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Home  / News & Publications /  Michigan Catholic News / 2009 /  It is time for all of us to get ready

by Fr. Richard C. Macey special to The Michigan Catholic
Published November 20, 2009

The First Sunday of Advent begins the new liturgical year. In Cycle C, the Gospel readings will come mostly from the Gospel according to Luke.

First Reading: Jeremiah 33:14-16
Jeremiah was from a priestly family, who lived just a few miles north of Jerusalem. He received his call from God to be a prophet in the last quarter of the seventh century B.C. The northern Kingdom of Israel had already been occupied by Assyria. Now, the southern Kingdom of Judah was threatened.

This passage is a prophecy of hope of salvation. Jeremiah mentions both Israel and Judah, which split after the death of Solomon. There was always a hope in the prophets that there will be a uniting of the two parts of the country.

The "promise" was made to David by God that there would always be a member of his family on the throne in Jerusalem. It was also a promise that the nation would always exist. This is re-emphasized in mentioning Jerusalem, the City of David. The "just shoot" could also be translated as the "legitimate heir." A shoot came from a stump of a tree, which has been cut down. It shows that life is still present in the roots. The source of power is God, who is still present and giving hope to the people who remain, the remnant. Justice was also a strong theme, which runs throughout the prophetic literature. The presence of Jerusalem among the people would proclaim that "The Lord (is) our justice."

Second Reading: 1 Thessalonians 3:12 - 4:2
Thessalonica was in the northern part of Greece in what had been known as Macedonia. It was located along the Via Egnatia, a major roadway for commerce and the military between the Eastern and Western parts of the Roman Empire. The city was a perfect place to proclaim the Gospel, so that it would be heard and spread.

The First Letter to the Thessalonians is considered to be the earliest written of the Pauline letters. This section of the letter is a prayer that concludes the autobiographical part of the letter.

Paul associates Jesus "at the coming (parousia)" with "all His holy ones." This is the term used for the saints. Paul also uses this term when he addresses the members of the Church. This would emphasize the communal aspect of membership in the community of faith. This point appears elsewhere in the Pauline writings. That is why he mentions "love" as the basis for communal life. The Greek word, which Paul uses for "love," describes a commitment, not just a pleasant feeling. Some exegetes, though, believe that this verse reflects the use of Zechariah 14:5, where they are angels.

The last half of this passage begins with "finally." It begins a new part of this letter. The letters of Paul almost always conclude with an exhortative address to the behavioral practices of the people to whom he is writing. Paul wants their faith to be evident in their daily lives. Thus, their conduct demonstrates their obedience to God. It is also proof that the "instructions we gave you" have been absorbed and incorporated into their lives. The concept of "pleasing God" comes from the Old Testament. Morality and religion were combined.

Gospel: Luke 21:25-28, 34-36
For a period of time in literary history, about 200 years before and after the birth of Jesus, Jews and Christians wrote visions about the end of the world. It was called apocalyptic eschatology. It came from a belief that everything was so badly disturbed and unjust in society, that only a complete destruction, by an intervention by God, could end the chaos. Cosmic images involving the sun, moon and stars were used to describe the totality of the devastation. There was a particular focus on "the sea," since it reflected the chaos of the world before the creative power of God brought about order in Genesis 1. It also recalled the great flood in Genesis 7. The destructive nature of the water is also reflected in Psalm 46:4.

The image of "the Son of Man coming in a cloud" comes from Daniel 7:13. The figure is associated with the final judgment and the re-establishment of justice in all creation. The just would not have to fear the coming turmoil. It was an end to the evil, which beset them. They were told to be "vigilant at all times." Their hope for change would come in a very dramatic way at God's intervention into history. There should be no surprise that God would bring about this end to harmful and wicked events.

There is a new movie about the end of the world. I know that I will probably be in the audience to watch the special effects. But it would be very different if those scenes were actually part of my life. When we had our regional blackout, due to a tripped electrical relay in the grid, I was relaxing alone in a boat on the water. I had no idea that the world had come to a screeching halt until I returned to land and began driving home. No traffic lights were lit. I thought that it was just a downed power line. But there was more. Gas stations were closed and store lots were empty. It was a feeling of foreboding. I thought about the people whom I cared about and what may be happening to them. I put the radio on, not knowing what to expect. It was almost comforting to know what caused the outage, since I was thinking of many worse things. But for just a moment, I was in one of those end-of-the-world movies. A lot of different thoughts ran through my mind.

The Old Testament and the New Testament remind us that creation has direction to follow. We have been given an important part to play in the destiny of the world and in proclaiming the plan, which Jesus has shown us. We are already in the production, which God directs.

Fr. Richard C. Macey is pastor of Our Lady of the Woods Parish, Woodhaven.