When people hear the readings that we just heard, many jump to the conclusion that they speak of the end of the world, and Christ’s second coming. And Jesus did say, “So also when you see these things taking place, you will know that he is near, at the very gates.”
Because of this, for centuries, many people have had a great fascination with trying to predict the end of the world. Often times it has been some obscure fanatical religious group, usually led by a self-proclaimed prophet, proclaiming that the world is going to come to an end in a particular year, or on a particular day of a particular month; some even predicting down to the hour and the minute; only to have their predicted time come and pass into history.
Just a few years ago when the Mayan calendar came to an end, some people saw that as a sign of the end of the world. And how many of us remember the beginning of this century, what was referred to as Y2K. Some predicted that the world’s computers and electrical systems would crash and throw the world into chaos. And some predicted that chaos as a precursor to the end of the world. Here we are 22 years later and that too has passed as just another embarrassing blip in history.
And then there’s Hollywood and the countless movies that have been made concerning the end of the world, or the “End Times.” Hollywood’s goal is, of course, to make money through hype and sensationalization. I’ll admit, some of these movies are entertaining and fun to watch, and there’s nothing wrong with that, as long as you take it for what it truly is, just pure entertainment. Sadly, most of these movies, and these predictions are loosely based on Holy Scripture; some on the readings that we just heard. But they’re often based on just one or two lines of scripture that are lifted completely out of context and taken literally. It’s even more sad when there are people who get caught up in the hype and believe these predictions.
If we automatically assume to take these readings so literally, the scripture loses much of it’s meaning. We have to read all of the scripture and put the pieces together like a big puzzle. One major clue for us should be when Christ, in today’s Gospel, tells his disciples, “I assure you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.” How many generations have passed since Jesus spoke these words?
Today’s Gospel is taken from the 2nd half of Chapter 13 of the Gospel of Mark. If we go back and read the 1st half, we’ll see that Jesus was actually making three predictions: the destruction of the temple, the end of the world, and his second coming. The temple in Jerusalem was destroyed approximately 40 years later. To that generation, the destruction of the temple would have seemed like the end of the world. Their world at that time was thrown into chaos.
Let’s look at some of Jesus’ other words from today’s Gospel. What are these stars that are falling from heaven? And what does it mean that the powers in heaven will be shaken? The Book of Revelation tells us in Chapter 12.
“And war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. The dragon and his angels fought back, but they were defeated and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. The great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth and his angels were thrown with him. (Rev. 12: 7-9)
Just before that in the Book of Revelation we read:
“Then another portent appeared in heaven: a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and threw them down to the earth. (Rev. 12:3-4)
In the Gospel of Luke when the seventy disciples returned from their mission, Jesus said, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightening.”
When Jesus spoke of stars falling from heaven, he was speaking of the angels being cast out of heaven, and the powers of heaven being shaken as the battle in heaven beforehand. We know this great battle in heaven took place after the creation of the earth, but before God created man, because Satan, as we know, was on earth at the time of Adam and Eve.
As I said, Holy Scripture must be read in it’s entirety, and all the pieces put together. And even then there are many things we will never know until we get to heaven ourselves.
All things taken into account; we cannot reduce Jesus’ words to a single historical period. Jesus was speaking to the Apostles about their “End Times,” but he was also speaking to us about our “End Times.”
We have to let his words speak to every generation. After all, the “End Times” do happen to us all, not just in our own deaths, but as each generation passes into history.
Looking at it this way, today’s Gospel isn’t so much a warning about the end of the world, as it is a commentary about living in the world. Although Jesus will return one day: a fact that we proclaim in one of our Eucharistic acclamation’s, “Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again,” we shouldn’t think of Jesus’ second coming as a future event, but as a continual event of Christ coming into each of our lives, individually, and in every generation.
Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, he overcame sin, and he regained his rightful throne from Satan that had been taken from him when sin entered the world. Through the sacrifice of the Blood of Christ, Satan has been defeated. Satan can no longer accuse us of our sins, because through our faith, through the sacrament of baptism, and through the sacrament of reconciliation, our sins are forgiven.
As for the end of the world, Jesus does use cosmic images, but in fact, haven’t we all gone through trials and tribulations in our lives; anything from a tragic accident, a major illness, a divorce, or sudden loss of a job? Or one of any number of natural disasters, from a hurricane, earthquake, or fire, where some lose, not just their homes, but their livelihoods and everything they own. In any disaster people’s inner worlds are shaken and turned upside down. In effect, they experience the end of the world as they know it. We all experience dark days.
Christ assures us, however; that in this upheaval, one thing remains constant, the word of God, and his promise of fidelity. When our world gets turned upside down, we’re given the opportunity to see past ourselves, and see what is truly important, what is permanent and of substance.
Today’s readings are about the “End Times;” the end times of every generation, and each of our own “End Times.” Our end times are something that we definitely need to think about and prepare for, because Jesus makes it very clear that we will not know when that time will come. Only the Father knows the day and the hour.
But most importantly, these readings are about the ultimate victory over Satan that belongs to all those who are faithful. Knowing that if we follow the one who has died for our sins, our final day won’t be a day to fear, but will be a day of rejoicing, a day of love. And a day of salvation.