Dear Friends,
THE END. Reaching “the end” can be devastating or exhilarating, depending on what is ending, why it’s ending, our preparedness for its ending, and what “new beginning” it leads to.
In today’s gospel (Luke 21:5-19), Jesus foretells a devastating picture of “the end” accompanied by wars, earthquakes, famines, plagues, and persecution, yet it leads to a new and exhilarating beginning. What is “the end” Jesus is talking about? The destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by the Romans in 70 AD. And what is the “new beginning” it definitively ushered in? The New Jerusalem, built upon the foundation of the 12 apostles (Revelation 21:9-14), i.e., the Catholic Church.
God always builds better, because He always moves forward, always toward a new beginning for
humankind. The biblical story of salvation history is one of God continually resurrecting new life from the devastating ends of man’s pride and sinfulness: a new Adam (Christ; 1 Cor 15:45); a new Eve (Mary; Galatians 4:4-5); a new covenant (Luke 22:20); a new creation of man (2 Cor 5:17; Eph 2:15); a new nature of man (Eph 4:24); a new commandment (John 13:34); and a new heavens and a new earth (2 Pet 2:13; Rev 21:1).
Just as Yahweh established a cyclical (seasonal) pattern of liturgical celebrations to remind the Israelites
of the continual “newness” of God’s loving-kindness (covenantal love), so the Church, as the New Jerusalem, follows God’s pattern of new beginnings by establishing a cyclical liturgical calendar of “ends” and “new beginnings.” As we approach the end of our liturgical year, today’s gospel about the “end times” of ancient Jerusalem and the Temple (after the 1st Coming of Christ) also points to the climactic “end times” of our day—the impending 2nd Coming of Christ—and leads us to a new liturgical beginning: preparing (Advent) for the coming of Christ into the world and into our hearts at Christmas. And so the cycle of God’s never-ending love is continually refreshed for us, our children, and our grandchildren.
Jesus in the gospels reminds us (and the Church liturgically reminds us at every Mass) that He will come again, and that we need to be prepared to go out and meet Him. Some say Jesus is coming soon (and they’ve been saying that for 2000 years). When do you think He will come again? Personally, I believe Christ will come again in your lifetime and mine: each of us will meet Him the day that our soul leaves our body. Until then, He comes every day (“Come, Lord Jesus!” - Revelation 22:20) at every Holy Mass, which leads us back to… THE BEGINNING.
Peace in Christ,
Father Jim
