Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time B - 2009

Readings: Dn 12:1-3; Ps 16:5,8,9-10,11; Heb 10:11-14,18; Mk 13:24-31
“In those days …”
These words can be used to indicate both past and future events. During my novitiate year, I often heard these words from our returned missionaries at the dining room of at our retirement home in Techny. These Divine Word missionaries often started their conversations by saying “in those days” and we understand what they are about to share.
Many of their “in those days” were glorious, triumph and spirit filled, when there were successful in their missionary works, when they were able to bring the spirit of the gospel to the life of the people, when they were young and enthusiastic enough to cross miles and miles every single day to be with the people from one missionary station to the next.
There were no less many “in those days” that were gloomy, unsuccessful, and miserable; when they were sick or having malaria and unable to be with the people, when they were unable to respond to the needs of the people, or when they missed their loved ones from home.
“In those days” which all the readings of today use to speak is about the future events. It is about the end or apocalyptic time. In the first reading, Daniel depicts the final struggles of human being at the end time and their subsequent resurrection, either to a life of horror or a life of glorification. “May of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake; some shall live forever, others shall be an everlasting horror and disgrace.”
In the gospel, Jesus on speaks about “in those days after that tribulation the sun will be darkened, and the noon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heaven will be shaken.” Jesus includes that everything on earth and heaven will pass away, but his words will not pass away. It is not only Jesus’ words will not pass away in those days, but also the sacrifice that Jesus made, the offering for sins, and the forgiveness of God as its result will not pass away.
“In those days” indicate a reality of light and darkness, glorification and horror, beginning and ending, life and death, and salvation and condemnation. Within this dynamic or chaotic reality of existence, there is the promise of hope and salvation that come from the God who is actively involved in creation.
We, as church, are coming to the end of our liturgical year, we remind ourselves again the event “in those days” of the past, when we find the grace of God in both good and bad situations, and have our eyes fix on the promise of salvation. Yet, we are now embracing a new beginning toward “in those days” of the future with the promise of salvation that God offer us in and through the mystery of the Incarnation.
Like those Divine Word missionaries, as we revisit the past events of “in those days,” we hold onto the promise of salvation and the hope of our redemption from our Lord Jesus, and we look forward to meeting God in and through the mystery of incarnation in the future events of “in those days.”