Word to the Wise
Sunday, November 11, 2007 - Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
[Malachi 3:19-20A; 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12; Luke 21:5-19]Jesus said, "All that you see here - the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down." Then they asked him, Teacher, when will this happen? And what sign will there be when these things are about to happen?" He answered, "See that you not be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he,' and 'The time has come.' Do not follow them!"
The Gospel of Luke, scholars tell us, was written to encourage a community undergoing considerable hardship. It was put in writing around the 80's AD after the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. Much that had symbolized the religious world of the community was gone and hostility was growing toward the new group. Many placed their hope in a swift return of Jesus and were anxious to know anything that he might have said about what they would be experiencing. Jesus consistently avoided giving a particular date and time. He used standard apocalyptic language to describe what the end of time would be like. We see some of it in the first scripture from the prophet, Malachi. To encourage the community, the author of the gospel makes it clear that their present experience was clearly predicted by Jesus, but that experience did not necessarily mean he was coming at that moment. He also predicts something that has continued to occur for century after century, namely, that some folks will think they have the date and time figured out and that they are called to lead the people of God through the experience of the Second Coming. That they were deluded is clear from history. There is a point in every age when faithful people wish God would just blow the whistle and order everybody out of the pool. Hard times and persecutions are usually the context for these wishes. When things are going good, we might be more inclined to ask for an extension! The fascination that the end of time has makes for interesting speculation. Jesus' response to that is, "Don't quit your day job!" AMEN
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