The world Is Ending! (Again!)
2022년 11월 13일The world Is Ending! (Again!)
< Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time >
A woman told her pastor, “People are saying the world is coming to an end soon.” The priest looked at her and said, “Did you read that in the weekly parish bulletin?” She replied, “No.” “Then it’s not happening,” he said. Truth be told, eventually the world will indeed end. As we come to the end of the liturgical year, the readings focus on this dramatic fact. And it’s something religion and science agree on: the world will end. The problem is, no one knows when. Nor does anyone know how it will end. It could be in a million years. Or in 10,000 years. Or in 100 years. Or even today. That’s where religion comes in. Every year at this time we are not just reminded the world will end but are asked to be ready, mentally and spiritually, for when in eventually happens.
Actually for those who heard Jesus’ words found in today’s gospel, the world did indeed end. In 70 A.D. the Romans got tired of all the rebellious uprisings by the Jews so they surrounded Jerusalem, destroyed it and burned the Temple to the ground. This would be as shocking as terrorists blowing up St.Peter’s basilica in Rome. And to complete the image, just nine years later, in 79 A.D., Mount Vesuvius erupted, totally destroying and obliterating Pompeii from the face of the earth. Romans hod no idea what was happening. They didn’t even have a world for volcano at the time. Christians remembered the prophesy of Christ where the sun is blocked out (by the ashen cloud) and fire rained down on the earth. They saw the destruction by the volcano as punishment of the Romans for killing Christ. Since then, each generation faces a calamity that seems like the end of the world. September 11 was such a time. It’s our duty to face it with courage and faith, knowing that no matter what happens, Jesus remains with us.