Jesus embodies the Good News that he brings to those who live in a world of bad news.  He expects Christians to do likewise

Sadly, women, children and those with disabilities often do not count.  But the good news is that Jesus protects women against heartless and overbearing men.  He also lets children come to him; he embraces and blesses them.  And he calls Bartimaeus to tell him in the end, “Go your way; your faith has saved you.”

The disciples find surprising the teaching that it is hard for wealthy people to enter the kingdom of God.  But Jesus has good news for the overly astonished disciples, “All things are possible for God.”

Reports of abuses on the part of some church leaders are undoubtedly shocking.  And admittedly, those who are really guilty conceal rather than reveal the authentic face of the Church and of Christianity.  They run the risk, too, of receiving a very harsh judgment.  But there is also good news:  there are among us people who embody “the best of the Church.”  They are like the poor widow who gives all she has.

Jesus is the Good News that sums up all good news.

Jesus tells us beforehand about the destructions, trials and tribulations that we will have to go through. Making up this warning also is his teaching about the end of the world as we know it.

This world, yes, has an end.  Apparently, even today’s science says so.  So then, in spite of the great progress modern civilization has made, we must not be carried away by presumption.

But we have no reason either to give up in gloom.  The disappearance of this world will open the way to the appearance of the Son of Man.  He will come to bring about fully the kingdom of God.  He will bring to fulfillment what he has ushered in by going about doing good.  By welcoming those whom many deem throwable, by making possible the impossible for human beings, by sacrificing himself for sins.

Like Jesus, true disciples do not let people hear only the bad news.  Deadly shootings, for example, or destructive fires, or abuses, lies and guiles that those in power foster.  Genuine Christians proclaim the Good News.  They embody it through their meekness, simplicity or truthfulness, humble service in every way, and with others (SV.EN XII:77).  Moreover, they make sacrifices to do zealously the good things that God shows them to do (SV.EN XII:82).

Lord Jesus, we proclaim your death until you come.  Help us grasp that death is part of the Good News.

18 November 2018
33rd Sunday in O.T. (B)
Dan 12, 1-3; Heb 10, 11-14. 18; Mk 13, 24-32