2nd Sunday of Advent C. Dec. 8, 2024

 2^nd Sunday of Advent C. Dec. 8, 2024

Baruch 5: 1-9; Philippians 1:4-6, 8-11; Luke 3:1-6

 

Theme: Prepare the Way of the Lord, and you Shall See the Salvation of God

Advent season is when we prepare ourselves for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ at Christmas, at the end of time, and for his daily coming into our lives. As part of our preparation, the liturgy of last Sunday called us to be always vigilant and pray so that we get the strength to escape the imminent tribulations and stand before the Son of Man (see Luke 21: 36). From today’s Scripture readings, our preparation for the coming of our Lord Jesus consists of preparing the way of the Lord. This is a call for repentance.

Our Gospel passage is situated at the beginning of the section about the preparation for Jesus’ public ministry (3:1 – 4:13), serving as an introduction to this section. Luke places this section between the Infancy accounts (2:1-52) and Jesus’ Ministry in Galilee (4:14 – 9:50).^[1] Luke’s pattern of setting John the Baptist before Jesus has a purpose. He intends to clarify the relationship between John the Baptist and Jesus because the evidence in all four Gospels shows tension and misunderstanding between the followers of John the Baptist and those of Jesus regarding the divine identity of their masters (John the Baptist and Jesus). Luke attempts to bring a solution by emphasizing John’s prophetic role in our text, hence the quotation from Isaiah (40:3-5).^[2]

This text is in the form of an Old Testament prophetic call. Luke first introduces John the Baptist by providing a historical setting for his story (vv. 1-2). Then, he includes two essential details about John’s mission. The first detail speaks of John the Baptist as a traveling preacher. The second detail is the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, which is included in John the Baptist’s preaching, along with the quote from the prophet Isaiah (vv. 3-6).

Let us start with the first part of our Gospel story (vv.1-2). These two verses contain the dates and names of historical personages in Jesus's time, which must be explained to understand this Gospel passage better. Tiberius Caesar: He became emperor after the death of Augustus in A.D. 14 and reigned until A.D. 37, which was throughout Jesus's lifetime.^[3] The fifteenth year of his reign is probably around A.D. 27 to 29, depending on the method used to calculate his first regnal year. If A.D. 14 were his first regnal year, then the fifteenth year of his reign would be A.D. 28.^[4] Pontius Pilate was the prefect of Judea (A.D. 26 to 36). According to the historian Josephus, Pontius Pilate was a greedy and ruthless prefect with little regard for the local Jewish population and their religious practices (see Luke 13:1).^[5] Herod was tetrarch of Galilee: This Herod is Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great, who reigned from 37 B.C. to 4 B.C. Herod Antipas ruled over Galilee and Perea from 4 B.C. to A.D. 39. His official title, “Tetrarch,” literally means “ruler of a quarter.” But this title was used to designate any subordinate prince.^[6] Philip: This is another son of Herod the Great and the brother of Herod Antipas. He was also the tetrarch, the ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, the territory to the north and east of the Sea of Galilee from 4 B.C. to A.D. 34.^[7] Lysanias: Luke says that he was the tetrarch of Abilene. This is a territory northwest of Damascus. However, nothing is known about him.^[8]

After naming the civil rulers in v. 1, Luke now mentions the religious leadership of Palestine in v.2. Annas and Caiaphas: He served as the high priest from A.D. 6 to 15. He was deposed by the Romans in A.D. 16 (A.D. 15) and replaced by his son Eleazar for one year. Then, various members of his family succeeded until, eventually, Caiaphas, Anna’s son-in-law. Caiaphas served as a high priest from A.D. 18-36. Luke mentions both Annas and Caiaphas perhaps because one was high priest for life, even when deposed, or because Annas remained most influential in the religio-political scene to the point that many considered him the real power broker.^[9] John, the son of Zachariah: This is John the Baptist, Jesus' cousin. Zachariah and Elizabeth were his parents. Luke is the only New Testament writer who associates John the Baptist's preaching with a call from God.

Vv. 3-6. He went through [the] whole region of the Jordan: There is a question among the Synoptic Gospels regarding the exact place where John the Baptist began his public ministry. Mark simply says: “in the desert” (Mk 1:4). Matthew adds a minor detail, “in the desert of Judea” (Mt 3:1). Note that Judea is the jurisdiction of Pontius Pilate. Further on, both Mark and Matthew say that the crowds come from Judea and Jerusalem. This is a region accessible to Herod Antipas’ territory. However, for Luke, John the Baptist began his ministry in the “desert… [the] whole region of the Jordan” (vv. 2-3). This suggests it is along the Jordan River, including the Judean side of the river, which is Roman territory.^[10]  In vv. 4-6, Luke quotes Isaiah 40:3-5. He interprets the role of John the Baptist not only as the one who preaches baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins but also as the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy. John the Baptist is established here as a precursor.^[11] All flesh shall see the salvation of God: Luke emphasizes his theme of the universality of salvation.

What does this Gospel passage teach us today? Our Gospel is the story of John the Baptist preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins to prepare his people for the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. People needed to repent to start a new era, the kingdom of God, which Jesus established when he commenced his ministry. Likewise, the Church calls us to repent to begin a new era with the birth of our Lord Jesus at Christmas. According to John the Baptist, repentance of sins implies some works we must do before Christmas. Quoting the prophet Isaiah, he asks us to prepare the way for the Lord Jesus, who will be born in our hearts and families. The assignment consists of making Jesus’ paths and all the winding roads straight, lowering every mountain and hill, filling out every valley, and making rough ways smooth (Luke 3:4-6). This is precisely what the prophet Baruch asked us to do in our first reading.

In our first reading, prophet Baruch called his contemporaries, personified as the “lady Jerusalem,” to prepare themselves for God's promised glory. Note that Baruch was a scribe for the prophet Jeremiah. They both witnessed Jerusalem's ruin and the chosen people's exile in Babylon in the late sixth century BC. In our first reading passage, Baruch comforts his fellow Israelites by calling them to prepare themselves for the day when God will bring them back to their land, leading them in joy by the light of his glory, with his mercy and justice (v. 9). Their self-preparation consists, first, of throwing off their garments of grief and putting on the garment of the splendor of glory and the cloak of justice from God (vv. 1-4). Second, Baruch calls them to make low every lofty mountain and the age-old depths and gorges be filled to level ground (v. 7). This is a call for repentance of their sins.

Both the Gospel and the first reading do not discuss the roads or avenues in our neighborhoods or the highways and freeways in our cities. Instead, they discuss the spiritual way, which stands for our relationships with God and our brothers and sisters. This spiritual way leads the Baby Jesus to be born in our hearts and families on Christmas when God decides to take our human flesh and come to live with and among us. On Christmas (also on Jesus’ second coming at the end of time and his daily comings in our hearts and lives), the New-Born Emmanual will lead us in joy by the light of his glory, mercy, and justice (Baruch 5:9). So, as part of our preparation for this glorious day, the Church exhorts us to repent from sins because sins damage the “way of God” (our relationship with God and our brothers and sisters) and transform them into spiritual mountains, hills, valleys, and rough ways, preventing, then, the Baby Jesus from being born in our hearts and families. For instance, pride and greed transform our spiritual road into a “valley.” Lust and envy transform them into “mountains and hills,” preventing us from coming to Church to pray to God and serve him. Gluttony and wrath make our spiritual roads “winding.” And sloth damages our relationships with God by making our spiritual lives become “rough ways.” Those sins are the seven mortal or deadly sins that lead to further sins.

Let us prepare the way of the Lord. Let us prepare our relationships with Jesus and our brothers and sisters. In our second reading, Saint Paul reassures us of God’s support in our works of repentance. He says that God, who began a good work in us, will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6). He also prayed for us that our love may increase ever more and more in knowledge and every kind of perception, to discern what is of value, so that we may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ (on Christmas, at the end of time, and Jesus’ daily coming into our hearts and lives (Philippians 1:9-10).  Saint Paul tells us that Jesus is the source of the fruits of righteousness (Philippians 1:11). So let us ask him, in this liturgy of the Mass, to assist us in our works of repentance. Amen.

Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator   

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[1] See the outline of the Gospel of Luke suggested by Michael Patella, “Luke” in The Jerome Biblical Commentary for the Twenty-First Century. Third Fully Revised Edition, ed. By John J. Collins, Gina Hens-Piazza, Barbara Reid OP, Donald Senior CP. (Great Britain: T&T Clark Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 2022), 1298.

[2] Michael Patella, “Luke” in The Jerome Biblical Commentary for the Twenty-First Century. Third Fully Revised Edition, 1308.

[3] Michael Patella, “Luke” in The Jerome Biblical Commentary for the Twenty-First Century. Third Fully Revised Edition, 1308.

[4] NABRE, note to Luke 3:1.

[5] NABRE, note to Luke 3:1.

[6] NABRE, note to Luke 3:1.

[7] NABRE, note to Luke 3:1.

[8] Michael F. Pattella, The Gospel According to Luke: New Collegeville Bible Commentary, Volume 3 (Collegeville, Minnesota: Liturgical Press, 2005), 23. See also NABRE, note to Luke 3:1.

[9] Michael Patella, “Luke” in The Jerome Biblical Commentary for the Twenty-First Century. Third Fully Revised Edition, 1308. See also NABRE, note to Luke 3:1.

[10] Michael F. Patella, The Gospel According to Luke: New Collegeville Bible Commentary, Volume 3, 25.

[11] Michael F. Patella, The Gospel According to Luke, 25. 

1st Sunday of Advent. Dec - 1, 2024

   1^st Sunday of Advent. Dec - 1, 2024

Jeremiah 33:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 3:12 – 4:2; Luke 21:25-28, 34-36

 

Theme: Vigilance and Prayer

Happy New Year to all! Last Sunday, the solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, marked the end of the Liturgical Year B. So, this weekend, we start a new liturgical calendar, Year C, with the first Sunday of Advent. From its Latin origin, Adventus, the word “Advent” means “coming.” The liturgy of this four-week season prepares us not only for the coming of Jesus into history over 2000 years ago, whose anniversary we celebrate on Christmas, but it also prepares us for Jesus’ second coming in glory at the end of time as well as for the coming of Jesus in our daily lives. All these three comings of Jesus (at the end of time, on Christmas, and every day) require good preparation.  A good celebration of Christmas will depend on how we prepare ourselves during this Advent. The celebration in heaven will be certain if we prepare ourselves seriously for the return of Jesus at the end of time. And Jesus’s real presence amid the happenings of our daily lives depends on how we prepare ourselves daily to welcome him. Although Christmas gives us the image of a holiday with decorations and shopping, let us remember that Advent is a particular time of repentance. The purple color of the Advent liturgy reminds us of this repentance. The four candles of the Advent Wreath teach us that our repentance and waiting for Jesus’ coming should be with hope (first Sunday), peace (second Sunday), joy (third Sunday), and love (fourth Sunday). 

The Scripture readings of this first Sunday of Advent focus on two comings of Jesus. The first is the coming as the fulfillment of God’s promise to the chosen people, as we heard in our first reading. In the extremely dark time in Judah’s history (during the siege of Jerusalem by the Babylonians), all seemed lost. The Israelites believed that God had turned away from them. Yet, the prophet Jeremiah delivered them a message of hope and invited them to await the coming of God’s reign. Christian tradition sees the fulfillment of this promise in the Nativity of Jesus, which we will celebrate at Christmas. So, four weeks from now, considering the words of the prophet Jeremiah, God will raise up for David a just shoot. He shall do what is right and just in our land. We shall be safe, and we shall dwell securely. (Cf. Jeremiah 33:15-16). The second coming is the last judgment at the end of time, as it is described by Saint Luke in our Gospel. In our second reading, Saint Paul exhorts us to love one another while we are waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus.

 

Our Gospel passage is in the context of the belief in the early expectation of the end of the age. Luke's early Christian community was dealing with the delay of the Parousia (the second coming of Jesus) when this passage was written. Luke was inspired by Mark 13 in his eschatological discourse, but he made some crucial changes. For example, Mark uses the vandalism of the Jerusalem temple by the Romans (Mark 13:14) as the apocalyptic symbol (see Daniel 9:27; 12:11), indicating the end time and the return of Jesus. However, Luke removes the apocalyptic setting in the text preceding our passage (Luke 21:20-24). He separates the historical destruction of the temple of Jerusalem from the signs of the second coming of Jesus. In between, he inserts a period of indeterminate length that he refers to as “the times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24).^[1] Our Gospel story occurs at the end of the section of the Apocalyptic discourse (21:5-38). The second part of our pericope acts as a conclusion of this section. So, before our text, the audience of Luke had already heard about the Temple’s destruction foretold (vv. 5-7), warning signs of the end (vv. 8-19), and the great tribulation: siege and capture of Jerusalem (vv. 20-24).

The first part of this pericope (vv. 25-28) is apocalyptic literature, and the second part (vv. 34-36) is an exhortation. Jesus first foretells what his second coming will look like; then, he calls his audience to vigilance to escape the tribulations.

In the first part of our Gospel story (vv. 25-28), Jesus foretells the cosmic signs that will precede his second coming. He cites the sun, moon, stars, and the sea (v. 25). People will die of fright…For the power of the heavens will be shaken (v. 26). Besides the cosmic signs, Jesus adds the signs from the heavens. The cosmic signs combined with those from the heavens will cause intense fear. And then… Power and great glory (v. 27): “And then” is a transition from the cosmic signs and the power of the heavens to the coming of the Son of the Man. “Power and great glory” describes the divine nature of Jesus. Stand erect and raise your heads… Your redemption is at hand (v. 28): This verse introduces the topic of being vigilant, which the narrator will develop in the second part of our text (vv. 34-36). In contrast with the people who will die of fright (see v. 26), faithful disciples of Jesus are called to stand erect and raise their heads, ready to meet their Lord. “Your redemption is at hand” conveys confidence and hope. The meeting with the Son of Man will bring redemption.

In the second part of our Gospel passage (vv. 34-36), the narrator exhorts his audience to be vigilant so that the day of the Parousia (the second coming of Jesus) does not catch them by surprise. He describes a couple of things that they need to be vigilant of. For instance, they should not let carousing, drunkenness, and anxieties of daily life break them down. Pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man (v. 36): Tribulations are real, and they are at hand. To “stand before the Son of Man,” the faithful disciples must “escape” the tribulations first. So, they need “strength” to do that, and this strength comes from “prayer.” So, to be vigilant means to pray always. In our second reading, Saint Paul adds one more virtue that we need to observe while we are waiting for our Lord Jesus: He exhorts us to love one another so as to strengthen our hearts and be blameless in holiness before our God and Father (1 Thes 3:12-13).

 In this liturgy of the Mass, let us ask God’s grace to help us stay vigilant in prayer, love one another, and repent as we wait for the coming of our Lord Jesus at Christmas, the end of time, and his daily coming into our lives. Amen.

Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Cordinator 

 

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[1] NABRE, note to Luke 21:5-36.  

Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. Nov. 24, 2024

Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. Nov. 24, 2024

Daniel 7:13-14; Revelation 1:5-8; John 18:33b-37

 

Theme: Do We Have Tools to Build the Kingdom of God Where We Live?

All the scripture readings we heard today testify that Jesus, our Lord, is the King of the Universe. In the first reading, Prophet Daniel prophesized it when he said that one (referring to Jesus), like a Son of man, would come on the clouds of heaven and receive dominion, glory, and kingship. In the second reading, the author of the book of Revelation calls Jesus the faithful witness of the kingdom, the firstborn of the dead, and ruler of the kings of the earth. In the Gospel, Jesus himself confirms in front of Pilate that he is a king and came into the world to testify to the truth. Our Lord is the King of the Universe. His kingdom is of justice, love, peace, and joy. He himself started building it; his apostles and all the Christians who lived before us did their part in this project of building the kingdom of God. Today is our time to continue the same work wherever we live.

Our Gospel passage is in the heart of the section called “The Trial of Jesus Before Pilate” (18:28 —19:16). The Jewish religious leaders had a plan to execute Jesus. Because they did not have the right to put anyone to death, they brought Jesus to the praetorium to be judged and condemned to death by Pilate (see Jn 18:28-33). This is Jesus’ third appearance before three different authorities. Looking at the previous verses, the evangelist informs us that Jesus was brought to Annas first. Annas was the high priest and the father-in-law of Caiaphas. He also was the father or father-in-law of six other high priests. He was no longer in office at the time of Jesus, but the Jewish religious leaders brought Jesus to him because he continued to wield his influence. His hearing of Jesus was essential but not official. John is the only evangelist who recounts Jesus’ inquiry before Annas (John 18:12-14, 19-24). Next, Annas sent Jesus to Caiaphas, the actual and official high priest. The evangelist mentions this appearance only but does not give any report (see Jn 18:24). The Synoptics (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), who do not have an account of Jesus’ appearance before Annas, report this one before Caiaphas. Finally, Caiaphas sent Jesus to Pilate, the Roman governor. Our pericope covers the part of the judgment regarding the kingship of Jesus (18:33b-38a). After our pericope, the section continues with Pilate trying to release Jesus because he found no guilt in him. As the custom of Passover required that Pilate release one prisoner, he then suggested to the Jews to choose between Jesus and the criminal Barabbas, whom he should release. They all chose Barabbas to be released and Jesus to be condemned (18:38b-40). Again, Pilate attempted to release Jesus, but because of the Jews’ pressure, he ended up handing him over to them to be crucified (19:1-16).

This Gospel text is a conversation narrative. It can be structured in three movements based on the three questions Pilate asked Jesus. (1) Pilate’s first question is whether Jesus is the king of the Jews. Jesus answers him with a question, and Pilate replies to him (vv. 33-35a). (2) While Pilate’s second question is to know what Jesus did precisely, in his answer, Jesus talks about his kingdom (vv. 35b-36). (3) In his third question, Pilate wants Jesus to confirm if he is a king. Jesus confirms that he is (v. 37).  

Pilate opens the inquiry by asking Jesus if he is the king of the Jews. The context of this question is that, at that time, the kings of the Jews were the local rulers chosen by Rome (like the kings Herod Antipas in Galilee and Herod Philip in Philippi). Then, the Jewish religious leaders accused Jesus of claiming himself to be their king, making it sound like Jesus was organizing a rebellion to overturn Roman power. So, through his question, Pilate wants to mean that the one who chooses the kings for the Jews is he, but how Jesus is a king, and who chose him? Jesus’s response is a question in which he wants to know if what Pilate asserts through his question is what the people, eventually the Jewish religious leaders, told him or comes from his conviction. Here, Jesus puts Pilate into his responsibility. He should not judge Jesus based on what others tell him but on what he thinks is true. In his response to Jesus’ question, Pilate tells Jesus that he is not a Jew to know if Jesus claims to be the king. He affirms that his information about Jesus came from Jesus’ nation and the chief priests (vv. 33-35a).  Pilate’s second question changes the topic. It is no longer about whether Jesus is the king but about what Jesus did so that his own fellow Jews brought him (Jesus) to him (Pilate). However, in his answer, Jesus does not respond to this second question but returns to the first topic. He speaks of his kingdom without saying directly if he is a king. He describes it not as the earthly kingdom but as the heavenly. He supports his thesis with the evidence that there are no attendants who fight for him to keep him from being handed over to the Jews (vv. 35b-36). With Jesus’ description of his kingdom, Pilate understands that Jesus is a king. Yet, in his third question to Jesus, he wants him to say it clearly. Then, Jesus affirms that he is a king. He goes on to declare that he was born and came into the world with a mission to be the king and testify to the truth. He asserts that anyone who belongs to the truth listens to his voice (v. 37).   

Through this Gospel passage, our Holy Mother Church wants us to know and believe that Jesus is the King of the Universe and that we, as his followers, are called to continue to build God’s kingdom, which Jesus started, wherever we live. The Gospel teaches us that Jesus’s kingdom is that of truth. “You say I am a king. For this I was born and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.” (V. 37). To be the builders of God’s kingdom, we, too, must testify to the truth in all we do. The Jewish religious leaders who brought Jesus to Pilate failed to testify to the truth. The real reason they wanted to have Jesus arrested and condemned is not what they told Pilate (Jesus claims to be the king of the Jews) but that Jesus declared to them that he was the Son of God, and they did not believe in him. Also, Jesus’ interpretation of the Laws (Torah) often undermines their teaching, and Jesus’ integrity challenges their witness, the comfortable routines they have settled into. Today, many people continue to fail to testify to the truth. Sometimes, we prefer lies over truth to secure jobs or human glories. Today’s liturgy challenges us to testify to the truth because only where the truth is there is love, justice, peace, and joy.

May this Eucharistic celebration enable us to build God’s kingdom of justice, peace, love, and joy by testifying to the truth in all we do and wherever we live. Amen.

Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator

     

 

  

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time B – Nov. 17, 2024

 33^rd Sunday in Ordinary Time B – Nov. 17, 2024

Daniel 12:1-3; Hebrews. 10:11-14, 18; Mark 13:24-32

 

Theme: Stay Vigilant at all Times

I was a Bible teacher at Mount Saint Mary Academy (Little Rock, Arkansas: 2019-2023) and Saint Augustine Catholic High School (New Orleans, Louisiana: 2023-2024.) Whenever I gave homework to my tenth-grade students, I always included a deadline to turn them in. Nothing can focus our mind like a deadline. However, today’s scripture readings talk about future events, such as the end time and the end of suffering, but with no deadline. In the first reading, Daniel comforts his fellow suffering Jews and promises them a good time to come soon, if not in this life, then in the hereafter. In the Gospel, Mark consoles his fellow persecuted early Christians with a message of hope, telling them that they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory, and then he will send out the angels and gather his elect of every place and time. In the second reading, the author of Hebrews reassures his readers that Jesus took his seat forever at the right hand of God and now waits until his enemies are made his footstool. None of these readings specifies the hour or day when all these events will happen. How can we stay focused if we do not know when our sufferings will end or when Jesus will return so that we share God’s glory in his kingdom? As we approach the end of this Liturgical Year B and prepare ourselves to begin the Advent Season, today’s liturgy exhorts us to meditate on our future events, God’s promise to end our earthly sufferings, and the return of his Son at the end of time. It exhorts us to stay vigilant and pray since we do not know the hour and day these events will occur.

   Today’s Gospel text is found in chapter thirteen of Mark’s Gospel. Understanding the context of this entire chapter is necessary to comprehend our text better. The evangelist opens this chapter by indicating that Jesus left the temple area where, according to him, spent two days (the first day, he drove out those who were selling and buying in the temple area [11:15-19]. The second day, he preached [11:27 – 12:44.]) On their way out of the temple, Jesus foretold them the destruction of the temple (vv. 1-2). Four of his disciples (Peter, James, John, and Andrew) asked him privately to tell them when the temple would be destroyed and what signs would precede that tragedy so that they would avoid being caught up in this horror (vv. 3-4). In his discourse, Jesus covers much more than what these four disciples expected to hear. (1) He goes beyond the destruction of Jerusalem and talks about the mysterious period that will follow this destruction, which seems to herald the end of the universe. (2) His concern is that his followers may lose faith in him during this challenging period. That is why he calls them to be alert against anyone who may come in his name to deceive them and draw them away from discipleship. (3) The disciples should not be alarmed when they hear of wars, reports of wars, earthquakes, and famines because these things must happen as they are the beginnings of the labor pains but not yet the end (vv. 5-8). (4) Then, Jesus outlines some tribulations and sufferings they may have to endure and exhorts them to persevere until the end to be saved. He reassures them of two things: The Gospel must first be preached to all nations, and the Holy Spirit will assist them in their trials (vv. 9-13).

In the text that immediately precedes our story, Jesus comes back to the disciples’ question concerning signs that will precede the destruction of Jerusalem. The only sign Jesus gives here is when they see “the desolating abomination” standing where he should not. Many Bible scholars, such as John J. Kilgallen, say that by the abomination of desolation, Jesus seems to point to the appearance of the Romain armies in places they should not be because where they will be, however, will be places of desolation and sacrilege. So, when the Roman armies start approaching, this is the time people need to flee to the mountains outside Jerusalem for refuge.[1]

After describing the sign that will precede Jerusalem’s destruction (abomination of desolation), Jesus then talks about the days after that tribulation, which will be marked by his second coming with great power and glory to gather the elect (those who will not let themselves deceived by the false messiahs but persevere amid all the trials). This is our text for this Sunday (vv. 24-32). It is followed by the last part of the chapter in which Jesus calls his disciples to be alert and watchful because nobody knows the day or hour (vv. 33-37).

Our Gospel passage is an apocalyptic narrative with imagery. It can be structured in two parts. In the first part, Jesus describes his second coming (vv. 24-27). In the second part, he uses a parable to explain the signs that will precede his second return and affirms that nobody, including himself, knows the day or hour of the end of time except God the Father only (vv. 28-32).

The first part of our Gospel text (vv. 24-27) begins with Jesus announcing the cosmic disturbances on the days that will follow the destruction of Jerusalem. “The sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.” (vv. 24-25). Amid these cosmic disturbances, people will see Jesus coming in the clouds with great power and glory. The clouds indicate God’s presence. His coming aims to gather his elect from the four corners of the universe (vv. 26-27). These “elect” are those who will not let themselves be deceived by the false messiahs but persevere until the end during the trial times that will precede the destruction of Jerusalem, which presumably points to the end of time that Jesus foretold in length in the passage that immediately precedes our text (see Mk 13:14-23).

In the second part of our Gospel pericope (vv. 28-32), Jesus uses the imagery of the fig tree to discuss the signs preceding his second coming. He calls his disciples to learn from the fig tree. They recognize that summer is near when they see the fig tree’s branch become tender and sprout leaves. In the same way, cosmic disturbances will alert them of the nearness of his return. Then Jesus tells them that some people of his generation will witness his return. However, when it comes to knowing the day and hour, he clarifies that nobody except God the Father knows, not even himself.    

The setting of our Gospel passage is the oppression of the early Church during Mark’s time (before AD. 70). Because of the persecutions they went through, the early Christians were expecting Christ’s second coming in their own lifetime. That can justify Jesus’ words that Mark added in vv. 30-31: “Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” What does “all these things” refer to? It could refer not necessarily to the end of time as the audience of Mark thought but to Jesus’ coming passion, death, and resurrection. So, amid all the suffering the early Christians were going through, Mark here consoles them with a message of hope, telling them that they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory, and then he will send out the angels and gather his elect of every place and time.

This message of hope in our Gospel echoes Daniel’s prophetic oracle, which we heard in our first reading. The context of this passage is that the Israelites were occupied by the Syrians, who imposed Greek language, culture, and religion on them. Many of the faithful Jews resisted. They preferred to die rather than worship the pagan gods or violate the laws of Moses. Then, amid this great persecution, the author of the Book of Daniel uses a mythological language of speech with double and veiled meanings to transmit a message of hope to the persecuted Jewish community. He tells them that God will help them, if not in this life (for those who chose death), then in the hereafter. Referring to the last judgment, Daniel foretells, on the one hand, everlasting life in heaven for some whose names are “written in the book,” meaning the “elect,” and, on the other hand, everlasting punishment, “disgrace,” in hell for the wicked, their persecutors eventually.

What about us today? We are not an occupied country and are not under persecution like the Jews at the time of Daniel in the first reading. There is no Church persecution in our cities as it was in Mark’s time in the Gospel (however, many of our fellow Christians are still being persecuted in some countries where Christianity is not accepted; we pray for them in this Mass), neither do we expect Christ to return during our own lifetime. Then, what does our Holy Mother Church try to teach us today through these Bible readings? Indeed, our sufferings today are not to be compared to those of the time of Daniel and Mark.  However, many of us are going through a lot, such as illnesses, lack of jobs, injustices, and many other trials. Amid all our sufferings, today’s Scripture readings bring us a message of consolation and hope. God will save us, if not in this life, then in the hereafter, where we will be like the stars forever in heaven, shining brightly like the splendor of the firmament. At the same time, the wicked will experience everlasting punishment, “disgrace,” in hell, as Daniel describes in our first reading.   

This Sunday’s liturgy also wants to remind us about Christ’s second coming at the end of time. In our second reading, the author of Hebrews confirms this end when he says that Jesus, the high priest, “took his seat forever at the right hand of God; now he waits until his enemies are made his footstool.” (Vv. 12-13). The Church proclaims Jesus’s death and professes his resurrection until he comes again, as we say at the Memorial Acclamation and the Creed.

The deadline helps people stay focused, but the Scriptures did not give us a deadline for the end of our trials, Jesus’ return, or the last judgment at the end of time. We are only invited to keep our faith in God, stay vigilant at all times, and pray that we have the strength to stand before the Son of Man (Alleluia Acclamation). Amen. 

Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator

 

 

 

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[1] John J. Kilgallen, A Brief Commentary on the Gospel of Mark, (New York, Mahwah: Paulist Press, 1989), 248.

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time B - November 10, 2024

 32^nd Sunday in Ordinary Time B - November 10, 2024

1 Kings 17:10-16; Hebrews 9:24-28; Mark 12:38-44

 

Theme: We Offer God what we Have and who we Are with Love and Gratitude

One day, one parishioner asked his parish priest: “Father, how much should I spend on the birthday present for my wife?” The parish priest said, “If you love her, then you know.” Another day, the same person asked his parish priest again, “Father, how much am I supposed to give my tithe to God in the Church? Is it ten percent of my income? Before or after tax? Am I also supposed to tithe from other incomes, such as gifts, tax returns, and benefits? His parish priest answered, “If you love God, then you know.” Today’s Scripture readings discuss our offerings or donations to God. Two poor widows, one in the first reading and another in the Gospel, are praised because they gave all they had with love and trust. Jesus did not acclaim the other contributors in the Gospel because they donated from their surplus wealth. These two widows remind us of Jesus, who gave all he had (his life) to take away the sins of the world, as the sacred author of Hebrews tells us in the second reading. Today’s Bible readings do not ask us to put all our savings in the collection baskets and expect miracles afterward. Instead, they focus on our love for God and our neighbors, which should motivate our offerings to God. When we realize how much God loves us and how worthy the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for us is, we will know that we should offer God “all we have” and “all we are” with total love and gratitude.  

Today’s text comes immediately after the stories about one scribe who questioned Jesus regarding the greatest commandment (12:28-34) and that of the Question About David’s Son (12:35-37). It precedes the stories of the Destruction of the Temple Foretold (13:1-2) and the Sign of the End (13:3-8). In our Gospel passage, Mark continues the topic of total surrender and love of Jesus in discipleship. On the one hand, he shows that the rich and Jewish religious leaders cannot give up their wealth and earthly pride to follow Jesus. See, for instance, the stories of the Rich Man (10:17-31) and the scribes of today’s Gospel story. On the other hand, he speaks of the poor people who give all they have and follow Jesus. This is the case of the blind Bartimaeus (10:46-52) and the poor widow of our Gospel reading.

Our Gospel text is a narrative story structured in two parts. The first part shows Jesus denouncing the false piety of the scribes (vv. 38-40), and the second part presents one poor widow as an example of true piety (vv. 41-44).

Let us begin with the first part. Jesus is in the temple teaching. His topic is the scribes' false piety. He tells the crowd to be aware of their false piety and not imitate them. The scribes like to appear more religious in public, but, in reality, they reject Jesus and devour the houses of widows. Previously, in his response to the scribe’s question about the greatest commandment, Jesus gave him two greatest commandments: the love of God and the love of neighbor. Then, in our text, he shows that he is God in the flesh and the widows whose houses the scribes devour are their neighbors. As long as they do not accept him, Jesus, and continue to mistreat the widows, their piety remains false. Here, the Church wants us to become aware of false piety. Coming to Church and giving our offerings are good but not enough. What makes us pious in front of God and people is our “love of God and love of our neighbors. In other words, we are true Christians when we have intimate relationships with Jesus and our neighbors, brothers and sisters.

The second part of our Gospel concerns the offerings believers give to God. Mark tells us that Jesus sat down close to the treasury and observed how the people were giving their offerings. Many rich people offered large amounts of money. In contrast, one poor widow gave two small coins worth a few cents. Jesus praised the widow over the rich people because the latter contributed from their surplus wealth while the widow gave all that she had. Note that the focus here is not on what or how much they put into the treasury but on why and how they gave. The difference between their actions is based on their relationships with God. On the one hand, the widow represents the believers who know how much God loves them and are in a good relationship with God. On the other hand, the scribes represent those whose motivation is their false piety, the public image, but not an intimate relationship with God. Their actions toward God are shallow, just as their relationships with God are. This second part of the Gospel reminds us that Jesus sits in our hearts and sees what and how we give our offerings to God in the Churches. Our offerings show how much we appreciate all the blessings we receive from God, expressing our gratitude for God’s love for us. Therefore, we are called first to strengthen our relationships with God. When we realize how much God loves us and how worthy the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for us is, we will know how to be generous to him in our offerings.

This widow of the Gospel echoes the widow of the story of Elijah we heard in our first reading. The context of this reading is this: A severe famine struck their country because of the lack of rain. This widow had a handful of flour and a little oil, enough for one day's meal for her and her only son; afterward, they would die from hunger. “When we have eaten it, we shall die.” (1 Kings 17:12). Suddenly, a starving stranger, Elijah, showed up and asked for food and drink, promising that God would provide them with more if she first fed him. The reading says that this poor woman did as Elijah had said. From the context of our story, she shared her last food with Elijah, not necessarily because she believed in miracles, but because the love of God for her was more than her life. She sees God through Elijah. She willingly accepted that she and her son stay hungry and die to save the man of God’s life. This total offering reminds us Jesus, who offered all that he had (his life) to take away the sins of many, as our second reading tells us. We learn that the “love of God and the love of neighbors” entails self-offering, even supreme sacrifice. Because of our intense love for our God and neighbors, we are called to willingly be ready to offer ourselves to minister to God’s people, even if it demands us to sacrifice our lives to save people’s lives.

May the liturgy of this Mass help us realize how much God loves us and how worthy the sacrifice of his Son on the Cross for us is so that, in return, we always offer him “all we have” and “all we are” with total love and gratitude. Amen.

Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD

SVD USS Biblical Apostolate Coordinator