This last week of the liturgical year we continue to reflect on the end times. Our concerns about the end times center around when, how, what the end will happen. Just the thought of the end of the world or our own personal life tends to produce very emotional responses in each of us. Depression, suicide, and sadness are a common permanent stance to life for many in our culture. Some people even fall into irrational terror and gestures of hopelessness. As a response to the news reports of wars and disasters and the increase in emotional chaos, we turn to science and medicine to cure all of society’s ills which do not cure the root cause of our despair. We prefer to spend our time fixed on the TV reports and then we spend our time with others “gossiping” about the terrible, bad news.
The people of Jesus’ time had the same worries about the end times. Rather than focusing on all the external events, Jesus focuses on our internal state. His first response is quite simple: do not be terrified of all those external events. Jesus focuses on our internal relationship with God. That constant relationship with God our Creator and Father, who provides for us every day, produces hope. We are called to live in hope amid the despair and chaos of life.
Secondly, Jesus reminds us of our primary mission. The local faith community, every Christian family, and each Christian is called to be a sign of hope in all circumstances – to bear witness. Surrounded by chaos and violence we are called to share our faith, to be credible signs of reality of Christ’s resurrection in us. We are signs of the Good News in our times.
It is so easy to become infected with the chaos, sadness, and despair that is prevalent in our culture. We let ourselves repeat the sad stories and our own internal terror. We are called to be constant in hope.
do not be terrified; for such things must happen first,
…and that will be your opportunity to bear witness.
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