Fr. Louis Birabaluge, SX
Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dn 12: 1-3; Ps 15: 5.8-11; Heb 10: 11-14, 18; Mk 13: 24-32
Today’s readings: the prophet Daniel and the Gospel, Mk13: 24-32, are among the most difficult texts of the Bible. Their style is like the one found in the book of Apocalypse, Revelation. From them, we are told about a time of great distress which will come before a day as the “Last day” or “Day of last judgment”. Read out off their social and political context, some religious movements, the sects refer to these readings to frighten people.
But these readings are Word of God. For us they are Good news. And the good news is: the Just Judge will come one day to reward the living and the dead; everyone according to what he has done during his earthly life. This Just Judge is the son of Man, the Son of God: Jesus Christ. At that time, he will joyfully welcome the Chosen, from everywhere and for all time - meaning of: from the four winds, from the ends of the world to the ends of heaven.
Since the beginning of the Church, the awareness of the “Last day”, “the Day of the Just judge to come” has helped Christians to grow in hope and has strengthened them especially during hard time, the time of trials and persecutions. Indeed even nowadays, to know and believe that the Just Judge exists is a piece of Good news for our world where the powerful and the wealthy seem to be the right ones. For us, the Victory and Glory belong to God. He is the last Judge of all. He has shown his power when he accepted the sacrifice offered by his Son for the sins of all. The winner is the One sitting at the right hand of God, where he is now waiting until his enemies are made into a footstool for him (2nd reading).
Today’s readings do not tell us on which criteria we will be judged. Further and clear informations are found in the Gospel according to Mathew 25: 31-46. We will be judged on our ability or not to recognize Jesus in the figure of the hungry, the naked, the thirsty, the prisoner, the sick, the homeless...: whatever we do or do not do for one of these little ones, we do or do not do it for Jesus, says the Gospel (Mt 25, 45).
What a consoling Judge we are waiting for! He is One who will judge us according to our small daily deeds of mercy. In this way, everyone is able to fulfil the Gospel and be called “blessed of the Father” (Mt 25: 34). We are called to be just careful and not to miss the opportunity of what Pope Francis calls: “the eloquence of deeds”; which means to preach the Gospel by deeds and not by beautiful words!
Finally everyone of us will be the judge of himself, because each of us will harvest what he has sowed as a krio proverb( Sierra Leone) justly says: “AS YU MEK YU BED, NA SO YU GO LEDכN PAN AM”: As you make your bed, so you shall lie on it. It means that one will enjoy the fruits of one's labour.
Every Sunday, Christians renew their faith in Jesus, the son of God who will come again to judge the living and the dead. In every mass, we celebrate our forgiveness. We celebrate the love Jesus showed to us when he died for our sins. But we are also reminded by the sacrifice of the mass to love others as Jesus loves us; until he comes again in glory.
When is he coming? When is the “last day”, the “day of Judgment”? The answer is: “nobody knows it, neither the angels of heaven nor the Son. Only the father knows that day and the time (Mk 13: 32). In order not to be surprised by that day, let us ask the Spirit of God to help us to be ready every day in carrying out our daily duties according to the word of God.
Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Dn 12: 1-3; Ps 15: 5.8-11; Heb 10: 11-14, 18; Mk 13: 24-32
Today’s readings: the prophet Daniel and the Gospel, Mk13: 24-32, are among the most difficult texts of the Bible. Their style is like the one found in the book of Apocalypse, Revelation. From them, we are told about a time of great distress which will come before a day as the “Last day” or “Day of last judgment”. Read out off their social and political context, some religious movements, the sects refer to these readings to frighten people.
But these readings are Word of God. For us they are Good news. And the good news is: the Just Judge will come one day to reward the living and the dead; everyone according to what he has done during his earthly life. This Just Judge is the son of Man, the Son of God: Jesus Christ. At that time, he will joyfully welcome the Chosen, from everywhere and for all time - meaning of: from the four winds, from the ends of the world to the ends of heaven.
Since the beginning of the Church, the awareness of the “Last day”, “the Day of the Just judge to come” has helped Christians to grow in hope and has strengthened them especially during hard time, the time of trials and persecutions. Indeed even nowadays, to know and believe that the Just Judge exists is a piece of Good news for our world where the powerful and the wealthy seem to be the right ones. For us, the Victory and Glory belong to God. He is the last Judge of all. He has shown his power when he accepted the sacrifice offered by his Son for the sins of all. The winner is the One sitting at the right hand of God, where he is now waiting until his enemies are made into a footstool for him (2nd reading).
Today’s readings do not tell us on which criteria we will be judged. Further and clear informations are found in the Gospel according to Mathew 25: 31-46. We will be judged on our ability or not to recognize Jesus in the figure of the hungry, the naked, the thirsty, the prisoner, the sick, the homeless...: whatever we do or do not do for one of these little ones, we do or do not do it for Jesus, says the Gospel (Mt 25, 45).
What a consoling Judge we are waiting for! He is One who will judge us according to our small daily deeds of mercy. In this way, everyone is able to fulfil the Gospel and be called “blessed of the Father” (Mt 25: 34). We are called to be just careful and not to miss the opportunity of what Pope Francis calls: “the eloquence of deeds”; which means to preach the Gospel by deeds and not by beautiful words!
Finally everyone of us will be the judge of himself, because each of us will harvest what he has sowed as a krio proverb( Sierra Leone) justly says: “AS YU MEK YU BED, NA SO YU GO LEDכN PAN AM”: As you make your bed, so you shall lie on it. It means that one will enjoy the fruits of one's labour.
Every Sunday, Christians renew their faith in Jesus, the son of God who will come again to judge the living and the dead. In every mass, we celebrate our forgiveness. We celebrate the love Jesus showed to us when he died for our sins. But we are also reminded by the sacrifice of the mass to love others as Jesus loves us; until he comes again in glory.
When is he coming? When is the “last day”, the “day of Judgment”? The answer is: “nobody knows it, neither the angels of heaven nor the Son. Only the father knows that day and the time (Mk 13: 32). In order not to be surprised by that day, let us ask the Spirit of God to help us to be ready every day in carrying out our daily duties according to the word of God.