November 13, 2022, Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year C)

The theme of today’s readings is probably one of the most troublesome and difficult to process. With the theme of judgment in the forefront it can even seem intimidating, fearful, and daunting.

In the Old Testament this day of judgment which is implied is known as the Day of the Lord and is found mostly in the prophetic literature. Today it is from the book of Malachi (Mal 3:19-20a), the last prophetic book in the Catholic Old Testament, but it is found in most of the other prophets as well. It is a punishment directed toward the people of Israel before their fall into captivity for the many sins they had committed against God.

In Amos it is a time of darkness when the people will be exiled to another land for their pagan worship, corruption, and injustices toward the poor (Amos 5:18). In Hosea their idolatry is compared to the behavior of an adulteress wife who will dry up and no longer bear fruit (Hos. 2:5). In Micah their wickedness includes cheating in business, violence and lies and their punishment will be a series of disasters (Mic. 6:16). And in Isaiah, because of their apostasy and crimes, their land will become like briars and thistles and their livestock will be trampled and destroyed (Isa. 7:23,25).

And so, it goes with most of the other prophets. Finally, in Malachi we hear one of the grimmest threats for those who have abandoned the Lord. “The day is coming, blazing like an oven, when all the proud and evildoers will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire, leaving them neither root nor branch.” (Mal. 3:19)

We also hear Jesus reference this bleak, ill-fated day in the Gospel (Lk. 21:5-19). He is in the Temple area with his disciples, and he hears some of the people admiring the adornment of God’s great house. Jesus responds to them with a threat that the Temple will be destroyed, “there will not be a stone left on another stone.” (Lk. 21:6).

They are fearful and ask him when this will happen and will there be signs. And he warns them of the many events that will occur before the destruction. They will be enticed by false messiahs, there will be wars and uprisings, conflict will occur between nations and kingdoms, and there will be numerous natural disasters and plagues. But most frightening, before all of this happens, he warns that those who follow and believe in him will be seized and persecuted, interrogated and imprisoned. They will be handed over by family members and friends and hated because of his name.

At the time of the writing of the Gospel of Luke, around 85 AD, these predictions of Jesus had already come true. The Jewish Temple had been destroyed in an uprising against Rome, most of the disciples of Jesus had been martyred, and many Christians had been persecuted by the Roman Emperors. But we hear the tales of the way in which many of them remained true to their faith until the end, some even dying joyously knowing they had died in the name of the Lord, Jesus.

So, what does this prediction from the past, which actually occurred after the fact, have to do with us two thousand years later? Well, there are many writings in scripture which foresee the day when our world, too, will endure a day of judgment (Lk. 12:47-48, Matt. 11:22-24, Matt. 23:23, Matt. 25:31-46, Rev. 6-19). A Day of the Lord when Jesus will return to judge both the living and the dead. We will all be judged according to our works and God will reward some with greater blessings than others, according to their deeds. But the bulk of our judgment will be based on the strength of our faith, how true we stayed to the Lord in both good times and bad.

This is something easier said than done these days. Some might think that the state of our world appears to be ripe for the day of judgment. There are wars and conflicts. There are illnesses and plagues for which there are no cure. Attendance at Mass is steadily falling and those who identify themselves as “nones” (no religious affiliation) are continually increasing. Secular activities have overtaken religious holidays and the worth and dignity of human life has tragically declined.

But Jesus reassures us, that Christians who persist in their devotion and faith, will not be harmed, “not a hair on their head will be destroyed. And by their perseverance, they will secure their lives.” (Lk. 21:19). Micah also adds a message of hope for the faithful to his writing, “For you who fear my name, there will arise the sun of justice with its healing rays.” (Mal. 3:20a).

For those who keep the faith and the commandments, and who hold Jesus in their hearts, the Day of the Lord will come as a celebration for God’s precious world. It will not be a day of darkness as in the prophets. Rather staunch believers will keep today’s alleluia acclamation of praise always on their lips, “Stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.” (Lk. 21:28)