On the Road Together
Reflection for the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time 2024

Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
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.”

In the past few weeks, many people around the world have experienced an intensification of fear and spiritual desolation even as others feel a kind of feeling of reassurance, even jubilation. This divergence of experience and interpretation of the signs of the times is an indication of just how polarized our societies have become, how fractured and fragmented we are, even as People of God. Perhaps if we were looking at the color of leaves on the trees or measuring the temperature of the air, we’d come to an easy consensus about what season we’re experiencing together. But about so many other things, especially politics and religion, which have profound impact on the ways we perceive and make sense of reality, we are deeply and painfully divided. Some even wonder whether or not we have entered into the “end times.”

While scripture scholars have a strong consensus about the apocalyptic literature of the Bible being more descriptive about events that have already happened in the past, in particular the fall of Jerusalem in the late First Century, and the persecutions of the early Christians in the Roman Empire, they nonetheless capture a feeling of our current times and could seem predictive of future trials and tribulations. If not the end times, at the very least, it is probably fair to say that most people paying attention to the “signs of the times” are experiencing uncertainty and the anxiety provoked by this “not knowing.”

This anxiety is unavoidable, unless we choose to distract ourselves, become hermits, or live in complete denial of the host of crises we face today. However, what we do with this anxiety makes a difference, especially if we are people with authority, resources, and responsibilities. Since fear naturally stimulates primitive responses related to survival, it is not surprising to see some people acting in reactive, even regressive ways, falling back to “either me or you” thinking, aggressive self-preservation, and in some cases violence. And this kind of reactive regression usually leads to more chaos, even cycles, seasons, and generations of conflict. Only in cases of our actual life or death survival are these primitive instincts helpful, and that means for most of us, in the rarest circumstances. That means that generally speaking, these instincts are over-reactions and that the behaviors instigated by them are counter productive to the hopefilled imagination, ingenuity, and collaboration called for by our times.

By contrast, some people who experience the same anxiety and fear have a different response to the same uncertain circumstances, the same scarcity of resources, the same challenges. They make a choice to see their wellbeing and survival as interdependent with others in the belief that by committing to the good of others, they will benefit as well. Instead of choosing to close in on themselves and only look out for their own interests, they create trusting, mutual relationships that endure in times of scarcity or hardship. They choose to be generous with the belief that when their time of need comes, others will be there for them. Jesus speaks about this elsewhere in the Gospel when he describes the wise servant who, looking after his own future, writes off the debts of others.

This is just one of Jesus’ wise, practical instructions to the disciples about the importance of choosing compassion, mercy, forgiveness, generosity to the stranger, humble service instead of competition and dominance, and any of a treasury of other teachings. These divine instructions are perennially true and valid because the human factor remains fairly consistent throughout time. We endure periods of abundance and times of scarcity, feasting and fasting accordingly. We are subject to aging, sickness, and death, as we have always been. We experience injustice against us, and so many circumstances beyond our direct control. But we believe these are passing states of our mortal, human experience, and not the end of the spiritual beings we are. And as spiritual beings having these human experiences, Jesus calls us to transcend our most basic human instincts, and not to give in to our most basic, often self-serving motives.

In all times, what it means to be a good, wise, generous person is consistent. It is never untimely for us to “love tenderly, act justly, and walk humbly with our God,” as the Prophet Micah said. It is always better to give than to take, to see the reasons for hope in the good things that God is doing right now before our eyes rather than to focus only on what is wrong or problematic. In the Gospel of Mark in this Sunday’s liturgy, Jesus says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” For us as Christians, the path of discipleship in faithful witness to Jesus’ example and teaching is not easy, but it is nonetheless always our way.

So, these may be times of trial and tribulation. Yes. And we are People of God who believe that love and justice always go hand in hand, and that we might have a constant bias for grace, mercy, forgiveness, and love of our neighbor. Even in disagreement, how do we hold on to that love and work for our shared common good? What courage or grace do we require to hold fast to the good? And how can we, though our own example, reinforce the steadfastness in others. The future is in God’s hands, and it depends on this.

Prayers on the way,

David and the Discerning Leadership Team