Fr. Roger J. Landry

Missionaries of Charity Convent, Bronx, NY

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

Fifth World Day of the Poor

November 14, 2021

Dan 12:1-3, Ps 16, Heb 10:10-14.18, Mk 13:24-32

 

To listen to an audio recording of today’s homily, please click below: 

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/catholicpreaching/11.14.21_Homily_1.mp3

 

 

The following text guided today’s homily: 

* Today Jesus speaks to us in apocalyptic language about the end of the world, when he says the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give light, the stars will fall from the sky and the heavens will be shaken. He said that then everyone will see him coming with great power and glory as he sends out the angels to gather the elect from all corners of the earth. He tells us that when we see these things happening, we should know that he is near, and he suggests that we should always be ready, for no one knows the time it will take place except God the Father.

* In graphic language, Jesus is describing the truth we proclaim every Sunday in our profession of faith: “he will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead.” But many of us are afraid of this reality. If angels were to come in vast numbers right now to announce that the end of the world were coming today, most people, including most Catholics, rather than rejoicing, would be screaming in fear. That’s not, however, the reaction the Lord wants from us, for it shows a lack of faith and love. When the early Christians reflected on this reality of Jesus’ second coming, they used to cry out “Marana tha,” “Come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev 22:20). They looked forward to this event with great expectation, because it would lead to their full unity in love with the Lord forever. Our attitude is supposed to be similar. We pray in every Mass, after the Our Father, “By the help of your mercy, may we be always free from sin … as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ!” The attitude we’re called to have versus Jesus’ second coming is “hope,” full of blessing.

* I remember once when I was preaching a retreat in Los Angeles, an elderly woman came to me, asking. “Father, is it sinful for me to look forward to my death so that I can, God-willing, be with Jesus forever in heaven?” I replied tenderly, but emphatically, “No. It’s not a sin!” Then she said to me, “Then why doesn’t anyone else seem to have this longing?” The reason, I think, has to do with the first part of that prayer from the Mass, and the link between our being “free from sin” and our ability to wait in “blessed hope” for the coming of the Lord.

* I like to illustrate this truth with a story from my childhood. When I was a kid, most days I would wait with eager expectation for the return of my dad from work about 4:15 in the afternoon. At about four, our black Labrador retriever would start pacing around the house with its tail wagging. Each of the four kids would take regular glances at the clock. Eventually we would hear the shutting of the heavy steel door of my father’s van and we would all hustle toward the back door through which he would come all wanting to be the first person to jump into his strong arms for a hug and a kiss. We loved our dad and couldn’t wait for him to return so that we could be with him. This was what happened, as I said earlier, on “most” On other days I would actually dread his return — precisely on those days when I had done something that I knew he wouldn’t appreciate of which my mother had promised to inform him on his arrival. On those days, when 4 pm came around and our dog began his excited daily ritual, I was looking for a place to hide in my bedroom.

* I think that experience is a parable for our disposition in front of the return of the Lord.