The Catholic Calendar for Sunday, November 19, 2000
The Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time
Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Daniel 12:1-3
Psalm 16:5,8-11
Hebrews 10:11-14,18
Mark 13:24-32
Full text: http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/index.htm
A reflection on today's Scripture:
Christ, in today's readings, paints a grim picture of the world's
fate; indeed, throughout the Gospels He exhorts us not to face the
"end times" unprepared. During the first century there were those
who, thinking the end of the world imminent, gave up working,
expecting their labors to prove useless, be destroyed. We in the 21st
century who continue our labors are even less enlightened than these
early Christians; the long delay has lulled many into believing that
Jesus' warnings were fiction.
God does not lie. If there were never a time for the faithful to
triumph and the evil to be banished into the "outer darkness," we
have been loving and worshipping a charlatan. We would also be
implying that Christ's passion and death for the expiation of our
sins was but dark, empty theatrics. We would be denying grace and the
ability of humanity, in Christ, to rise above the turmoil of this
sin-ridden world, never experience peace, justice, safety, truth and
love.
Then what shall we do to enable us to face the future fearlessly,
welcome Christ's second coming? Believe Jesus, live in Him, build
with Him and one another the loving relationships to which He calls
us. Only so can we "work out our salvation," hope to see God face to
face. Preparedness is not arming ourselves with deadly weapons; it is
being totally disarmed by God's pure love, living each moment in His
truth.
God of all truth,
illumine our sin-darkened minds and hearts;
guide us into the light of Your Presence. Amen.
Marie L. Bocko, OCDS ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
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