Scripture Reflection for the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
November 14, 2004
The End is Near!
"The End is Near," proclaimed the tabloid headlines. A collage of apocalyptic photos filled the cover below. And if not for the poor reputation of the paper, it might not be too hard to believe. Starving children, war-torn cities, fires, floods, disease... all real events. All real pictures. All happening right now. Maybe the "crazies" are right. Perhaps, as we watch the evening news, we are watching the events leading to the end of the world. Maybe it is the eve of the tribulation. Maybe we've reached the end times.
Or maybe not.
The Benefit of History
Unlike the people of Jesus' time, we have the benefit of history. Not that they didn't have any "history", per se, but the documentation wasn't exactly precise. Generations of reliance on oral tradition and subjective writings on important events made it nearly impossible to understand anything other than the author's agenda. This, of course, made "taking a lesson from history" just slightly more difficult than it is now.
Today we have even more subjective opinions than in days of yore, but we have more objective data to turn to as well. And history shows an interesting picture when viewed from a "whole world" perspective.
Starving children, war-torn cities, fires, floods, disease -- all these apocalyptic events -- have been occurring time and time again, since the death of Jesus. In any given decade (at times, any given year), these events have been taking place in different places around the globe. And generation after generation has had it's prophets of doom, claiming that the end is near. And all of these "prophets" have been wrong.
In fact, Jesus warned us, "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!" So we really don't have anything to worry about, right?
No Excuse
"Well, boss... ya' see... I didn't come in to work last week because I thought the world was going to end. Coming to work just seemed kinda pointless, ya' know?"
Yeah, sure... that'd work.
But what if you were right? What if the end really did come? What if the prophets of doom are correct this time around? Why bother doing anything except pray and wait?
"Well, Lord... ya' see... I stopped preaching your word, helping others, and working diligently to improve this world because I knew it was going to end. Doing good works just seemed kinda pointless, ya' know?"
Hmmm. Do you think that would work?
Not according to St. Paul or the Gospel of Luke. The readings for this Sunday make it very clear that, even near the end, we are to continue toiling and doing the Lord's work. The basic premise is that we should keep on doing what is right, regardless of the circumstances. It's a concept that we, as Christians, should be applying to other aspects of our lives as well.
Life = Sports
In America, we spend a great deal of time comparing things to sports. At work, we are subjected to a barrage of similes and metaphors:
Our department is like a football team
The boss is a coach
Like an athlete, we need to practice many times before doing it for real
etc...
The one comparison I haven't seen is comparing the end of a job to the end of a race. It seems that when we reach the end of anything other than a race, it's human nature to simply coast. Whether it is transitioning to a new career by choice, being down-sized (or "right-sized") by your company, or (especially) retirement... when we see the light at the end of the tunnel, people tend to stop putting forth a decent effort. Some virtually stop being productive altogether.
The Finish Line
Common attitudes are, "I've done my time" and "What difference does it make now?" Yet these are the attitudes that the readings warn us against.
Thinking back to my days running Cross Country, I wouldn't dare just coast across the finish line! Do you think the coach would be understanding if I told him, "I ran the rest of the way. I've earned the right to take it easy!"
And what would his reaction be if I said, "Why bother? It wouldn't change our team score."
Jesus' message is clear. Don't listen when people claim it is the end. There are still things to do, and we must continue to keep the faith. We must struggle on through any adversity, and trust completely in the Lord. Don't fret, don't worry, and don't plan your defense. Continue preaching, helping and working diligently, and God will protect you.
If Jesus had been a coach, he probably would've added, "It ain't over 'til it's over." There is no excuse for stopping. Regardless of what you're doing, keep plowing onward. Don't coast the final stretch... roar across the finish line!
Life Applications:
How do you feel about the "prophets of doom"? Do you think the end times have come?
During a time of transition, do you focus on the "end" of the old, or the "beginning" of the new? Explain.
At the end of something, how do you finish? Coasting or roaring?
Copyright 2001-2004 by Brandon Jubar
All rights reserved.
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