11-Nov-07
Dear Friend,
When confronted with violence, political instability or natural calamities we
often think that the end has come and we fear the worst possible consequences.
We worry about: ‘What will happen if…..’ What will I do if I lose my job, my
possessions, my family?’ ‘What if I am caught up in an accident?’ We can be
paralyzed by fear. The Christian is challenged to carry on living in spite of
all that may happen. God is always near and we need not worry or fear his
coming. Have a ‘worry-free’ God-filled weekend! Fr. Jude
Sunday Reflections: Thirty-third Sunday -Day of the Lord 18-11-07
Readings: Malachi 3: 19-20; 2 Thess. 3:7-12; Luke 21:
5-19;
The day of the Lord came when Jesus came; it will come again when he returns at
the end of time; it comes today each time grace visits us. God is always coming
into our lives and His coming passes judgement upon us. Just as in the light we
see ourselves and others more clearly, so in the presence of God we are exposed
and the darkness in us is revealed. His coming is cleansing and brings healing.
Only when we open ourselves to God and to others do we discover our true
selves. God and sin are incompatible, the prophet predicts that God will visit
his people and when he comes he will destroy sin, and sinners will be punished,
but the just will have no cause to fear the coming of the Lord.
God purifies….
A disciple came to Mohamed and said, “Master, my six brothers are all asleep,
and I alone have remained awake to worship Allah.” Mohamed replied,….”You too
had better be asleep, if your worship of Allah consists of accusation against
your brethren.” –Mohamed’s answer is self explanatory. Worship is polluted if
done with a heart harbouring hatred, enmity or prejudice. The purpose of prayer
is to purify oneself and not to find fault with others.
G. Francis Xavier in ‘The World’s Best Inspiring Stories’
Expectation of the coming of the Lord had some people from Thessalonica
abandoning their work and spending time in laziness and idleness. We can pass
on the burden of our duty and responsibility to God in the name of religion.
Paul reminds his readers that they are not to await the return of the Lord in
anxiety and idleness. Paul says that the proper way to prepare ourselves for
the last times is to work conscientiously at our daily tasks, following the
example of Paul himself.
What’s your work?
You may have heard the story of a visitor to a quarry who asked the men who
were toiling there what they were doing. “Can’t you see I’m breaking stones?”
said one gruffly. “I’m making a living for my wife and my family,” said the
second. The third man had a greater vision. “I’m helping to build a cathedral”
he replied with a glowing smile.
Anthony Castle in ‘More Quotes and Anecdotes’
In today’s gospel Jesus wishes to remind us that catastrophic happenings are
not to be seen too quickly as signs that the world is ending. In Luke’s Gospel
the destruction predicted is the destruction of the temple and the destruction
of Jerusalem. The disciples of Jesus were proud of their temple which had been
reconstructed by the emperor. But its beauty would be short-lived as Israel’s
enemies sort to destroy the temple. But this gave rise to many false Messiahs
who offered all kinds of false assurances and proclaimed themselves as the
redeemers of Israel. The temptation of the Israelites was to believe in false
promises or to resign themselves to their fate. Jesus warns his disciples that
to be faithful to God would entail persecution and endurance. In their trials
they would need patience and fortitude. The time of the Church is not a time of
calculations but a time for perseverance in the faith. Jesus does not give his
disciples false
security, nor does he promise an easy discipleship. Suffering and persecution
from the least expected persons, from one’s own relatives and friends and
fellow religious people can be the toughest type of suffering. Our security is
not based on people, even our own, but only on God. In spite of all that can
happen, the faithful Christian will be assured of victory. “Stand erect, hold
your head high, because your liberation is near at hand.”
Perseverance will win us our lives
One morning a couple of cowpunchers went out to bring in a wild steer from
their range in the mountains. They took along one of those shaggy little grey
donkeys – a burro. Now a big three-year old steer that had been running loose
in the timber is a rough customer to handle. But these cowpunchers had a
technique. They got a rope on the steer and then tied him neck to neck, right
up close, to the burro. When they let go the burro had a bad time. The steer
threw him all over the place –against trees, over rocks, into bushes. Time
after time they both went down. But there was one great difference between the
burro and the steer. The burro had an idea. He wanted to go home. And no matter
how often the steer threw him, every time the burro got to his feet he wound up
a step nearer the corral. As the cowpunchers left, this was going on and on.
After about a week the burro showed up at the ranch headquarters. He had with
him the tamest, sorriest looking
steer you ever saw. – Benjamin Franklyn once observed: “The noblest question
in the world is, “What good may I do in it?” To do anything good, it is
necessary to patiently endure reverses, and to persevere in loyalty to
Christian values.
Harold Buetow in ‘God Still Speaks: Listen!’
“An obsession with the end of the world, accompanied with a cosmic upheaval and
all sorts of disasters, is not at all strange in our day. We all know of the
danger of a nuclear catastrophe. These dramatic happenings have been the theme
of many books and films, as if the end of the world is upon us! And there are
always false Messiahs. St. Luke was aware of the danger to the faithful posed
by imposters announcing the immediate return of Christ. Consequently, more than
Mark and Matthew he seeks to distinguish the different warnings. There is no
connection between the destruction of the temple and the end of the world. The
ruin of Jerusalem has not meant the close of the ages: this may well be a long
way off. On the other hand, before the scenes of catastrophes which will really
precede the end of time, the disciples must know that they will be much
persecuted. These persecutions having been overcome by faith will serve as a
guarantee of salvation. St.
Paul opportunely brings us back to what is happening today, ‘before all this’
to our today. Even if much seems to be crumbling, we should not seek to escape
from the present: the end of the world is not the end of the world. What counts
is to stand firm in the Lord no matter what happens. In this way we shall not
be deceived!” –Glenstal Bible Missal
Film –Far East
Morgan Keefe is an expatriate proprietor of the Koala Klub, one of the sleazy
strip joints that existed in Manila during the 1970s after the Vietnam War.
Into his club, of all the clubs in the world, comes Jo, whom he loved many
years before. She is now the wife of Peter, a prominent Australian journalist
who had come to Manila to report on social and political issues. Peter wants to
make contact with trade unions and a church worker, Rosita so that he can get
full and accurate stories of life in Marcos-era Philippines. Rosita and the
journalist are kidnapped by government agents and tortured. Jo presumes on her
past love for Morgan to use his influence to free her husband. This requires
Morgan to confront the criminal element in Manila and risk losing his club. The
situation is dangerous and he succeeds in helping Jo and her husband leave
Manila secretly at night by boat. Rosita however, decides she must stay in the
country to work for people in need.
As she flees government agents across the rooftops with Morgan’s partner,
Morgan is shot and killed while trying to save them. -Far East shows the slums,
criminals, terrorists, police, and military of Manila and other cities like it
is: ugly, abusive and exploitative. It challenges the values of the three
expatriate Australians, none of whom is without fault. The character of Rosita
focuses on the theme of the gospel. She suffers and is then offered the
opportunity to escape to Australia, where it is said that she can do good work
by exposing injustice. She chooses to stay with her people and to give witness
with her life.
Peter Malone in ‘Lights Camera… Faith’
May we believe persevere in faith when put to the test!
Fr. Jude Botelho
www.netforlife.net
PS. The stories, incidents and anecdotes used in the reflections have been
collected over the years from books as well as from sources over the net and
from e-mails received. Every effort is made to acknowledge authors whenever
possible. If you send in stories or illustrations I would be grateful if you
could quote the source as well so that they can be acknowledged if used in
these reflections. These reflections are also available on my web site
www.netforlife.net Thank you.
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