November 18, 2012

33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time

First Reading: Daniel 12:1-3

   In those days, I Daniel, heard this word of the Lord: "At that time there shall arise Michael, the great prince, guardian of your people; It shall be a time unsurpassed in distress since nations began until that time. At that time your people shall escape, everyone who is found written in the book. Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake; some shall live forever, others shall be an everlasting horror and disgrace. But the wise shall shine brightly like the splendor of the firmament, And those who lead the many to justice shall be like the stars forever."

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Second Reading: Hebrews 10:11-14,18

   Brothers and sisters, every priest stands daily at his ministry, offering frequently those same sacrifices that can never take away sins. But this one offered one sacrifice for sins, and took his seat forever at the right hand of God; now he waits until his enemies are made his footstool. For by one offering he has made perfect forever those who are being consecrated. Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer offering for sin.

Gospel Reading: Mark 13:24-32

   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. And then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in the clouds' with great power and glory, and then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the end of the earth to the end of the sky. "Learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branch becomes tender and sprouts leaves, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see these things happening, know that he is near, at the gates. Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. "But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."

Reflection: Fr. James Theophilus 

   Man is worried about the last days and he is even frightened of the last days. Created beings had a beginning and they will have an end. It is natural law that material thing decay and get destroyed. Anyone who believes in creation will necessarily accept the last days. Man cannot be eternal on earth (creation stories of the Bible explain these).
   But when these things will happen is the question that man is faced with. Many false prophets have prophesied about the last days (they even fixed the dates and the hour) but they are gone (died) and the created world continues. Jesus has beautifully answered that only the Father knows the day and the hour. Earth quakes, Tsunami, Cyclones are only telling us that the created world is constantly facing the destruction and this is also a continuous process. We need to believe in the creator.