Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time  Year C     17 November 2019

The end of things features prominently in discussions, in literature, in publications and in social gossip. At this moment, England is awaiting the outcome of Brexit and Hong Kong is awaiting the future of their current lifestyle. Chile awaits an end to the corruption of political leadership and Sri Lanka is facing bad political memories; we could go on and on. The Holy Scriptures are also full of longings for the end of many things, oppression perhaps being the outstanding candidate. As we head to the end of our musings according to Luke for 2019, the readings address the end times. Glimmers of hope are offered, but as in much of Christianity, the call is ultimately to faith.

Remember Julian of Norwich:

“All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well.”

The Psalm ends today with, “For the Lord comes, he comes to rule the earth.”

And it adds for good measure, “He will rule the world with justice and the peoples with fairness.”

To the Gospel list of signs “earthquakes, plagues and famines” we, in Australia, might add bushfires, and then Indonesia might trump even that!  All to no avail.

Pondering the “end of things” in that mode is really a waste of time. Today, Paul really nails what is important. What really is important, “We order and call on people…to go on quietly working and earning the food that they eat.”

You and I can bring about the ‘end’ of so much unhappiness and injustice day by day in being cheerful, helping the down and out, attending gatherings, raising the justice questions, and much more.

So, the word today to all is “keep on keeping on” in all your involvements; make the Teams thrive, bring the ‘See, Judge, Act’ to the fore, create positive family situations and, above all, remain faithful.

“…not a hair of your head will be lost. Your endurance will win you your lives.”

Mons Frank

 

P.S. Teams is mounting a major expedition to Darwin next weekend…your prayers please.