Four Calls to Action

Four Calls to Action
November 14, 2021    33rd Sunday of OT - B
by Dcn. Bob Bonomi

It seems that ever since my ordination almost nine years ago, I have been blessed each year with preaching on one of the last two Sundays of Ordinary Time.

Since these Sundays usually deal with the topic of eschatology, or the End Times and what to expect when we meet Jesus face to face in his 2nd coming, in the past I’ve emphasized Jesus’ words from today’s Gospel:

"But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father"

and I’ve referred to the number of false prophecies concerning the end of the world or the number and magnitude of tragic events which the world has experienced during the last 2000 plus years.

So, in preparing for Mass this weekend, I went back to see what God said to me in the past about the Sunday readings for today, and I was particularly struck by what was at the beginning of my homily in 2015 – six years ago.

“Based on what we see in our movies, it appears that we have a fascination with the end of the world, and we have created all sorts of apocalyptic visions of it – world destruction by earthquakes, floods or asteroids; nuclear destruction; epidemic or pandemic disease outbreaks; or my favorite – zombie invasions.”

Pandemic Outbreaks?   I would have never thought that just 4 short years after that homily our world would face one of the worst pandemics in recent history – and no, I’m no prophet like Daniel.

I can hardly believe that it has been almost two years since we first heard of CoVid and entered into a global pandemic which, to date, has directly or indirectly claimed the lives of over 5 million people worldwide. During the pandemic’s peak activity there were those who were sure that we were definitely entering into the End Times prophesied by Daniel; and there were others who, while certain that the world wasn’t ending, thought it would be the “end of the world as we know it”, to quote the movie “Chicken Little”.

But while the residual effects of the pandemic linger on, signs of God’s Mercy and Love are once again at work – indeed they have been at work all along.  Slowly the world is beginning to resume a sense of normalcy in day-to-day life.  Businesses are bouncing back and there are jobs available for those who are seeking work.  People are beginning to break free from their isolation and gather in groups, even traveling to see family and friends as many of you will be doing come Thanksgiving.

Even before the Bishop’s announcement this weekend of the lifting of the dispensation from Mass obligations beginning with Advent, more and more people have been returning to Church to feed their hunger for the presence of God in their lives.  And the outpouring of love and charity to those most affected by the pandemic by those who were moved by the Grace of God has been a source of great hope.

In both our first reading from the prophet Daniel and today’s Gospel from St. Mark, we are reminded that there will be more trials and tribulations to come, beyond our current pandemic.  In the face of these challenges, we are called to bring hope to others, and we need to embrace that hope ourselves.  So, here are 4 ways we are called to respond to the current pandemic and to the future challenges we will face.

1.    We are called to Community.  This doesn’t mean we need to live in the hippie “communes” of the 60’s and 70’s in order to draw closer to God; it means that we can best experience the presence of God through other members of the Body of Christ in community.  We had that taken away from us by the pandemic and we had to work at maintaining a sense of community.  We held ZOOM meetings and used social media to stay in touch.  I even know of one group that met in a park and keep socially distant by sitting in lawn chairs six feet apart, almost yelling to each other to be heard.  Satan wants to isolate us, but we cannot allow anything to keep us from each other – or from God.

2.    We are called to Charity.  The pandemic has had a devastating effect on not only the health of individuals but on their livelihoods. Many despaired of finding relief from their challenges.  While there were many agencies that tried to help, it was through the charitable efforts of individuals that the needs of many were filled.  Satan wants us to be selfish with our time, our talents and our treasures, but we must always be open to the movement of the Holy Spirit and reach out in charity whenever we see someone in need.

3.    We are called to Courage.  Despite the fear generated by the various media outlets and in spite of the warnings and legal efforts of governmental powers to the contrary, many individuals placed their personal lives at risk by physically attending to the needs of those with CoVid or other issues. Unfortunately, as a result some died.  But like St. Damien of Molokai, they served willingly, without counting the cost.  Satan wants us to be afraid and trust in no one, but we must have the courage to overcome our fears and trust in God, whatever the cost.

4.    We are called to Love God.  While the first three “calls” above are important, nothing is more important than our Love of God – the 1st Commandment.  And the #1 way to show our Love is through how we worship Him.  In the name of safety, our normal ability to worship God in our Sunday liturgies was restricted and even discouraged, leaving us to find alternative ways to show God our love through live-streaming of Mass or other social media outlets.  

Satan wants us to neglect God and he places obstacles between us and Him, but we must always seek ways to prioritize our worship of God and to draw closer to Him in spite of these obstacles.  The Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith, and while nothing can replace it we must take advantage of any opportunity to express our love for God through worship until we can receive Him in the Real Presence.
 
Yes – even at the risk of our lives, we must worship God.  If our mission on earth is to draw people to Jesus, how can we truly fulfill that mission if we don’t place Him first in our hearts and our lives?  And if we are afraid to worship Him, how can we say He is first in our hearts?

As we reflect on how we move forward to “normalcy” in the weeks and months ahead, let us respond to any current or future challenges through the four calls to action above. Let us find a new “normal” in which God is #1 in our lives and we no longer fear the trials and tribulations that will certainly arise again in the future.  Let us draw others to ourselves and to God through love and charity.  

God is always near, and as our psalm today says, He will show us the path to life, to fullness of joy, to His delights forever.

So remember:  Community.  Charity.  Courage.  Love.   

And the greatest of these is LOVE.  No matter who you are or what you are experiencing, God loves you.  And He will always love you.  Forever.