Jijo Kandamkulathy, CMF
Claretian Publications, Macau
Gospel Reflection – Mk 13:24-32
33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year B
We are nearing the end of the liturgical year. So, the readings begin to invite us to meditate on the end times. The readings are usually from apocalyptic literature depicting great cataclysm and upheavals indicating the end of this world.
Mark wrote this gospel when Christians were already in turmoil, the Jerusalem temple was most probably destroyed by that time, and their known world was crumbling down. In those disappointing times, Mark encourages the Christians about the return of the Lord when their faith and perseverance in hope will be rewarded.
Today’s gospel in essence deals with two things. First, it is the judgment between the righteous and otherwise, and the gathering of the righteous by the angels at the end of this world. Secondly, the passage speaks about signs that will indicate such a cataclysmic end. Our earth and this whole universe will have an end for sure. But we do not expect that to happen in our lifetime. It ends in a fixed trajectory. However, our irrational use of the resources of this earth can hasten our extinction faster than this typical trajectory. Therefore, it is vital to preserve the resources of the planet. We need to remember that what we enjoy on earth is a loan from our future generations.
The end of our personal lives is closer than that of the universe. How we look at that end moment is more significant to meditate now. The upheavals may not be in the heavens, in the outer world, but in our emotional horizons and relationships. How do we deal with those difficult moments? Do we give in to despair, destructive behaviors, or stay put in our values taught by the gospel? During the upheavals in mind, if we can stay put in hope, we can feel the sure assistance of the Lord. If we are emotionally heaving back and forth, it will be difficult to identify the help of the Lord near us.
Jesus also invites us to read the signs of the times correctly. Incorrect reading of the signs will lead us to wrong conclusions and wrong responses. I am citing an example from a previous reflection. A patient comes to a doctor with a headache, and he identifies the headache as a migraine while the patient is suffering from bleeding in the brain. The physician has grossly misread the signs, resulting in the death of the patient. We need to read the signs of our own spiritual, physical, and psychological growth or retardation, and respond to them on a day-to-day basis. None of these elements of our personality remains static; they are either improving or deteriorating. Continuous reading of signs and responding positively to them results in mature growth.
Reading spiritual signs requires spiritual alertness and deeper faith. One of the most significant steps in reading spiritual signs is to get in touch with oneself. Spending some time calmly with oneself, cutting off all external signs from media screens and others, is the best way to notice what is going right and wrong in one’s life. Such daily moments will make us experts in reading the spiritual signs in one’s own life, and if one is called upon to advise someone else, to do it meaningfully.
A similar pattern can be used to check the spiritual health of the family. We need to find time to gather together, and be able to talk and listen freely. Such interactions will give out signs of health or weakness of the family. When everyone in the family is able to speak, we can pick and read the right signs. Of course, the inability to talk within the family is a sign indicating deterioration that needs to be addressed.
Pope Francis has made listening as a built-in component of organizing the recently-concluded synod. He asked pastors worldwide to consult with their faithful as well as the “unfaithful,” with those who come to church and those who do not, and listen to their opinions and words. The idea was to listen not just to the prominent voices but also to the stifled voices, to the voiceless. Listening only to the prominent voices is to make a false reading of the signs. Listening is not an act of the ear but of the heart. To listen compassionately and be attentive when there is no voice at all is a skill we need to develop. They are all signs to be read correctly. The right way of listening itself creates a climate of growth. Such listening is the best way to assess the health of the Church and our world.
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