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15 Nov 2015 - Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B

The “end of the world” has fascinated human beings for millennia. In the 1970s, British comedians Peter Cooke and Dudley Moore did a skit on Broadway that presented a group of followers assembled on a windy mountaintop awaiting the end, which “according to the very ancient pyramidic scrolls” is about to happen in two minutes. They count down, and at zero chant, “Now is the end! Perish the world.” But nothing happens. So the leader shrugs and says “Never mind, lads. Same time tomorrow. We must get a winner one day.” The point of the biblical stories that lead us into Advent is to bolster our faith when we face threats to our faith. The end-time texts were thought to have been written much earlier by holy persons who had looked into the future—into our time—and seen not only our danger and oppression, but also that we would triumph in the end. God is at our side, in our own day, in this troubled world, and we are to act in faith as though every day were our last. Folk song writer Phil Ochs says it in song. “There’s no place in this world where I’ll belong when I’m gone / And I won’t know the right from the wrong when I’m gone / You won’t find me singing on this song when I’m gone / So I guess I’ll have to do it while I’m here. / And I won’t breathe the brandy air when I’m gone / I can’t even worry ‘bout my cares when I’m gone / Won’t be asked to do my share when I’m gone / So I guess I’ll have to do it while I’m here.”

Authors Father Larry Janowski O.F.M.

end of the world end-times

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07 Dec 2008 - Second Sunday of Advent, Cycle B

Some things take forever to get here. Whether it’s the arrival of a friend, a birthday, or the holiday season we’re anticipating, the day can’t come fast enough. Even if it’s bad news we’re waiting on—something that will determine the future of our job or a relationship or even our health—the waiting period can tie us up in knots. Anything seems better than living with uncertainty and anxiety. At least we can move forward into the future when what we’re waiting for finally comes into view. The readings of Advent remind us that, as people of faith, we’re waiting for two seemingly contradictory things. We’re waiting for the end of the world as we know it: for this broken history of ours to be rolled up like a carpet and laid at the feet of the One Who Is to Come. We’re waiting for the dissolution of all things, as the Second Letter to Peter puts it. And none of us can feel sorry at the thought that sin and death, evil, violence, cruelty and injustice, war and crime, and disease and pain will be wiped out at last. When we listen to the nightly news, we may all be ready to shout: Come, Lord Jesus! But that’s not all we’re waiting for, of course. The coming of our Lord isn’t only about saying good riddance to the bad old days forever. We’re also eagerly awaiting an astonishing new world “in which righteousness dwells.” We’re waiting for rebirth as innocent and beautiful as the baby at the heart of our Advent longing. We can dare to hope for these wonderful things because we’re preparing nothing less than “the way of the Lord” here. Forget the stairway to heaven. We’re building a superhighway! John the Baptist, the highway’s advance man, was one of those rare pivotal figures who appreciated exactly where he stood in human history. As a prophet he had the ability to read the future as accurately as the past. He could see the ax poised at the root of the tree of his generation. Heck, he could feel its weight in his own hands. Everything had to come down: that’s why he preached repentance. John also knew someone mightier was on the way. That gave him the courage to speak an unpopular message and then to fall like a tree himself, chopped down by the same injustice he came to denounce. Baptism with water could wash away the past. The baptism of the Holy Spirit would ignite a future beyond every story ever told. Related scripture links Faith as the evidence of things hoped for and not seen: Heb. 11:1 Confidence in hope: Prov. 23:17-18; 1 Thess. 5:8-11 We hope with all of creation: Rom. 8:18-25 Catechism links Season of Advent: CCC 524; 1095 John as voice of consolation: CCC 719 Spiritual gifts: CCC 768; 798-801; 1266; 1830-1831 Spiritual fruits: CCC 736; 1832

Authors Alice Camille

anticipation uncertainty end of the world kingdom coming kingdom of god

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30 Nov 2008 - First Sunday of Advent, Cycle B

SOME PEOPLE LOVE surprises. Others do everything in their power to organize their lives against the unexpected. If your idea of a great party is having guests leap out from behind the furniture when you arrive home to a dark house, then maybe you’ll love the end of the world, too. Because the eschaton is designed to be the surprise party to end all surprise parties. No one gets advance warning or a chance to change clothes. As so many of the parables warn, thinking ahead is essential. It’s best to don the right attire at once. Put oil in your lamp, too. And as we heard in last week’s gospel, make sure to take every opportunity to care for those who don’t enjoy the bounty, health, and liberty you do. Because nobody knows when the party’s going to start, and there won’t be time to get ready once it begins. Why the secrecy? Why is Jesus so hush-hush about the date and time? The state of vigilance is meant to keep us constant in our intentions to do the right thing. Because all of us are sloppy sometimes. Even neat freaks allow themselves one closet or desk, one corner of the house or hour of the day when they let it all come apart. Jesus is saying, when it comes to the reign of God, we can’t allow ourselves a junk corner or a bumpy rug under which the debris gets swept. We have to keep ourselves—heart and mind and soul and strength—focused on God’s will. Our intentions have to be as polished as that front room at your grandmother’s that was always kept perfect for guests—even when none were expected. Think of how the Jewish community holds an empty chair at the Passover table for Elijah, who hasn’t returned in 29 centuries and counting. This could be the year. You never know. But most of us, perhaps all of us, don’t keep this kind of expectant vigilance. Maybe the truth is we don’t believe an unscheduled guest will ever come, so what’s the use? Even those of us who have dedicated guest rooms in our homes use them for storage because, deep down, we’re not really open to the possibility of the unexpected. The unscheduled guest is frankly unwelcome. We don’t like to have our plans disrupted by something off our radar. The coming of Christ into the world is what you might call the ultimate disruption. It was unsettling 20 centuries ago when he showed up the first time. It will be the same on that unknown day when he shows up the next time. And the coming of Christ is equally disturbing of business-as-usual when he shows up in the face of a brother or sister in need, every single day. Those who embrace these little surprises will be better prepared when the big one comes Related scripture links Our life is over like a sigh: Psalm 90:1-10 Urgency of the time: Matt. 24:37-44; Rom. 13:11-14; 1 Thess. 5:1-8 God’s help for us: Psalm 6:5; Rom. 9:16; Eph. 6:10-17 Need for change: Isa. 1:16-18; Matt. 13:15; Eph. 5:14 Catechism links Advent: CCC 522-524 Waiting in joyful hope: CCC 668-672; 1024-1029; 2612 For whole community catechesis What are you waiting for this Advent?

Authors Alice Camille

end of the world warning reign of god coming of Christ prepared

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03 Dec 2017 - First Sunday of Advent, Cycle B

Some people love surprises. Others do everything in their power to organize their lives against the unexpected. If your idea of a great party is having guests leap out from behind the furniture when you arrive home to a dark house, then maybe you’ll love the end of the world, too. Because the eschaton is designed to be the surprise party to end all surprise parties. No one gets advance warning or a chance to change clothes. As so many of the parables warn, thinking ahead is essential. It’s best to don the right attire at once. Put oil in your lamp, too. And as we heard in last week’s gospel, make sure to take every opportunity to care for those who don’t enjoy the bounty, health, and liberty you do. Because nobody knows when the party’s going to start, and there won’t be time to get ready once it begins. Why the secrecy? Why is Jesus so hush-hush about the date and time? The state of vigilance is meant to keep us constant in our intentions to do the right thing. Because all of us are sloppy sometimes. Even neat freaks allow themselves one closet or desk, one corner of the house or hour of the day when they let it all come apart. Jesus is saying, when it comes to the reign of God, we can’t allow ourselves a junk corner or a bumpy rug under which the debris gets swept. We have to keep ourselves—heart and mind and soul and strength—focused on God’s will. Our intentions have to be as polished as that front room at your grandmother’s that was always kept perfect for guests—even when none were expected. Think of how the Jewish community holds an empty chair at the Passover table for Elijah, who hasn’t returned in 29 centuries and counting. This could be the year. You never know. But most of us, perhaps all of us, don’t keep this kind of expectant vigilance. Maybe the truth is we don’t believe an unscheduled guest will ever come, so what’s the use? Even those of us who have dedicated guest rooms in our homes use them for storage because, deep down, we’re not really open to the possibility of the unexpected. The unscheduled guest is frankly unwelcome. We don’t like to have our plans disrupted by something off our radar. The coming of Christ into the world is what you might call the ultimate disruption. It was unsettling 20 centuries ago when he showed up the first time. It will be the same on that unknown day when he shows up the next time. And the coming of Christ is equally disturbing of business-as-usual when he shows up in the face of a brother or sister in need, every single day. Those who embrace these little surprises will be better prepared when the big one comes Related scripture links Our life is over like a sigh: Psalm 90:1-10 Urgency of the time: Matt. 24:37-44; Rom. 13:11-14; 1 Thess. 5:1-8 God’s help for us: Psalm 6:5; Rom. 9:16; Eph. 6:10-17 Need for change: Isa. 1:16-18; Matt. 13:15; Eph. 5:14 Catechism links Advent: CCC 522-524 Waiting in joyful hope: CCC 668-672; 1024-1029; 2612 For whole community catechesis What are you waiting for this Advent?

Authors Alice Camille

surprises eschaton vigilance readiness end of the world keep watch

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21 Jan 2024 - Third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B

In 1999 everyone thought that the world would end with the beginning of the year 2000 because of the Y2K “millennium bug” that threatened everything run by computers. That same year there were predictions that the Earth’s axis would shift, also causing massive destructions worldwide. And those were just a of some 200 end-of-world predictions that year. More recently you may have heard all kinds of theories connecting the coronavirus with the Great Reset, the World Economic Forum, Bill Gates and the vaccine, WhatsApp and Facebook, ISIS, the rise of Islam, Trump, and Biden—somehow all connected and pointing clearly to the end of the world. And people believe these things. According to a 2012 Ipsos poll, nearly 15 percent of the world’s population believe that the world will end in their lifetime. As you can see, it’s nothing new. There were probably-end-of-world theories as far back as Noah’s time. But they’ve all been wrong. When Jesus says, “This is the time of fulfillment. The Kingdom of God is at hand,” he’s not talking about the end. He’s talking about the beginning. All that time until the birth of Christ was preparation, rehearsal. With the birth of Christ, it’s no longer a preparation: Now it’s showtime! The time of fulfillment. The time to begin following Christ, to turn to God. Although when we turn our lives to God, I guess, it does feel like the end of the world as we know it. Excerpted from https://deaconpedro.com/2021/01/24/the-end-times/

Authors Deacon Pedro Guevara-Mann

end of the world end times

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