Sunday Reflection with Fr Robin Gibbons - 15th November 2015

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

The terrible events in Paris on Friday night (and Lebanon and Baghdad earlier this week) will have disturbed many and brought a profound sense of unease into may people's lives. It will seem today, as if we were not already aware, that there is no place we can truly call safe from violence and pain. Daniel mentions a time of great distress, the more imaginative of us might link it to what is going on in our world, but if you focus on the second section of the passage another image appears, this is also a time of great awakening where goodness triumphs in the lives of those who have been virtuous, it will shine as brightly as stars for all eternity. So in the midst of confusion, mess and hurt a light of hope burns.

Mark's Gospel shows Jesus talking about the time of the coming of the Son of Man, when the chosen are gathered together. Whilst artists and others have portrayed this as an event of cosmic significance, the passing away of heaven and earth at the end of time, we need to look at those curious words, 'before these generation has passed away all these things have taken place', as well as the admonition not to speculate. In historical terms 'great distress' comes on us from time to time, the fall of Jerusalem in 70AD is one such example for those who knew Mark, as is the instability and persecution in the world today.

We must focus on the words that will not pass away, the living Word who has vanquished sin and death and in whom the final victory has already taken place. Remember the byzantine chant for Easter; 'Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and to those in the grave he has given life! That is the light in the darkness.

The Letter to the Hebrews reinforces this belief, it is Christ who has offered the great sacrifice for sin so that forgiveness can triumph, it is Christ who has won the victory forever.

How do we hold on to that as we face such atrocities in human life as the needless bombing of innocent people? By not letting the darkness overcome us, that is how. I used these words of Bede to console my family at my Mothers death, but they support us too: Christ is the morning star who when the night of this world is past brings to his saints the promise of the light of life and opens everlasting day. Amen

Fr Robin Gibbons is an Eastern Rite Chaplain for the Melkite Greek Catholics in Great Britain.