Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Here are the readings for the Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, November 17, 2013:

Malachi 3: 19-20a
Psalm 98:  5-9
2 Thessalonians 3: 7-12
Luke 21: 5-19

The readings during these final weeks of the church year certainly are attention-grabbing! Over the centuries these 'in those days...' readings have inspired some people to focus their lives on looking for clues as a way to predict the coming of the end-times.  Many have withdrawn from engagement with the world out of certainty that they can hear those final trumpets warming up, that the rapture is nigh.  What are we, as Catholic Christians, to make of this Gospel?

I asked that question of our elementary formation director today. Well, not exactly. Knowing she was preparing for Sunday's children's liturgy of the word, I asked her what she was going to tell very young children about this Gospel. "Jesus says, 'don't be afraid'," was her reply.  Of course! When news of destructive typhoons or scary strangers down the street or around the world can enter our homes (TV, internet, papers, etc) nearly immediately, there is a lot to be concerned about. But who is stronger than any bad thing or person, who REALLY wins in the end? Jesus.

I think I would add that Jesus is telling us not to be distracted. After all, the Gospel starts with Jesus' audience obsessing about the costly decorations of the temple, and he reminds them that as wonderful as they are, buildings are only temporary  So- they miss his point. THEN they start obsessing about WHEN the temple might be destroyed! It feels that Jesus goes overboard in piling on the predictions of woes.  Actually, when Luke wrote these words, many of these things had already happened- so he was putting them in the context of the need for perseverance and faith.  Luke's Jesus reminds his followers not to be distracted from the Good News of the Gospel by present or anticipated hardship and persecution.

Don't be afraid, don't be distracted, either by opulence or poverty, by praise or insults... remember your calling as a member of Christ's body- to love and serve one another, as Christ example leads us.

There are no RCIA meetings this Sunday. You are encouraged to participate as fully as possible in the parish Year of Faith Mission on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday evenings from 7-8:30pm. Please click here for more details. 
NOTE: There was an unexpected death in ValLimar Jansen's family, and the Year of Faith Mission is canceled and will be rescheduled after the holidays.