CELEBRATE SUNDAY
WITH ST. MARY'S
THIRTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Be ready for God's plans to be accomplished in unexpected ways.
THIRTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
There is a beautiful harmony between certain details within the Old Testament and the New Testament. This harmony also gives support to the truth of the writings and events that take place within each book; for example, the Suffering Servant passages from the book of Isaiah were literally fulfilled even in the smallest details by the Passion of Jesus Christ. When these details in both sections of the Bible support each other, we can safely trust that they are true and real. While the Old Testament is accepted by both modern Jews and Christians and the New Testament is only accepted by Christians, the events laid out in these books often prophesied about events that eventually came to fruition. Still, there are events in both books that have yet to take place, especially regarding the end of time. Are we to believe that these prophecies are true for our own future?
READ THIS SUNDAY'S MESSAGE
In this Sunday’s readings, we experience scriptural harmony in a frightening, albeit hopeful warning: the book of Daniel from the Old Testament and the prophecies from Jesus share shockingly similar details of the end times with the book of Revelation from the New Testament. What makes these passages frightening is that, unlike the Old Testament passages that prefigured Christ, we have not yet gone through the end times. These passages and books are referred to as apocalyptic literature, which is one of the predominant literary genres that is present in multiple points throughout the Bible. We should consider this fact with tremendous awareness: it must be vital to us as human beings to know and prepare ourselves for what will happen at the end times. The words of the writers of Scripture, including Christ himself, truly prophesied about things to come, but these things were not always fulfilled in the way people expected; Christ was even killed because he did not behave as the Messiah was expected to behave, despite fulfilling the Old Testament prophecies completely, albeit uniquely. Through the different apocalyptic prophecies, God is trying to warn us again and again to be watchful and prepare ourselves, because we know neither the day nor the hour when it will come - it will not be as we expect. Daniel reveals that this is going to be a time of great distress, and that those who will be delivered from the distress can be found in a “book”. This lines up with the same description from John in the book of Revelation. We have no idea what this distress will look like, and we cannot be certain that our names are in this "book", but we can understand that this period will be brought about as Satan’s final push for domination of God’s creation. Unfortunately, some will succumb to this distress by their own free will, unless through their actions, they preserve themselves as those written in the book.
However, apocalyptic literature is always hopeful; although there will be suffering and fear, God will remain victorious. In all three shared visions of the end times, the primary focus is not on the destruction, doom, or danger of the Apocalypse. Instead, it is always on the deliverance of the just souls and the fulfillment of humanity’s promise to God, with a period of purification that must come before. This hope culminates in Jesus Christ, both in his death and resurrection, and his continued presence within his Church. Everything we see and everything that we think matters within our earthly lives will pass, but his Word is all that will remain. Any fear of the end or of the “labor pains” that will come with the purification process must be seen through the lens of hope and the purpose for these frightful moments. If we want to be prepared for the end times, we must hold on to his everlasting Word, watch for the signs, and be ready for however it may look, because it will take us by surprise, either in its timing or through the events that will unfold.
© 2024 All Rights Reserved
Site by 