33rd Sunday 2022

Modern man does everything to protect his life, even at any cost. When someone becomes ill, they go to many specialists, they want to be treated, they want to live as long as possible. After all, life is there to be enjoyed to the full. And when we hear such words as in today’s liturgy, we are overwhelmed with terror and fear. And some are trying to escape to the end of the world before the end of the world. But after all, the Lord God, speaking to people through the prophets, did not and does not want to frighten. Today we heard the prophet Malachi warning us of a day that burns like an  furnace. Hearing these words, we should reflect on who we are before God.  Do we honour His Name and live in the fear of God? The Gospel tells us of the last coming of the Son of Man. Here we are approaching the end of the liturgical year and the Church is expressing the desire for us to think about final matters: death, judgement, hell and heaven.          Someone will say: it’s so unfashionable. Another: the Church will not frighten me with hell. And this is not about scaremongering. We are to think about the destination of our life’s journey.       Thinking about heaven?  – you must live and abide in faith. To live in such a way that every day brings you closer to God, to heaven.  Every day we make a choice. The Lord God respects our freedom. He gives everyone what they deserve.  It is not guided by sympathies or antipathies. It is important to remember that with death, freedom of choice ends.                                                In the American film Joe Black, in one of the last scenes, the main character asks the angel of death just before he dies: Should I be afraid? And he hears the answer: You? No.                                The early Christians looked forward to the coming of Christ each day and prayed:  Marana tha!

Come, Lord Jesus! They waited with great faith and were always ready.  The day of the end of the world will surely come.  God is already judging and saving – today, now. And only His word is true.  No – false prophets, clairvoyants, fortune tellers and horoscopes.  We are accompanied in life by difficulties, pain, persecution. There is no escaping it.  The Gospel tells us that we are not to run away to save our lives. We hear today:  “Your endurance will win you your lives.”           In all that surrounds us, we need to abide with faith in God. And moments that are difficult, sad or even painful will strengthen us.  Such is a person’s life, which changes but does not end.  An encounter with the Creator awaits us.  Therefore, let us strive to live beautifully and well. Let us look forward to meeting the Lord with confidence. Let us simply begin to put our hope in Him.