33rd Sunday of the Year Deuteronomy 12:1–3; Hebrews 10:11–14, 18; Mark 13:24–32
Preparing for Bad News Jesus’ words about the end of the Old Testament era apply also to the end of the world.
ome time ago syndicated columnist Bob Greene of the Chicago Tribune wrote an article called “Preparing for the Bad News.’’ He began by telling his readers:
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“It’s not considered very fashionable to say the Russians have a great idea. But the Russians have a great idea. I think we Americans might copy it.’’ Greene continued by describing how the Russian government— at least, before glasnost and perestroika— prepared its citizens for bad news. They interrupted all regularly scheduled radio and TV programs and began playing somber symphonic music in place of them. Sometimes the music played for an hour. Sometimes it played for an entire day; sometimes it played even longer. The purpose of the music was to prepare the people, psychologically and spiritually, for an unpleasant announcement, for example, the death of a Russian leader or the death of a Russian cosmonaut.
He tells them that a great catastrophe is going to take place in their lifetime. Moreover, it will be preceded by certain signs. History records that Jesus was talking about the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. This catastrophe took place within 40 years of Jesus’ death. It brought an end to the Old Testament world as Jews of Jesus’ time knew it. This helps to explain why Jesus’ warning of the catastrophe has always been interpreted by Christians as a warning, also, of the end of the entire world. And this is how the Church uses it in today’s gospel: to refer not to the end of the Old Testament world but to the end of the entire world. No one knows the day or the hour when that monumental event will take place. Only our Father in heaven knows this. But certain signs will precede that end, just as certain signs preceded the end of the Old Testament world.
ome people think there are signs taking place today that suggest that the end of the entire world is near.
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One sign they point to is the proliferation of military weapons, especially among terror-oriented nations.
Greene admits this practice drives the Western news media crazy, but he believes the Russians have a point. People need to be prepared for bad news.
For example, nearly a dozen countries, some with a reputation for terror tactics, now have the nuclear capacity to plunge our world into a dark age.
oday’s gospel portrays Jesus preparing the people for bad news.
One mistake or one angry act could trigger an event that could doom millions of people— even our entire planet.
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Year B
Lectionary 158
4 Ordinary
Time
125