The Gospel of Luke, chapter 21:19

Year in and year out, somebody takes on the task of naively reading the signs of the end-times for us. We have heard the prophets of doom, of Armageddon, of the end of the world who have predicted the destruction of our planet. I wrote about the apocalypse in last Saturday’s blog (October 2, 2010). You might want to refer back to what I wrote about this subject on October 2nd. What we do know is that our world still keeps turning and we keep churning along.

Today’s scripture from the gospel of Luke, chapter 21, offers valuable insights into the state of the Christian in a changing world. Jesus says: “you will save your lives” by “patient endurance”. We must expect apocalyptic events such as the tsunami in Indonesia or 9/11, but these events do not mean that the end is in sight. We must expect to be set to by earth-shattering changes in our society; it comes with the territory. The ungluing of the world around us calls for steadfastness, patience and faith, not panic. No need to draw our wagons in a circle and let the world fall apart. This reaction won’t wash. It is not based on the gospel and it won’t help bring about God’s reign.

As Christians, we must rest our case on our faith that the risen Lord is here, active and effective. We must open our hearts and minds to the signs of the times. “By patient endurance you will save your lives.” Look at the wonderful changes that have taken place already in Eastern Europe? The walls of hatred and suspicion, which were built with such awful determination by the old U.S.S.R., have come tumbling down. Look at the changes that today’s social network has brought about? They have enabled me to share the Lord’s word with you and with a much wider audience than the people of Sacred Heart, Okeechobee.

Sometimes, we are inclined to think about the good old days and our selective memory inclines to convince us that they existed. Today’s gospel focuses on the good new days when Jesus’ message becomes active and effective in our lives; in our times.

Let us be attentive to the signs of the times and try to make our church, our community, and our world a better place to live in, with God’s help,

Fr. Hugh Duffy