33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Year C - 13/11/2022 - Gospel: Luke 21: 5-19
Trust In God
The Gospel reading on the last Sunday of the liturgical year confirms that things of this present world are giving way to the new world to come. The present world, the material world, is visible; while the new world, the spiritual world, is invisible. The spiritual world is invisible for our eyes to see, for our hands to touch and for our minds to examine. We can only see it with the eyes of faith. Through Jesus' teaching, we know the spiritual world exists. Because we can't see, touch or examine the spiritual world; there will be some people who accept the spiritual world, and will be some who deny the existence of the spiritual world. Their denial is the denial of Jesus himself. For those who accept the new world, they take heed of Jesus' teaching seriously, and humbly accept Jesus as their Lord and God; for those who refuse the new world, they rely on human knowledge. A human mind has answers for most things of the visible world, but it is limited when it comes to feelings and thought, and certainly struggles hard to talk about the spiritual world.
The apostles were amazed at the grandeur of the Temple and its great structure. Jesus told them not to allow its glory and greatness to deceive them because one day it will be destroyed to the ground level. They asked him,
'When will this happen and what signs will there be?'
Jesus told them that no one knows when it will happen, but God alone. Any claim about knowing the date of the end time is a false claim; because such a claim has no substance. Jesus told his disciples that they need not worry about when the end time will come, but it is better to prepare for it. The end time coming is certain, but when and how is entirely in God's hands. Jesus says there will be chaos both in the natural world and human society, but it is not the end time. When it happens it will be the time for Jesus' disciples to show their faith to the world. It is an extraordinary and challenging time for them, because they will be tortured, and imprisoned and interrogated. In the midst of disorder and confusion, they would not lose hope because the invisible God will strengthen them with his answers and responses. They endure suffering and pain in the name of Jesus, and firmly believe that God is in control. Jesus has forewarned them that bad things will happen and when it happens, having faith in Him would lessen their fear. Faith has the power to calm their minds and hearts.
Forces of nature are the movements of nature, and when they move, things in their way will change. Their movements say the natural world is fully alive and active. We believe the creative world is not moving aimlessly but they are created for a purpose. It is there for us to enjoy, and we should share the natural resources with others. Those who have faith in Jesus, they know that our world is a passing world, and nothing in this world exists forever. We need the world, we need to take care of the world, and we need to share its resources to everyone, because everyone, young and old, is a part of this created world. For those who have faith in nature, they want to keep the natural resources for themselves. They know that nature can't save them, and yet they renounce the saving power of God.
Human beings have explored a small fraction of the richness and vastness of the natural world and yet we make claim to know about the existence of the universe. Jesus warns his disciples to
'take care not to be deceived'.
It is good to have the knowledge, but knowledge doesn't have answers for everything, because knowledge itself has limitations. On the matter of faith, do not let our own knowledge fool us. Human errors happen in every single field of study. War, persecution, and imprisonment are the product of minds. The world is in chaos. It is the product of brilliant minds. We sometimes think we know but we actually don't know. Jesus told his disciples to be aware of people who use their knowledge to make faulty claims about Him and about having faith in him.
The apostles were amazed at the grandeur of the Temple and its great structure. Jesus told them not to allow its glory and greatness to deceive them because one day it will be destroyed to the ground level. They asked him,
'When will this happen and what signs will there be?'
Jesus told them that no one knows when it will happen, but God alone. Any claim about knowing the date of the end time is a false claim; because such a claim has no substance. Jesus told his disciples that they need not worry about when the end time will come, but it is better to prepare for it. The end time coming is certain, but when and how is entirely in God's hands. Jesus says there will be chaos both in the natural world and human society, but it is not the end time. When it happens it will be the time for Jesus' disciples to show their faith to the world. It is an extraordinary and challenging time for them, because they will be tortured, and imprisoned and interrogated. In the midst of disorder and confusion, they would not lose hope because the invisible God will strengthen them with his answers and responses. They endure suffering and pain in the name of Jesus, and firmly believe that God is in control. Jesus has forewarned them that bad things will happen and when it happens, having faith in Him would lessen their fear. Faith has the power to calm their minds and hearts.
Forces of nature are the movements of nature, and when they move, things in their way will change. Their movements say the natural world is fully alive and active. We believe the creative world is not moving aimlessly but they are created for a purpose. It is there for us to enjoy, and we should share the natural resources with others. Those who have faith in Jesus, they know that our world is a passing world, and nothing in this world exists forever. We need the world, we need to take care of the world, and we need to share its resources to everyone, because everyone, young and old, is a part of this created world. For those who have faith in nature, they want to keep the natural resources for themselves. They know that nature can't save them, and yet they renounce the saving power of God.
Human beings have explored a small fraction of the richness and vastness of the natural world and yet we make claim to know about the existence of the universe. Jesus warns his disciples to
'take care not to be deceived'.
It is good to have the knowledge, but knowledge doesn't have answers for everything, because knowledge itself has limitations. On the matter of faith, do not let our own knowledge fool us. Human errors happen in every single field of study. War, persecution, and imprisonment are the product of minds. The world is in chaos. It is the product of brilliant minds. We sometimes think we know but we actually don't know. Jesus told his disciples to be aware of people who use their knowledge to make faulty claims about Him and about having faith in him.
Written by Fr Vũđình Tường
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia
