The readings from today are a bit disturbing; they speak of the end times, what we call “the end of the world.” In our scriptures it is repeatedly referred to as the “Day of the Lord.” The First Reading is from Malachi (Mal. 3:19-20a), the last prophetic book of the Old Testament in the Catholic Canon. This book was composed during the post-exilic period after the people of Judah had been returned from exile in Babylon.
Despite the punishment of exile for their repeated apostasy, the people of Israel have resumed their former, sinful ways. They are defiling the temple by offering imperfect sacrifices, the priests have broken the covenant, and the people have turned to the worship of pagan gods. For their offenses Malachi announces this warning: “The days are coming, blazing like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble, And the day that is coming will set them on fire, leaving them neither root nor branch, says the Lord” (Mal. 3:19). The day of judgment is Malachi’s foreboding prophecy, but he also reveals that those who “fear the name of the Lord,” those who honor and extol God with their hearts and actions, will celebrate with jubilation like “calves leaping from their stalls (Mal. 3:20b).
We hear a similar message from Jesus in the Gospel from Luke (21:5-19). When he notices a group of people exclaiming the beautiful adornment of the Temple, Jesus predicts its destruction, along with a frightening scenario. Days are coming when there will be warfare between nations, powerful earthquakes and other natural disasters, and severe persecution for faithful believers. Like Malachi, Jesus warns that following these days of tribulation will come the punishment and judgment of the Lord.
Jesus also tells us that this day will be accompanied by his own return as “the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory” and with this he offers hope (Luke 21:27). Amidst the turmoil that will be surrounding them, he tells his followers, “stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand” (Luke 21:28).
There are those who say that we are now living in the end times, that the Day of the Lord is near at hand. I don’t know if this is true. But what I do know for sure is that when this day arrives it need not be one of trembling and fear for faithful disciples of Christ. Both Malachi and Jesus reassure us of our salvation.
