Fr Kevin Kilgore

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Gospel: Luke 21:29-33

Jesus told his disciples a parable.
“Consider the fig tree and all the other trees.
When their buds burst open,
you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near;
in the same way, when you see these things happening,
know that the Kingdom of God is near.
Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away
until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away, 
but my words will not pass away.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Over the last week, we’ve heard a lot of scary sayings from Jesus in the Gospels about the end of the world; there will be earthquakes, famines, wars, and insurrections. 

Christians will be led before courts and kings, but they’re not to prepare a defense beforehand. Parents will hand over children and brother will hand over sister.

It can be exhausting to think about this, which is why it’s important to remember the bigger picture.

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When considering the end of the world – and the chaos that will usher it in – think about it like a thunderstorm at night. 

We’ve all been through a storm before. The lightning cracks while the rain pounds against our window.

Once the storm passes, there’s a unique type of peace – calm – that follows. As the sun rises, you can hear the birds chirp; the air smells fresh and feels crisp against our skin; there’s a stillness; everything else is quiet.

That’s the type of peace that God’s kingdom will bring.

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Once good has conquered evil forever, there will be a peace which no storm can quench, no spear can break, no army can conquer.

As the prophet Isaiah tells us, “They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; one nation shall not train for war against another, nor shall they train for war again.”

But, as the storm rages, we must remain vigilant – stay close to the Lord – who has already conquered the grave.

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Image credits: (1) Nathan Greene (2) New Scientist (3) Momaye’s Diary

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Gospel: Matthew 4: 18-22

“As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers,
Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew,
casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen.
He said to them,
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
At once they left their nets and followed him.
He walked along from there and saw two other brothers,
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets.
He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father 
and followed him.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Why did Jesus choose fishermen to be among his first disciples?

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They possess some of the same qualities needed in ministry.

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For example, fishermen are patient. 

If they get agitated and rock the boat, then they’ll scare fish away. They must gently cast their lines and wait.

Similarly, if we are to bring people to Jesus then we must be gentle. Being quick to judge or forceful only scares people away.

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Secondly, fishermen have a keen sense of timing. Fish tend to eat at certain hours, So fisherman know when to cast their nets and when to wait.

If we are to bring people to Jesus, then we, too, must have a keen sense of timing, knowing when to speak and when to hold our tongue.

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Finally, fishermen understand that different baits work with different fish.

We cannot win everyone over with the same approach or argument. We must know our audience, listen to their concerns, and then share the faith.

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This is how the disciples brought some of the first believers to Jesus – and how we can still do so today – being patient, knowing how to listen, and when necessary, when to speak.

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(1) Red Door Sioux Falls (2) PastorJud.org (3) Mike Arauz

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Gospel: Luke 21: 5-11

While some people were speaking about
how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings,
Jesus said, “All that you see here–
the days will come when there will not be left
a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.”

Then they asked him,
“Teacher, when will this happen?
And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?” 
He answered,
“See that you not be deceived,
for many will come in my name, saying,
‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’ 
Do not follow them! 
When you hear of wars and insurrections,
do not be terrified; for such things must happen first,
but it will not immediately be the end.” 
Then he said to them,
“Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 
There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues
from place to place;
and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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People have wanted to know when the world will end, seemingly from the beginning of time. Even the disciples question the Lord about this in today’s Gospel.

“Teacher, when will this happen?” they ask.

“Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom,” the Lord says. “But it will not immediately be the end.”

Although Jesus speaks about the end of the world, he will reveal neither the day nor the hour, because Christians should live in every age as if the Lord is on his way.

“Stay awake!” he says.

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Perhaps it’s wise for us to focus on two things that we do know are coming to an end.

The first is quite obvious – we’re quickly approaching the end of the year. The leaves have fallen, the days are getting darker and colder, the time for the harvest is over.

Winter is at hand.

As we wrap up yet another year, perhaps we can spend a moment today looking back, finding a few things we’re grateful for.

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The second ending is similar. Although we know neither the day nor the hour, we also know that life – my life – is ending at some point.

This is not meant to be a point of sadness, but anticipation. Pope Benedict XVI described the moment of death as, “the great encounter between God and his creation.” Death removes the veil between heaven and earth, allowing us to see the Lord face to face.

This is what all of the prophets longed for in the Old Testament. As the Psalmist says, “Like a dear that years for running streams, so my soul is yearning for you, O God. When can I enter and see the face of God?”

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As we reach the close of another year, now is the time ponder these bigger ideas – death and life; endings and beginnings.

What am I grateful for? And how deeply do I long to see the face of God?

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Image credits: (1) Pinterest (2) Pixels (3) Pinterest