Changes The End Brings

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 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."

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Reflection

The end is always something that snaps us back to the reality of how fleeting life is. Our Sunday Gospel reading reminds us of the end of days which marks the transformation of the old order into the order of the Son of Man. What was old is totally transfigured into something new, reconfigured to the design of the Word who does not change, who remains faithful, and whose words will not pass away.

Jesus invites us to be sensitive to the signs of the times. The very seasons of life will tell us the proximity of the new age. Its coming is totally veiled in mystery - only the Father knows the time, if only to humble us that no human foreknowledge could grasp the final fulfillment of God's design. We are humbled in our ignorance but also spurred to always keep watch and be ready for the end.

The predictions of change that are celestial in proportion may sound scary but they speak of the magnitude of the change that God is about to bring. However, the Gospel also reminds us that such change is not abrupt. It has already begun. It began in when the Word became flesh, and continues as all that is flesh is reunited to the Word. The celestial changes should be foreshadowed by how much we ourselves are changing and preparing to receive our end, who is the Word, Jesus Christ.

Contributing What We Value

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 12:38-44.

In the course of his teaching Jesus said to the crowds,
"Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes
and accept greetings in the marketplaces,
seats of honor in synagogues,
and places of honor at banquets.
They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext
recite lengthy prayers.
They will receive a very severe condemnation."

He sat down opposite the treasury
and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury.
Many rich people put in large sums.
A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents.
Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them,
"Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more
than all the other contributors to the treasury.
For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth,
but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had,
her whole livelihood."

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Reflection

The contrast between the widow and the rich people tells us that God looks at the proportion of our generosity. We can choose to be generous but too often our generosity have limits. We run into the temptation of giving only what comfort allows. Jesus made the poor widow the standard of generosity. She gave even in her poverty and she gave everything she had.

The scribes, those well-versed in the scriptures in Jesus time, is the Gospel reading's negative example. Instead of giving, they hoard honor and riches. This opposition and contrast reminds us of the generosity expected of a Christian. We go through life not hoarding but giving. We are not to give from our surplus. We are to give from what we value.

The widow impressed Jesus because she mirrored what Jesus would do on the cross. He gave everything He had. As disciples of Christ, we are all spiritually poor by ourselves and Jesus invites us to drop in our last two small coins. What do we value most that we still need to give to the Lord?

A Hierarchy of Love

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 12:28B-34.

One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him,
"Which is the first of all the commandments?"
Jesus replied, "The first is this:
Hear, O Israel!
The Lord our God is Lord alone!
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
The second is this:
You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no other commandment greater than these."
The scribe said to him, "Well said, teacher.
You are right in saying,
'He is One and there is no other than he.'
And 'to love him with all your heart,
with all your understanding,
with all your strength,
and to love your neighbor as yourself'
is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."
And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding,
he said to him,
"You are not far from the kingdom of God."
And no one dared to ask him any more questions.

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Reflection

The question which among the commandments tells us two things: one, that there are many commandments; and two, among these stands one that precedes all others. The Jews follow the Mosaic Law which contains 613 commandments that dictate on morals, worship, relationships, and even their diet. It was understandable that they should wonder which of these is the most important.

But life is not just about rules and procedures. To live is to live for something. True Christian discipleship possess meaning and purpose which shapes the whole of life. For Jesus, the main meaning of life, of the law, of discipleship, is a two-sided expression of love - the love of God and neighbor. Love shapes the kingdom of God.

There is no greater commandment than the command to love. Love sits at the highest throne in the kingdom. It gives the Christian his identity. It gives the law and commandments its spirit.