First reading: Daniel 12:1-3
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 16
Second reading: Hebrews 10:11-14, 18
Gospel reading: Mark 13:24-32
"Learn a lesson from the fig tree."
This is the last passage we will reflect upon in the gospel of
Mark, because next Sunday (November 22) will be the last Sunday
of Year B - the Solemnity of Christ the King. The passage from
Mark chapter 13, verses 24-32, can fire up our imagination as we
hear of Jesus warning His disciples of the End Time: when the
"Son of Man will come in the clouds with great power and glory".
He teaches His disciples how to prepare for this, by learning a
lesson from nature - how the fig tree announces a change of the
season. Like the fig tree announcing a change of the season,
Jesus says that there will be signs in the skies so that people
will know that the Day of the Lord is near.
Hendrickx in his book "The End Will Not Be At Once", says that
this passage of Mark challenges all of us Christians to question
our attitude about the future. The passage leads us to ask
ourselves what appropriate present-day actions and attitudes are
needed in view of that future. Though the gospel images may
arouse a feeling of fear within us because of the description of
"the sun darkening", "stars falling out of the skies", and "the
heavenly hosts being shaken", Hendrickx points to that truth in
the gospel, that in the End, we will ultimately meet the living,
judging, but merciful and saving God.
In practical terms, we often think of the End as really our "end"
- when we pass away from this world and leave everything behind
(our family, friends, and all that we have). But the End is a
reality the gospel points to us as imminent. No one knows what
that End will be - that imminent second coming of Jesus. That is
why our modern attitude (quite far from the biblical outlook)
helps us in building a career, founding a family, and taking care
of our health because we have the assurance that the seasonal
cycles of nature will not cease abruptly. The night will still
be followed by a new day. But the End the gospel speaks of is
also a reality we have to take into account in our present day
living. If Jesus in the gospel teaches us to learn a lesson from
the fig tree, perhaps we can ask ourselves: am I learning about
the mystery of His Second Coming from the changes in the seasonal
cycles around me? What is nature at this time telling me about
this mystery? What am I doing in my Christian life at present,
knowing that anytime, either of both can come first - my "end",
or the "End" (Christ's second coming)?
