Seeds of Hope

33rd Sunday In Ordinary Time
November 17, 2013
The Lord comes to rule the peoples with fairness.

First Reading: Malachi 3:19-20

The day is coming now, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and the evil-doers will be like stubble. The day that is coming is going to burn them up, says the Lord of Hosts, leaving them neither root nor stalk. But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness will shine out with healing in its rays.

Psalm: Psalm 97:5-9

Second Reading: 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12

You know how you are supposed to imitate us: now we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we ever have our meals at anyone’s table without paying for them; no, we worked night and day, slaving and straining, so as not to be a burden on any of you. This was not because we had no right to be, but in order to make ourselves an example for you to follow.

  We gave you a rule when we were with you: do not let anyone have any food if he refuses to do any work. Now we hear that there are some of you who are living in idleness, doing no work themselves but interfering with everyone else’s. In the Lord Jesus Christ, we order and call on people of this kind to go on quietly working and earning the food that they eat.

Gospel: Luke 21:5-19

When some were talking about the Temple, remarking how it was adorned with fine stonework and votive offerings, Jesus said, ‘All these things you are staring at now – the time will come when not a single stone will be left on another: everything will be destroyed.’ And they put to him this question: ‘Master,’ they said ‘when will this happen, then, and what sign will there be that this is about to take place?’

  ‘Take care not to be deceived,’ he said ‘because many will come using my name and saying, “I am he” and, “The time is near at hand.” Refuse to join them. And when you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened, for this is something that must happen but the end is not so soon.’ Then he said to them, ‘Nation will fight against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes and plagues and famines here and there; there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.

  ‘But before all this happens, men will seize you and persecute you; they will hand you over to the synagogues and to imprisonment, and bring you before kings and governors because of my name – and that will be your opportunity to bear witness. Keep this carefully in mind: you are not to prepare your defence, because I myself shall give you an eloquence and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relations and friends; and some of you will be put to death. You will be hated by all men on account of my name, but not a hair of your head will be lost. Your endurance will win you your lives.’

Reflection
By Nats Vibiesca

Many of us cried after watching videos of the people affected by the powerful earthquake and the devastating typhoon Yolanda in the Visayas. I cried because it was the end of the world for me. Since then I could not think. I could not write. I thought it was a paralysis of the left and the right brain. Deadlines, deadliest deadlines of my creative writing commitments are all in red lights. How can I write a perfect conflict for fiction if I see real people in desolation—dying in the Visayas? Do you think a writer can still imagine and manage to internalize the problems of his created protagonist from the hands of his antagonist if the agony of his Kababayans haunting his soul? I could not think of any greater human problem than the recent catastrophe in the Philippines. In desperation, maybe, many grieving people in the Visayas think that it’s really the end of the world. Is it possible to write at this time better conflict for a story than the suffering of the Filipinos against the forces of nature?

No. I cannot write any conflict with this heart breaking scenario. It’s the end of the world.

But the Gospel today is teaching me to be faithful, to persevere, and not to be afraid in order to survive. The end of the world is inevitable but the Lord gave us the instruction to be alive. Our Lord Jesus also tells us that persecutions and sufferings are opportunities to show our fidelity to God. In reality, the end of the world is only for those who have not recognized Jesus and being unfaithful results in affliction especially for those who do not trust the Lord. We can translate our faithfulness to Jesus into concrete actions like sharing the blessings we have to those who are hopeless.

Thus, faithfulness through actions defy the end of the world; this is by letting our Kababayans know that we care and love them and we will continue providing relief goods for the body and relief for the soul through unceasing prayers for them.

I wish and pray that the faithful will also bring seeds to the Visayas to immediately plant in the land. Flowering seeds, fruits or any crop seeds, and seeds of sturdy trees that will surely bring hope to the people as the Lord transforms the environment and bring back the beautiful colors of creation into life.

Let us all take courage and persevere because this is how we will survive.

Prayer

Dear Jesus, grant us the courage and perseverance we need in order to survive the hardships of life. Bless us with faithfulness of heart and keep us away from all miseries that will test our fidelity to You. We ask Your grace to help us to remain steadfast in our faith so we can inspire others through our actions. Amen.