Some resolve it by saying
that in His Divine Nature Jesus did know the hour but in His human mind and
knowledge, which is the way in which He interacted with His disciples He did
not know the hour. While this may be true, it does not really explain
everything because the real explanation contains something of mystery since the
incarnation itself is a mystery. This element of Divine mystery takes Jesus outside
of the realm of what can and must be analyzed and calls for faith.
Meditation: "The Son of man will come with
great power and glory"
Do you recognize the signs of God's kingdom - signs that point
to his power and action in our lives and in the world around us? The Lord Jesus
came to bring us the kingdom of God and to set us free from bondage to sin,
death, and destruction and from the powers of the evil one who tempts us
through lies and deception.
The Lord is preparing us for his return
Jesus told his first disciples that it was for their benefit that he return to his Father in heaven in order for the Holy Spirit to come (John 16:7) and fill the earth with the fire of God's love, truth, and glory. The Lord Jesus in every age fills his people with the power of the Holy Spirit so that each one of us can hear his voice, understand his truth, and sow the seeds of his word - the good news of the Gospel - wherever he sends us. The Lord Jesus is preparing his people for his return - for the day of "tribulation" and "shaking" when he will appear "coming in clouds with great power and glory" (Mark 13:25-26).
Jesus told his first disciples that it was for their benefit that he return to his Father in heaven in order for the Holy Spirit to come (John 16:7) and fill the earth with the fire of God's love, truth, and glory. The Lord Jesus in every age fills his people with the power of the Holy Spirit so that each one of us can hear his voice, understand his truth, and sow the seeds of his word - the good news of the Gospel - wherever he sends us. The Lord Jesus is preparing his people for his return - for the day of "tribulation" and "shaking" when he will appear "coming in clouds with great power and glory" (Mark 13:25-26).
What did Jesus mean when he spoke about a time of tribulation,
shaking, and the "Son of man coming with great power and glory"? The
title Jesus most frequently used to describe his mission was the "Son of
Man" (Mark 13:26). This title is a direct reference to the prophetic
vision in the Book of Daniel, chapter 7:
13 I saw in the night visions, and behold, with
the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to
the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him was
given dominion and glory and kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not
pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.
The image of a "Son of man coming with the clouds of
heaven" is taken from the vision of the prophet Daniel (Daniel 7:13-14).
Daniel's vision is a royal investiture of a human king before God's throne.
This king, whose authority comes from God, is given power to rule over
"all peoples, nations, and languages" (Daniel 7:14). The kingdom
which he comes to establish cannot be broken or destroyed because it is built
on the foundation of God's justice, truth, and holiness.
The day of the Lord's return will be unlike any other moment in
time, history, and destiny for the human race and our place in God's creation.
Then the "stars of heaven will fall and all will be shaken" before
the presence of the Lord when he comes. Then the peoples of the earth and their
rulers will know who is the true King and Ruler over all.
Jesus' first coming was a rescue mission - to free the human
race from slavery to sin and Satan - the father of lies. His second coming will
be the final completion of his mission when he will "make all things
new" - a new heavens and a new earth - after he has put down the last
enemy which is death and restores our lowly bodies to immortality when death
will be no more (Daniel 12:2-3).
The sign of the budding fig tree
What lesson does the Lord Jesus want us to learn from the parable of the budding fig tree? The fig tree was a common and important source of food for the Jews. It bore fruit twice a year, in the autumn and in the early spring. The prophet Joel mentions its fruit-bearing as a sign of favor from the Lord (Joel 2:22). The Talmud (a Jewish commentary and instruction on the Torah or Five Books of Moses) said that the first fruit came the day after Passover. The Jews believed that when the Messiah came he would usher in the kingdom of God at Passover time.
What lesson does the Lord Jesus want us to learn from the parable of the budding fig tree? The fig tree was a common and important source of food for the Jews. It bore fruit twice a year, in the autumn and in the early spring. The prophet Joel mentions its fruit-bearing as a sign of favor from the Lord (Joel 2:22). The Talmud (a Jewish commentary and instruction on the Torah or Five Books of Moses) said that the first fruit came the day after Passover. The Jews believed that when the Messiah came he would usher in the kingdom of God at Passover time.
This parable foretells the joy of God's kingdom - the joy of new
life and the promise of a new age of peace and blessing. The signs of spring
are evident for all who can see. Just so are the signs of God's kingdom. The
"budding" of God's kingdom begins first in the hearts of those who
are receptive to God's word. Those who trust in God's word will bear the fruits
of his kingdom. And what are the fruits of that kingdom? "The kingdom of
God ..is righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans
14:17).
The first-fruits of the kingdom in our present lives
The first coming of the Lord Jesus is inseparably linked with his second coming at the end of this present age. We do not know the day or hour when the Lord will return again in glory. But now in this present age we can experience the first-fruits of the kingdom of God - the abundant new life in the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, and the fruits of the Spirit - love, peace, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-23) and so many other qualities which the Spirit works within us - thus enabling us to love and serve others with tenderhearted mercy, patience, and goodness. Do you know and experience in your life the first-fruits of the kingdom of God?
"Lord Jesus, fill me with your Holy Spirit that I may radiate the joy of your kingdom and the fire of your love to all I meet and serve. Direct my life to the glory of your name and to the coming of your kingdom."
The first coming of the Lord Jesus is inseparably linked with his second coming at the end of this present age. We do not know the day or hour when the Lord will return again in glory. But now in this present age we can experience the first-fruits of the kingdom of God - the abundant new life in the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, and the fruits of the Spirit - love, peace, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-23) and so many other qualities which the Spirit works within us - thus enabling us to love and serve others with tenderhearted mercy, patience, and goodness. Do you know and experience in your life the first-fruits of the kingdom of God?
"Lord Jesus, fill me with your Holy Spirit that I may radiate the joy of your kingdom and the fire of your love to all I meet and serve. Direct my life to the glory of your name and to the coming of your kingdom."
THIRTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN
ORDINARY TIME
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15, MARK 13:24-32
(Daniel 12:1-3; Psalm 16; Hebrews 10:11-14, 18)
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 15, MARK 13:24-32
(Daniel 12:1-3; Psalm 16; Hebrews 10:11-14, 18)
KEY VERSE: "But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son,
but only the Father" (v 32).
TO KNOW: Mark used apocalyptic language from the Hebrew Scriptures (Ezekiel, Daniel, Zechariah) to speak of the end-times and Christ's final coming. Christ's followers were encouraged to stand firm in their faith that God would intervene and vindicate them. After a period of tribulation in which the very cosmos would be shaken, Christ will come with "great power and glory" (Mk 13:26) to bring salvation to God's creation. The exact "day or hour" (v 32) of Christ's return was not a part of the revelation he came to impart. His followers were to be prepared for his coming whenever it might occur. The blooming fig tree, a symbol of Israel's Messianic days, suggested hope in the coming fruitful harvest of justice.
TO LOVE: Do I trust in God's plan for my life despite suffering?
TO SERVE: Lord God, help me to be ever ready for the coming of your Son.
NATIONAL BIBLE WEEK -
NOVEMBER 15–21, 2015
From November 15–21, 2015, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops invites families, parishes, schools, and other Catholic groups to participate in National Bible Week in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Second Vatican Council Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation, Dei Verbum. This year's theme, "The Bible: A Book for the Family," builds on this year's Synod of Bishops on the Family and Pope Francis's visit to Philadelphia for the World Meeting of Families.
Sunday 15 November, 2015
SUN 15TH. 33rd Sunday in
Ordinary Time. Daniel 12:1-3. Keep me safe, O God; you are my hope—Ps
15(16):5, 8-11. Hebrews 10:11-14, 18. Mark 13:24-32. [St Albert the Great].
Readings
You will show me the
path to life.
At a time when there are
so many devastations occurring in our world we could easily jump to the
conclusion that this must be the end times. Our readings today give us some
insight into such a time and many books focus on this topic. We are reminded in
Mark’s gospel that only God the Father knows the day and the hour!
It will be of no benefit to dwell on the ‘when’. There is a need for watchfulness but our focus should be allowing our God to lead us each day. The psalmist stresses this point. He writes that walking each day with our maker brings us abounding joy. Today, we could reread the psalm slowly focussing on the absolute faith reflected in the words. Our God will show us the path of life today.
It will be of no benefit to dwell on the ‘when’. There is a need for watchfulness but our focus should be allowing our God to lead us each day. The psalmist stresses this point. He writes that walking each day with our maker brings us abounding joy. Today, we could reread the psalm slowly focussing on the absolute faith reflected in the words. Our God will show us the path of life today.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
|
Perfect Love
|
You know that perfect love is acquired when we possess the object
of our love. So why do you have so much fruitless anxiety and discouragement?
Always long for more love with complete confidence, and do not be afraid.
November
15
St. Albert the Great
(1206-1280)
St. Albert the Great
(1206-1280)
Albert the Great was a 13th-century German Dominican who
decisively influenced the Church's stance toward Aristotelian philosophy
brought to Europe by the spread of Islam.
Students of philosophy know him as the master of Thomas Aquinas.
Albert’s attempt to understand Aristotle’s writings established the climate in
which Thomas Aquinas developed his synthesis of Greek wisdom and Christian
theology. But Albert deserves recognition on his own merits as a curious,
honest and diligent scholar.
He was the eldest son of a powerful and wealthy German lord of
military rank. He was educated in the liberal arts. Despite fierce family
opposition, he entered the Dominican novitiate.
His boundless interests prompted him to write a compendium of
all knowledge: natural science, logic, rhetoric, mathematics, astronomy,
ethics, economics, politics and metaphysics. His explanation of learning took
20 years to complete. "Our intention," he said, "is to make all
the aforesaid parts of knowledge intelligible to the Latins."
He achieved his goal while serving as an educator at Paris and
Cologne, as Dominican provincial, and even as bishop of Regensburg for a short
time. He defended the mendicant orders and preached the Crusade in Germany and
Bohemia.
Albert, a Doctor of the Church, is the patron of scientists and
philosophers.
Comment:
An information glut faces us Christians today in all branches of learning. One needs only to read current Catholic periodicals to experience the varied reactions to the findings of the social sciences, for example, in regard to Christian institutions, Christian life-styles and Christian theology. Ultimately, in canonizing Albert, the Church seems to point to his openness to truth, wherever it may be found, as his claim to holiness. His characteristic curiosity prompted Albert to mine deeply for wisdom within a philosophy his Church warmed to with great difficulty.
An information glut faces us Christians today in all branches of learning. One needs only to read current Catholic periodicals to experience the varied reactions to the findings of the social sciences, for example, in regard to Christian institutions, Christian life-styles and Christian theology. Ultimately, in canonizing Albert, the Church seems to point to his openness to truth, wherever it may be found, as his claim to holiness. His characteristic curiosity prompted Albert to mine deeply for wisdom within a philosophy his Church warmed to with great difficulty.
Quote:
"There are some who desire knowledge merely for its own sake; and that is shameful curiosity. And there are others who desire to know, in order that they may themselves be known; and that is vanity, disgraceful too. Others again desire knowledge in order to acquire money or preferment by it; that too is a discreditable quest. But there are also some who desire knowledge, that they may build up the souls of others with it; and that is charity. Others, again, desire it that they may themselves be built up thereby; and that is prudence. Of all these types, only the last two put knowledge to the right use" (St. Bernard,Sermon on the Canticle of Canticles).
"There are some who desire knowledge merely for its own sake; and that is shameful curiosity. And there are others who desire to know, in order that they may themselves be known; and that is vanity, disgraceful too. Others again desire knowledge in order to acquire money or preferment by it; that too is a discreditable quest. But there are also some who desire knowledge, that they may build up the souls of others with it; and that is charity. Others, again, desire it that they may themselves be built up thereby; and that is prudence. Of all these types, only the last two put knowledge to the right use" (St. Bernard,Sermon on the Canticle of Canticles).
Patron Saint of:
Medical technicians
Philosophers
Scientists
Medical technicians
Philosophers
Scientists
LECTIO: 33RD
SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME (B)
Lectio:
Sunday, November 15, 2015
Last Discourse
Mark 13,24-32
Mark 13,24-32
1. Opening prayer
Shaddai, God of the mountain,
You who make of our fragile life
the rock of your dwelling place,
lead our mind
to strike the rock of the desert,
so that water may gush to quench our thirst.
May the poverty of our feelings
cover us as with a mantle in the darkness of the night
and may it open our heart to hear the echo of silence
until the dawn,
wrapping us with the light of the new morning,
may bring us,
with the spent embers of the fire of the shepherds of the Absolute
who have kept vigil for us close to the divine Master,
the flavour of the holy memory.
Shaddai, God of the mountain,
You who make of our fragile life
the rock of your dwelling place,
lead our mind
to strike the rock of the desert,
so that water may gush to quench our thirst.
May the poverty of our feelings
cover us as with a mantle in the darkness of the night
and may it open our heart to hear the echo of silence
until the dawn,
wrapping us with the light of the new morning,
may bring us,
with the spent embers of the fire of the shepherds of the Absolute
who have kept vigil for us close to the divine Master,
the flavour of the holy memory.
2. Lectio
a) The text:
24 "But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will
be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25 and the stars will be
falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 And then
they will see the Son of man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27
And then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds,
from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.
28 "From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. 29 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 30 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away before all these things take place. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
32 "But of that day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father
28 "From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. 29 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. 30 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away before all these things take place. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
32 "But of that day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father
b) A moment of silence:
Let the sound of the Word echo in us.
3. Meditatio
a) A few questions:
- After that tribulation. Life bears the signs of labour, the seal of
a death pregnant with new life. Can we count ourselves among the elect gathered
from the four winds?
- The Son of man coming in the clouds: Will we be capable of raising our eyes from our miserable things so as to see him coming on the horizon of our story?
- From the fig tree learn: We have so much to learn and we need not look far. Nature is the first book of God. Are we willing to go through its pages or do we tear its pages thinking that we own it?
- All things pass away, only the Word of God remains forever. How many are the vain words, the dreams and pleasures inexorably swallowed by time that carries away everything that has an end! Is the rock on which we have built our lives the rock of the Word of the living God?
- Of that day or that hour no one knows: it is not for us to know. The Father knows. Are we open to put our trust in him?
- The Son of man coming in the clouds: Will we be capable of raising our eyes from our miserable things so as to see him coming on the horizon of our story?
- From the fig tree learn: We have so much to learn and we need not look far. Nature is the first book of God. Are we willing to go through its pages or do we tear its pages thinking that we own it?
- All things pass away, only the Word of God remains forever. How many are the vain words, the dreams and pleasures inexorably swallowed by time that carries away everything that has an end! Is the rock on which we have built our lives the rock of the Word of the living God?
- Of that day or that hour no one knows: it is not for us to know. The Father knows. Are we open to put our trust in him?
b) A key to the reading:
The great change of the cosmos described by Mark lies between
metaphor and reality and proclaims the imminence of the end of time as an
introduction to an immensely new world. The coming of the Son in the clouds
opens up for humanity a heavenly dimension. He is not an intransigent judge,
but a powerful Saviour who appears in the splendour of divine glory to reunite
the elect, to make them share in eternal life in the blessed reign of heaven.
Mark does not mention a judgement, threat or sentence…so as to bring hope and
increase the expectation, he proclaims the final victory.
v. 24-25. After that tribulation the sun will be darkened… a new reality is contrasted
with the great tribulation. The Evangelist thinks that the parousia is near at
hand, even though the hour of its coming is uncertain. The confusion of the
cosmos is described in terms typical of apocalyptic language, in a stylised and
accurate form: the four elements are ranged two by two in a parallel manner.
The reference to Is 13:10 is clear when he speaks of the sun and the moon being
darkened and to Is 34:4 when he speaks of the shaking of the powers in heaven.
v. 26. Then they will see the Son of man coming in clouds with
great power and glory. This is the peak of Mark’s eschatological discourse. The time of
expectation is over, this is the time for restoring everything in Christ. The
end of the world is no more than the promise of the glorious parousia of the
Son foreseen by Dn 7:13. The clouds point to the presence of God who in all his
self-revelations uses clouds to come down to earth. The attributes of divine
sovereignty, power and glory, mentioned by Jesus before the Sanhedrin (14:62),
are not a threat to humankind, but the solemn proclamation of the messianic
dignity that transcends the humanity of Christ.
v. 27. And then he will send out the angels, and gather his
elect from the four winds, from the ends of heaven. By this first act of
the Son of man, the meaning of the true parousia is made clear: the
eschatological salvation of the people of God spread throughout the world. All
the elect will be reunited. No one will be forgotten. There is no mention of
punishment of enemies nor of punitive catastrophes, but only of unification. It
will be the only place because from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven
the angels will gather people around Christ. This, indeed, is a glorious
meeting.
v. 28. From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch
becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. The parable of the fig tree
points to the certainty and nearness of the proclaimed events, especially the
coming of the Son of man, prefigured in the imminent passion, death and
resurrection. The imperative addressed to the listeners: Learn!reveals
the implied meaning of the similitude: it is an invitation to penetrate deeply
into the meaning of Jesus’ words in order to understand God’s plan for the
world. When fig tree loses it leaves in late autumn, later than other plants,
even past springtime, it announces the coming of summer.
v. 29. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know
that he is near, at the very gates. Human beings may know God’s plan from the
events that take place. What are the things that have to take place? Mark spoke
of the abomination of desolation in v. 14. That is the sign, the sign of the
end that is the parousia, the coming of the Son of man. Those things that are
the beginning of woes will bring humankind to a new birth, because He
is near, at the very gates.
v. 30. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away
before these things take place. Many hypotheses have been put forward
concerning the meaning of this generation. It is more a
Christological expression than a chronological affirmation. The early Church
kept affirming the uncertainty of the precise moment, even though it held on to
the hope that the Lord would come soon. Every believer, in any age, who reads
this passage, can think of him/herself as being part of this
generation.
v. 31. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not
pass away. The certainty that the words of the Lord will never pass away,
add confidence to whoever reflects on the decline of the world and the things
of the world. To build on the Word of God means that the abomination of
desolation will not last and that the sun, moon and stars will not lose their
splendour. The present time of God becomes for human beings the only way to
their own being because, if in their speech the present never becomes the past,
then they need not fear death.
v. 32. But of that day or that hour no one knows, not even the
angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. The end is certain, but the
knowledge as to when it will come is reserved to the Father. Jesus never made
any precise statement on this matter. Thus, anyone who pretends to have some
presumed teaching of his own, he is lying. The end is one of the many
unfathomable secrets that belong to the Father. The mission of the Son is to
establish the kingdom, not the revelation of the fulfilment of human history.
Thus Jesus shares deeply in our human condition. Through his voluntary kenosis,
he even complies with the possibility of not knowing the day or the hour of the
end of the world.
c) Reflections:
Tribulation is like daily bread in human life and it is the sign
of the coming of the Son of God. A life pregnant with a new face, cannot not
know the pain of childbirth. The children of the Most High, dispersed to the
ends of the earth, far from one another, will be gathered from the four winds
by the divine breath that breathes over the earth. The Son of man comes in the
clouds whereas our eyes are fixed on the ground, on our puny works, lost
between the tears of delusion and those of failure. If we could raise our eyes
from our miserable things to see him coming on the horizon of our history, then
our life will be filled with light and we shall learn to read his writing in
the sand of our thoughts and will, of our falls and dreams, of our attitudes
and learning. If we have the courage to leaf through the pages of daily life
and there gather the seeds fallen into the furrows of our being, then our
hearts will find peace. Then vain words, pleasures swallowed by time, will only
be a lost memory because the rock on which we would have built will be the rock
of the Word of the living God. If no one knows the day or the hour, then it is
not for us to go guessing. The Father knows and we trust in him
4. Oratio
Wisdom 9.1-6.9-11
O God of my fathers and Lord of mercy,
who hast made all things by thy word,
and by thy wisdom hast formed man,
to have dominion over the creatures thou hast made,
and rule the world in holiness and righteousness,
and pronounce judgment in uprightness of soul,
give me the wisdom that sits by thy throne,
and do not reject me from among thy servants.
For I am thy slave and the son of thy maidservant,
a man who is weak and short-lived,
with little understanding of judgment and laws;
for even if one is perfect among the sons of men,
yet without the wisdom that comes from thee
he will be regarded as nothing.
With thee is wisdom,
who knows thy works and was present when thou didst make the world,
and who understand what is pleasing in thy sight
and what is right according to thy commandments.
Send her forth from the holy heavens,
and from the throne of thy glory send her,
that she may be with me and toil,
and that I may learn what is pleasing to thee.
For she knows and understands all things,
and she will guide me wisely in my actions
and guard me with her glory.
5. Contemplatio
Wisdom 9.1-6.9-11
O God of my fathers and Lord of mercy,
who hast made all things by thy word,
and by thy wisdom hast formed man,
to have dominion over the creatures thou hast made,
and rule the world in holiness and righteousness,
and pronounce judgment in uprightness of soul,
give me the wisdom that sits by thy throne,
and do not reject me from among thy servants.
For I am thy slave and the son of thy maidservant,
a man who is weak and short-lived,
with little understanding of judgment and laws;
for even if one is perfect among the sons of men,
yet without the wisdom that comes from thee
he will be regarded as nothing.
With thee is wisdom,
who knows thy works and was present when thou didst make the world,
and who understand what is pleasing in thy sight
and what is right according to thy commandments.
Send her forth from the holy heavens,
and from the throne of thy glory send her,
that she may be with me and toil,
and that I may learn what is pleasing to thee.
For she knows and understands all things,
and she will guide me wisely in my actions
and guard me with her glory.
5. Contemplatio
Lord, I gaze upon the tender branch of the fig tree that is my
life and I wait. As the shadows of evening lengthen along my path, I think back
on your words. What peace floods my heart when my thoughts dwell on you! In
your own good time, my waiting for you will be fulfilled. In my time your
expectations of me will be fulfilled. What a mystery is time, past, future and
the eternal present! Today’s waves break on the burning experience of your
Presence and remind me of games in the sand that are always washed away by the
sea. And yet, I am happy. Happy that I am nothing, happy with the sand that
will not last, because once more your Word goes on writing. We seek to pause in
time, writing and talking, achieving excellent works that stand the ravages of
centuries. You, however, pause to write on sand to achieve works of love that
have the perfume of a caressed gazelle standing still, that have the sound of
formless voices that are the basis of daily life, the taste of a doused
vendetta of a returned embrace… works that do not last except in the heart of
God and in the memory of the living who are sensitive to the flight of a dove
in the heaven of their existence. Tender love of my soul, may I, each day, look
up to the clouds and be consumed by the nostalgia of your return. Amen.
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