FRIDAY, June 17, 2005
Luke 21:5-19
When some were talking about the Temple, remarking how it was adorned with fine stonework and votive offerings, he 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 it is about to take place?’ But he said, ‘Take care not to be deceived, because many will come using my name and saying, “I am the one” and “The time is near at hand.” Refuse to join them. And when you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be terrified, for this is something that must happen first, but the end will not come at once.’ Then he said to them, ‘Nation will fight against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes and plagues and famines in various places; there will be terrifying events and great signs from heaven. ‘But before all this happens, you will be seized and persecuted; you will be handed over to the synagogues and to imprisonment, and brought before kings and governors for the sake of my name —and that will be your opportunity to bear witness. Make up your minds 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 universally on account of my name, but not a hair of your head will be lost. Your perseverance will win you your lives. -- The New Jerusalem Bible. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1995, c1985
Wars and Rumors of Wars
John Dominic Crossan, in his Excavating Jesus, postulates that Jesus' resurrection was the beginning of the apocalypse and other resurrections, and that we continue to live in it now, waiting for the "Eutopian" perfection that is to come.
A Reflection
All of the things that Jesus mentions as potential indicators of what the disciples thought would be the "end times" occurred both before, and continue well after the destruction of the Temple. Most scholars agree that the gospel writers "retrojected" many of these scenes into their work to give it more drama.
We have Jesus clearly indicating that the kingdom of heaven has already arrived, now; and that there is even better to come. This is the oft-mentioned "immanent and transcendant" nature of the Kingdom. Crossan's thoughts about an evolving apocalypse seem to dovetail into Jesus' words.
For those who are really into the "big bang theory" of the Apocalypse, this way of thinking is very distasteful. Many people who think that way are members of the "stern father" (Thanks to Fr. Jake for the tip to this) view of God, the God who waits with St Peter at the Pearly Gates to judge us at the last day. Many of us, in that scenario, wind up being diverted because our sins are too great.
I think that I fall into another group, as many have told me, whom the "stern fathers" find to be fairly wishy-washy. My group are those who subscribe to a "nurturant" God who cares for His beloved children as a mother cares for her babies.
For me, the concepts that Jesus lays out for us, of an already up-and-running kingdom and His resurrection as the first of many, provide exceptional comfort. It's the comfort required to give those like me the courage to continue to work when things look as if they'll never change; it's the comfort that's there when we draw back bloodied from taking on oppressors and elites who are concerned only with their own welfare, and the least-of-these-be-damned.
We don't face the severe tortures that inspired the writers of this gospel; ours are less physical, and few us face death for our beliefs. But the consequences of not standing up produce thousands of deaths half a world away in misguided attacks by those espousing "family values;" they result in thousands and hundreds of thousands starving in Africa while their own "churchmen" are focused instead on a gay bishop half a world away.
Jesus calls us to continue His work, to persevere in the face of all the evil in the world, to act through faith and hope and love.
To do justice, and see that it is done.
The Collect
Give us grace, Lord God of the Universe, to persevere in continuing the work of your Son Jesus. Amen
2:35:56 PM 
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