Breaking News: The End of the World has been Postponed.(again)
A Reflection for the Difficult Times in Which we Live.
Every year at this time our Sunday readings include apocalyptic mythology regarding “the end of times”. As a rule, people are fascinated by the topic. I say this because so much effort has been put into determining exactly when “the end” will come. There are the biblical shadows of things to come, as related in this Sunday’s Gospel from Mark 13: 24-32: the darkened sun, the moon without light, stars falling - which people try to equate with real time events. There are also the predictions that come from the Hebrew Scriptures, as we hear in Sunday’s first reading from Daniel 12:1-3; a great prince shall arise, it will be a time of unsurpassed distress, people who sleep in the dust of the earth will awaken. But it is not just people of faith who focus on “the end.” Consider the language that was used around the changing of the century – Y2K – and the associated fears that circulated regarding computers unable to adapt. Political language is also culpable with campaigners selling fear of what will happen to our country, to democracy, and our way of life if one candidate or party or the other is in power. And, I have not even mentioned all of the “end of the world as we know it” movies and novels which further reveal just how fascinated people are by the topic.
I am not exactly sure what the fascination is for Christians, unless there is some sense that if one could know exactly when, they would be ready for it, as if they would or could change their life or somehow behave differently if only, they knew when “the end” was coming. Scripture on the other hand, says that no one knows when and that we should always live ready to meet the Lord. We are called to be loving, forgiving, compassionate people every day - not just at the last possible moment! Besides, it is not possible to use verses from apocalyptic mythology to predict the end of the world because it was never written to predict the end. The images were given to provoke a response in terms of living a faithful life, and to encourage people to persevere even when times are difficult. They were not written to spur on survivalist movements that continue to exist in our own day. Instead, believers are invited to reflect on their lives and determine whether they have taken a stand on the side of liberation from domination, or on the other side, the side of the dominating powers, with the hope of somehow reforming or mitigating damaging effects while still holding on to the benefits. Such images offer a stark choice: one side or the other. Ched Myers, in his commentary on Mark, Binding the Strongman, (page 338-341) argues against those who seek to reconstruct a new order on an old model as well as against those who think reform is possible because “both perspectives fail to see anything fundamentally wrong with the system.” This is a reminder that a system built on a rotten foundation is not constructed to last.
This thought causes me to reflect on the political controversies that we are experiencing today. We have a government that was designed very specifically to allow a minority group of propertied white men to remain in power. Over time there have been adjustments to the system. People who do not own property can now vote, although it may be overly complicated for the most marginalized groups to access their right to vote. People of color and those who do not identify as male can now vote but the number of people of color and non-males in positions of power does not reflect their representation in society. Various strategies have been used to limit the power of certain groups. Corporations have more status than, say a tribe of Indigenous People, or a union of low wage workers. States with smaller, whiter populations have more clout than states with large diverse populations. People may believe that our system is not working as it should, however, it can also be said that the system is working exactly the way it was designed to work; providing a minority group of privileged people influence over the masses of people who are not privy to such power. It is the instinct of people of good will to work to include more people and to address the needs of people who are marginalized by the system. It is much tougher to recognize that the system itself was not founded on a healthy foundation, and therefore, can never really be what we would hope for it to be.
What then? Are we supposed to join forces with those who want to tear down our system of government and replace it with one that puts others in power? No. Jesus specifically warns against becoming involved in wars and rumors of wars. Instead, we are to give our full allegiance to the loving, inclusive, peaceful (non-violent) community that lies at the heart of Christian teaching. Our allegiance to such a community is not reflected by political party affiliation or even by which faith community we participate in. It is reflected in the way we live our lives, which includes efforts to correct injustice, even when we are aware that the system cannot be fully transformed.
Sunday is the fifth annual World Day of the Poor. Pope Francis in his message for the observance (link below) calls for solidarity with the poor, a solidarity that involves sharing from mutual strengths. He says “acts of charity presuppose a giver and a receiver, whereas mutual sharing generates fraternity. Almsgiving is occasional; mutual sharing, on the other hand, is enduring. The former risks gratifying those who perform it and can prove demeaning for those who receive it: the latter strengthens solidarity and lays the necessary foundations for achieving justice. In short, believers, when they want to see Jesus in person and touch him with their hands, know where to turn. The poor are a sacrament of Christ; they represent his person and point to him. “(pp. #3). To be a follower of Jesus, we are called into lives of solidarity with the poor and all who cry out for justice.
As our Liturgical Year draws to a close and the days get shorter and darker in the northern hemisphere, we are called to reflect once again on the meaning of our lives. Apocalyptic images should not frighten us into thoughts of personal survival, they should prompt us to make choices that reflect the Lord we claim to follow.