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Joel Rosenberg—the grandson of Russian Orthodox Jews who also happens to be an evangelical Christian—recently published the book “Epicenter: Why the Current Rumblings in the Middle East Will Change Your Future.” In this non-fictional account of the end of time, Rosenberg argues that to misunderstand the power and threat of evil currently posed to our nation is to risk being blindsided by the power of evil just as our fellow citizens were with the rise the Third Reich in Germany and Stalin in Russia, at Pearl Harbor, and again on 9/11. The power and threat of evil that Rosenberg writes about is Shiite religious zealotry, the particular worldview that informs and motivates Iran’s President, Mahmoud Ahmadinedjad. Sincere in his belief that the end of time is just a short time away, Ahmadinedjad is resolute as he preaches in Farsi from his bully pulpit that the best way to hasten its coming as well as the Islamic messiah—known as the “Twelfth Imam,” or the “Mahdi”—is to annihilate Israel—the “Little Satan”—and the United States—the “Great Satan.” More importantly, when viewed through this particular worldview, the political alliances Ahmadinedjad is busy forming with Russia, China, and North Korea constitute what Rosenberg believes is the true “Axis of Evil,” one that will immerse the United States in a war of apocalyptic proportions within the next two or three years. What sets Rosenberg’s account apart from other analyzes of global events and trends is that Rosenberg doesn’t analyze these matters using political and economic lenses as so many pundits and “talking heads” do. Rosenberg believes such a two-dimensional approach is mistaken and leads people to be blindsided by evil because this two-dimensional approach lacks the necessary depth required to comprehend the true significance of global events and trends in their frightening fullness. What is needed, Rosenberg believes, is to examine current global events and trends through the lens Scripture provides. “Only then,” he asserts, “can this full picture become clearer.” Just what is that picture? “An apocalyptic confrontation foreshadowed 2,500 years ago in the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel,” that Rosenberg believes likely to transpire in 2007. That is next year! Now, if you think Rosenberg’s language and analysis—sounding much like that of an evangelical preacher on the stump—is too strong, overly pessimistic, or even crazy, remember what national leaders who are known for moderation when addressing disturbing events and trends have said. Take, for example, what Senator John McCain said on Meet the Press just a few months ago. When Tim Russert asked Arizona’s senior Senator what would happen if Iran were to possess nuclear weapons, McCain didn’t flinch or bat an eye. He said: “I think we could have Armageddon.” Despite recent global events and trends as well as prognosticators prophesying the Apocalypse or Armageddon, none of us is capable of determining if, when, and where the so-called “War of Gog and Magog” foretold in Scripture will unfold. Yes, the prophesy of Ezekiel can be construed to suggest the rise of a Russian-Iranian alliance with Lebanon, Syria, and a group of other Central Asian, Middle Eastern, and North African countries poised to attack Israel “in the last days.” And, yes, there’s been no Russian-Iranian alliance in the 2,500 years since Ezekiel uttered his prophecy, that is, until recently. That there is such an alliance today is a very intriguing consideration that political leaders should ponder. But, it must be asked: Do 2,500 year old biblical prophecies drive current global events and trends? Perhaps, yes. Perhaps, no. Who’s to know for sure...until after the fact...when it’s too late? What is fact is that many people today are wondering whether we’re entering into or indeed are in the last days. People are using the Bible and Nostradamus to pinpoint the events foreshadowing the arrival of the end of time. According to Rosenberg’s survey, 42 percent of all Americans believe we are living in the last days. These Americans include one third of self-described liberal Democrats, one half of all women, and 70 percent of African-Americans. So, with the President of Iran proclaiming his end-times eschatology, with both Christian and Jewish theology predicting the rise of an alliance of evil in the last days, and with more than four out of every ten Americans believing they currently do live in the end of time, Jesus suggests in today’s gospel that none of this makes any difference whatsoever. “But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father,” Jesus said to his disciples. As his current day disciples, Jesus’ observation should frame our discussion and debate as these concern the end of time. “Only the Father knows,” Jesus said. So, what worry should it be of ours? Yet, we do talk about the end of time and when we do so, we use as the basis for our talk the understanding of time we have today, not the understanding of time people had during Jesus’ time. That is, we think of the absolute end of time—when the power and threat of evil are dashed asunder with the Messiah’s coming—after which we believe there will be nothing but eternity. The “day or hour that no one knows” that Jesus is speaking with his disciples about concerns a much different reality, namely, the world of human experience—the power and threat of evil we impose upon others when we sin—not what we think about, that is, the absolute or metaphysical categories like eternity. Thus, when Jesus spoke concerning the end of time, he was describing the concrete world of human experience—not a world we have yet to experience—in which we have the choice to cast asunder the power and threat of evil by converting from sin and living as children of God. All of those large-scale catastrophes Jesus described in today’s gospel—comets portending disaster, solar eclipses, and stars falling from the skies—are symbols intended to motivate personal change—in particular, a firm and resolute turn away from sin—so that the world we inhabit will be liberated from the residue of sin and reveal the likeness of God’s original plan. Evil surely needs to be defeated and its power and threat cast asunder. But, evil will not be defeated and cast asunder if we worry and become filled with anxiety by talking about the end of time. Jesus appears to be arguing that the only way evil will be defeated and its power and threat cast asunder is when his disciples decide to turn away from sin, as they grow in the image and likeness of God, as they live as God’s children, and as their lives bring healing to a very broken world. The question, then, is “When will this happen?” From this spiritual perspective, all of our talk of the end times should not increase our worry and anxiety. Instead, it should spur greater personal effort to live our lives as we know we ought to live them. For example, there are those behaviors and attitudes we know we ought to change. There are also those broken relations we know we ought to heal. Then, there are those inequities we know we need to rectify. These are the real, large-scale personal catastrophes of concrete human experience through which we have reduced the quality of our lives and the lives of others and, in some cases, have reduced both to ruins. All of our talk about the end of time that looks everywhere else but at personal change is to misunderstand the power and threat of evil we pose to others when we don’t turn away from sin and don’t live our lives as we know we ought to live them. Despite all of the talk of the coming of the end of time throughout history, notice that the Apocalypse or Armageddon hasn’t yet happened. It’s almost as if as long as human beings have existed, there has been thought, discussion, and argument concerning the end of time. And, because the end times haven’t happened, many of the people who talk about the end times and use scriptural texts as their source oftentimes sound strangely like all of those people who have testified that they really did see UFOs in Area 51 of Roswell, New Mexico. While we’re intrigued we are also repulsed because their prophecies sound spooky and these prophets of doom take on an aura of weirdness. But, let us not misjudge: they are absolutely correct. The end of time as we know it is coming. According to the Iranian President, what this means is that Judeo-Christian civilization will either be annihilated or all of its members will convert to Islam. The Twelfth Imam, the Islamic messiah, will reign over the entire world as a global caliphate, an Islamic civilization. Mahmoud Ahmadinedjad sincerely believes this. Meanwhile, Joel Rosenberg believes that many of us lead our day-to-day lives insulated by our very comfortable lifestyles from global events and trends. Perhaps, too, many of us perhaps don’t even believe there is an Axis of Evil. And, some of us sincerely believe our nation’s leaders have fabricated a “Boogey Man” to keep unemployment and gas prices down so that they can hold onto the reins of political power. If we take Jesus seriously, however, all of that talk is absolutely meaningless and worth nothing more than utter rubbish. What is meaningful and important from a spiritual point of view is our need to prepare for the arrival of the end of time—whether that is the day when we will die, the day when catastrophic events will destroy all of us, or as God desires, today—by turning away from sin and re-establishing God’s original plan for our lives. That is why we must be vigilant—and to express our vigilance by turning away from sin—because “no one knows the day nor the hour” not only when the “Son of Man will come in the clouds…and gather his elect from the four winds, from the end of the earth to the end of the sky” but also, as the letter to the Hebrews stated, the time when “his enemies will be made his footstool.” That is the “Day of Judgment,” the day when we—Jesus’ disciples—decide to turn away from sin and to experience the freedom promised God’s children. The gospel isn’t about “bad news” and Jesus isn’t trying to frighten or scare his disciples into submission. No, the gospel is the “good news” that has the power to liberate each and every one of us from worry and useless anxiety. This good news possesses the power to liberate us so that all of us might live in the freedom promised God’s children.
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break... Although it may seem a bit premature for me to be making this announcement, Advent is just around the corner! Each year, the people at Magnificat® produce a companion edition for the season of Advent. The 2005 companion edition is entitled “He Comes! The King of Glory.” Similar to a what older Catholics may remember as a "prayer book," the companion edition contains all sorts of prayers, readings, reflections, art, and activities for every member of the family to prepare each day of the season of Advent for the coming of Christ at Christmas. Grandparents might consider purchasing a copy for themselves and copies for each of their grandchildren. Confirmation sponsors might consider purchasing a copy for themselves as well as the person they sponsored in the faith. Spouses might purchase a copy for themselves and use it for daily prayer during the season of Advent. Parents might purchase a copy for the family and use it to lead prayer before dinner each evening. At a price of $3 for 1-4 copies plus $1 shipping/handling, $2 for 5-9 copies plus $3 shipping/handling, and $1.10 for 10-49 copies (plus $5 shipping/handling), the companion edition makes a perfect and very affordable opportunity to prepare for the coming of Christ at Christmas as well as an Advent gift to spur family, friends, and colleagues toward greater spiritual growth during the season of Advent. The companion edition has a limited press run that sells out each year. Furthermore, orders are filled in the order received. So, place your order early. To place an order for the 2005 companion edition of Magnificat® for the season of Advent entitled “He Comes! The King of Glory,” call 1-970-416-6670 or email specialissue@intrepidgroup.com for ordering information.
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second commercial
break... As Catholics, we prepare for Christ's coming by celebrating the season of Advent. During the coming four weeks, we prepare the way for Christ to come into our own lives each and every day not just on Christmas day. For Catholic families, let me suggest five practical ways to prepare for Christ's coming: 1. Place an advent wreath in the center of your dinner table. Each evening before sitting down for dinner, have one member offer a prayer of thanksgiving to God for His presence in the life of your family and light the appropriate candle(s). 2. Use an Advent calendar. Hang an advent calendar on the refrigerator door beginning on December 1st. Each morning, before everyone scatters for the day, have one member of the family open one door and read the scripture verse or describe the biblical scene behind the door. This is a great way for family members to keep focused on the coming of Christ for the rest of the day. 3. Make a Jesse tree. The Jesse tree is the traditional way that Catholics recall Jesus' heritage, coming from the line of King David, the son of Jesse. Have members of the family make a symbol for each day of Advent that marks an important moment in Israel's history (e.g., Noah's ark, Jacob's ladder, Moses' stone tablets, David's harp). Then, each evening before everyone goes to bed, gather the family around the Jesse tree, have the family member explain the symbol, and hang it on the tree. 4. Celebrate the Feast of St. Nicholas on December 6th. One way to "put Christ back into Christmas" is to reclaim the faith-filled life of heroic virtue revealed in the great Christian saint, St. Nicholas of Myra. Besides sharing simple gifts with family members, like placing candy in shoes that have been left outside of the bedroom door, share some time with people who are alone, in the hospital, convalescing, etc. 5.
Celebrate God's mercy. Advent is a particularly fitting
time for every member of the family to welcome the light of God's
forgiveness into the dark places of family life. Gather the
family together and go to church to celebrate the Sacrament of
Penance together. Then, go out for pizza to celebrate God's
mercy and a new beginning free from sin. By participating in these five practical activities to prepare for Christmas day, Catholic families will not only have contemplated their need for God and God's self-revelation through salvation history. In addition, they will have experienced God present and active in their family's life. Then, on Christmas day, when family members greet one another by saying, "Merry Christmas," they all will truly be prepared to celebrate the Mass wherein Christ will strengthen and nourish them with his body and blood to bring Christ to the world.
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HOMILY
