Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 159

Then they asked him,

"Teacher, when will this happen?

And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?"

The Lord's disciples, admirers, and opponents had as many questions about the end of the world as we do today, and he told them everything he knew. Which was important, but didn't answer their number one question, "When?" 

Instead, Jesus tells us the attitude we must have. We should be alert, expectant, and careful. We do not want to be caught unawares. If there is a time and a place for everything, and everything has its time and place, any time and any place is right for the coming of Christ. 

That's because he has standing. I think of standing as the right to be present and to speak. In a court of law, not everyone can come in and testify concerning any particular case. Injured parties, witnesses, law enforcement personnel, "friends of the court:" these and others may have standing, but there are many people who would love to come in and bloviate before the judge until they're satisfied that they've said it all. If they should get as far as the courtroom, they’re escorted out without ceremony. 

By the pain, anguish, and death he personally suffered, the Son of God has standing. He has standing to testify for or against every human being, and every human system of law or government or religion which led to his crucifixion and death. He was condemned and crucified by all of them, but he rose from the dead, and they now stand before him as accused defendants. He judges, sentences, and executes the sentence he pronounces. 

In the Book of Revelation, Saint John described what he saw and heard in heaven: 

I… heard the voices of many angels who surrounded the throne and the living creatures and the elders. They were countless in number,

and they cried out in a loud voice:

“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain

to receive power and riches, wisdom and strength,

honor and glory and blessing.”

The Lamb of God also has standing to represent everyone who suffers, as he said to St. Paul on the road to Damascus about his own agony, “Saul Saul, why do you persecute me?

Skeptics may or may not agree with the Lord's standing, and they might still ask, "...when will this happen? And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?"

But you and I, who have no particular standing, might ask the skeptics, doubters, and deniers, "Who are you to be demanding answers from God? Do you have standing around the Heavenly Throne?” And then we might ask, “Why do you need to know? What difference would it make?" 

They might say they want to be prepared for that day. If they knew the signs to watch for they could be better prepared. But if they know neither the time nor the sign of his imminent return, they will certainly not be prepared. To which this guilty bystander says, “That sounds like a plan to fail.” 

Very often the loudest complainers and the most demanding skeptics have nothing to complain about. They might pretend to speak for the poor, weak, and marginalized but they are neither poor nor marginalized. And that's not their real issue. They give every appearance of being satisfied with the way things are; they are not willing to make substantial sacrifices for the miserable of the earth; but they are worried that God might judge them. And they are especially worried when they hear, 

For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,

a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’

The Church knows neither the day nor the hour. Nor do we ask. But we stand ready. The Lord commanded us to, “Do this in memory of me!” That is “celebrate the Eucharist,” and we do that. He commanded us to, “Make disciples of all nations,” and we’re doing that. 

He commanded us to repent of our sins and believe the gospel, and we confess our sins, study the doctrines of our faith, the scriptures, and the lives of the saints. He commanded us to 

Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit.

And so we ask the Holy Spirit to shine a merciful light into the darkness of our sins even as he heals our grief, relieves our anxiety, and raises our depression so that we can rejoice. 

Yes, we have been disappointed with ourselves and our lot, but we are cheered by the knowledge that the Son of God has willingly, eagerly, and courageously suffered and died for us and with us. He has been overcome, but he has been raised up; and he raises us up. He has gone into the tomb to call us out of our tombs.

We are not afraid when we “hear of wars and insurrections,” for he has told us these things must come. And we prepare our hearts for the Day of Judgment. It might come with the Appearance of the Judge of Heaven and Earth with all his angels and saints. Or it might come with some form of persecution. We might be accused of having crucifixes, statues, and bibles in our homes, and rosaries in our possession; but we’ll know what to say about that because the Lord will put in our mouths the words to say and the songs to sing when that Day comes.