Urgency Coupled with Hope
By Bishop Paul S. Loverde
Herald Columnist
(From the issue of 11/23/06)
The following homily was given by Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde on Nov. 28, the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, for the Catholic Distance University Gala at Lansdowne Resort in Lansdowne, Va.
One sentence summarizes so well the basic theme of today’s
liturgy: Jesus Christ will come again. This is very evident in our Scripture
readings. In the first reading from the Book of Daniel, when Jesus comes
at the end of time, those who have been wise and who have led the many
to justice will live forever. In the second reading from the Letter to
the Hebrews, Jesus awaits the final victory over His enemies and ours:
the enemies of suffering, evil, sin and death. In the third reading from
the Gospel of St. Mark, the return of Jesus as “‘the Son of
Man coming in the clouds’ with great power and glory” is described
in vivid apocalyptic language.
This same theme, Jesus Christ will come again, is often repeated during
the celebration of Mass, for example, in the Creed or Profession of Faith,
where we affirm that “He will come again in glory to judge the living
and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end,” or in the Acclamations
after the Consecration, like “Christ has died, Christ is risen,
Christ will come again.” Even the world of nature gives a hint of
the end times when Jesus Christ will come again. The trees are progressively
losing their leaves and will soon stand starkly bare; the light of day
gives way to longer hours of darkness; the warmth of the sun is diminishing
to an increasing cold. All this is but a reminder that life is short:
each one’s personal life in terms of human existence and the life
of the world in its present stage. In fact, the Catechism of the Catholic
Church reminds us that at the end of time, at the Last Judgment, “In
the presence of Christ, who is Truth itself, the truth of each one’s
relationship with God will be laid bare” (No. 1039).
What is our reaction to the reality which today’s theme projects
before us, namely, that Jesus Christ will come again? What should our
reaction be as Christians, as the disciples of Jesus, to this promised
return of the Lord, both at the moment of our individual death and at
the end of the world? Is ours a reaction of fear, gloom and depression?
Or rather, is it a reaction of urgency coupled with hope?
Indeed, as genuine disciples, our reaction should be that of urgency coupled
with hope! As we are reminded today, toward the end of our liturgical
year, that Jesus Christ will come again, within us there should be a sense
of urgency about becoming ever more and remaining true disciples of Jesus,
His loyal friends. This sense of urgency deepens within us the spirit
of conversion — ongoing conversion. Every day calls us to draw closer
to Christ Jesus, Who is “the Way, the Truth and the Life.”
This means letting go of whatever keeps us away from Christ and turning
towards Him in repentant love. Every day, Jesus knocks on the door of
our heart, asking us to let Him enter more deeply and more closely, so
that together we can journey to the real home that awaits us.
This sense of urgency not only leads us to seek our own conversion but
the conversion of others. If Jesus becomes the pearl of great price, the
love of our lives, then we want others as well to know Him, to love Him
and to serve Him in this world so as to be happy with Him forever in the
next.
This sense of urgency is really about evangelization: becoming evangelized
ourselves and evangelizing others, so that they will come to Jesus. There
is an instructive line in today’s first reading: “those who
lead the many to justice will be like the stars forever.” By the
witness of our lives and by the appropriate invitation and even challenge,
we can lead others to Christ, the source of every grace and blessing,
we can lead them to the divine justice, the salvation, He alone can give
them. So then, are we responding to the sense of urgency to be converted
and to lead others to conversion as we await the return of the Lord Jesus?
Our sense of urgency is coupled with the spirit of hope — Christian
hope. The process of conversion — ours and others’ —
is not easy. We will need to struggle against the weakness of our human
nature, the attacks of the evil one who does not want us to turn back
to the Lord, and the distractions of the world around us. The hope we
desperately need comes from Jesus. Our second reading reminds us that
Jesus “offered one sacrifice for sins, and took his seat forever
at the right hand of God. … For by one offering he has made perfect
forever those who are being consecrated.” We are being consecrated
as we seek, with the help of divine grace, our deepening conversion. Jesus
is interceding for us, so that in Him and in His unceasing prayer for
us before the Father, we truly find our hope and the strength which flows
from such hope. Our hope remains rooted in this Divine Saviour, Who will
come at the end to lead us home to eternal life with Him.
Yes, in the presence of Christ, who is Truth itself, the truth of each
man’s relationship with God will be laid bare” (cf. Catechism,
No. 1039). Catholic Distance University exists in order to provide people
within our country and across the world with the opportunity to understand
the truth Who is Jesus and how following Him enables us to build up His
Kingdom within our world and to inherit life without end once we pass
from this world. Catholic Distance University is truly an agent of evangelization
and catechesis and an instrument for living in a right relationship with
God, with one another and with oneself. During this Eucharist, in which
we give thanks to God for the salvation He has accomplished in Christ
His Son and Our Lord, we also give thanks for Catholic Distance University
and all those who support it so faithfully and so generously with their
continuing prayers and sacrificial gifts.
Yes, Jesus Christ will come again and when He does, may each of us cry
out in joyful hope: “Come, Lord Jesus come! Bring me home to live
with you forever in the Kingdom of endless
Copyright (c) 2006 Arlington Catholic
Herald
