Jesus recounts the end times to his disciples, reminding them that no one will know the hour. Our task? We live each day as a precious gift, holding fast to the Word of God and the sacrifice that Christ offered for our sins.
Here are some of the themes that we find in the Mass readings for the 33rd Sunday of the Year.
1st Reading – Daniel 12:1-3
Daniel has a vision that Michael, the great prince, will arise in a time unsurpassed in distress.
Some people will awake and shine forever, others will be an everlasting horror and disgrace.
Psalm – 16:5,8-11
“You are my inheritance, O Lord!”
The Lord does not abandon us to the netherworld, but will show us the path of life.
2nd Reading – Hebrews 10:11-14,18
Christ offered one sacrifice for sins by his perfect offering.
He now waits until his enemies are made his footstool.
Gospel – Mark 13:24-32
Jesus speaks of the cataclysmic events that will follow tribulation, where the Son of Man will come in power and glory and send the angels to gather the elect.
Learning a lesson from the fig tree, the Lord invites the disciples to discern the seasons of life and be ready, for no one will know the hour when it happens.
The sacrifices of the women in 1st Kings and the Gospel of Mark reveal the power of our lives when the intensity and object of our convictions lead us closer to God and one another, pointing out our willingness to follow the example of Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice on the Cross.
St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthian’s reminds us that each of us is a temple of the Holy Spirit of God, called to care for its proper building and maintenance.
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