33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lk 21:5-19
November 13, 2022

We are in the final days of this liturgical year. As Ordinary Time concludes, our Sunday Readings are always “apocalyptic; speaking to the “end times.” That is The Church’s way to direct our attention to Advent…the new beginning.

In truth, for some months now, the news has been as frightening as our First Reading…or the picture that Jesus paints in Luke’s Gospel. Many people, reacting to the latest natural disaster, or mass shooting, drone attack, or public health crisis…have “wondered” …IS THIS THE END?

The campaign ads leading up to our mid-term elections this past week, certainly did nothing to lighten the mood. Rather than offering “survival plans” that point to a brighter future, ALL of the candidates seem to have focused on the disaster that will result should the opposition win. The Catholic Church in the State of Michigan, was particularly concerned and prayed about the impact of Proposal 3. In fact, one friend sent me an email on Wednesday morning that read: I’m devastated over Prop 3. When God has had enough, Michigan will be the first state turned to ash. (Spoken like a true Old Testament Prophet!)

Bishop Gruss issued a press release, which, if you haven’t read yet, is well worth tracking down. The eye-catching headline is: Jesus looks over the State of Michigan and weeps.”

The Bishop does not anticipate fire balls raining down from heaven. He “acknowledges the reality that a majority of Michigan voters have embraced, as a fundamental right, taking the life of an unborn child…”

The “reality” is much greater than a ballot proposal in 2022. The mere fact that we were even called to vote on such an issue shines light on the “reality” of this world.

The “reality” is that we exist during the “in between times.” The Reign of God having been ushered in by the Person of Jesus, we now wait for Christ to return and make all things new….and perfect…and eternal. In the meantime, we must do our best to survive in this world of power, greed, violence and injustice, without losing hope. And our hope is that Christ will return in Glory and awaken us to the “reality” that God has always intended for us…PERFECT LOVE!

Turn on the television and in a split second you will know that we are living in a night mare of our own making…and not the dream that God has for us. Moreover, the “reality” is that no proposal, no vote, no law, can do what the Gospel does…and awaken us to what God intends for those who strive to live the Law of Love.

Almost 30 years ago, Franciscan theologian Fr. Richard Rohr published a book titled: Jesus’s Alternative Plan. There, he suggests that: We can never expect Caesar to do Christ’s work. In other words, no law drafted by the human hand, will accomplish what was inspired by God…THE GOOD NEWS…THE GOSPEL!

And in the spirit of the Gospel, Bishop Gruss reminds that: We are an Easter People. It looked like complete defeat on Good Friday, but the reality of Jesus’ Resurrection teaches us that, in the end, life prevails. He concludes by doing what Caesar has failed to do…Christ’s work…by offering the alternative of life…to those who might consider terminating a pregnancy.

It might seem to many that we are bringing this liturgical year to a close during terrifying times. No doubt, our challenges seem insurmountable. But our Gospel this Sunday concludes with a very powerful word: PERSEVERANCE.

When we persevere in the Gospel, God’s dream becomes our “reality.”