For six centuries, the Jews had suffered under one kingdom after another: the Babylonians, the Persians, the Greeks and the Romans. They kept hoping in the liberation that God would bring them. John the Baptist announced the imminence of this liberation. Jesus, like John, proclaimed the kingdom was very near, and that sinners must change their ways. And as Jesus proclaimed the kingdom, a question that came up frequently was “when is it going to happen?”
Jesus made it very clear that no one could predict the coming of the kingdom. Yet in every age, Christians have come up with predictions that pinpoint the exact time. Some of you may remember a recent book by Hal Lindsay: The Late Great Planet Earth. Every one of these predictions have one thing in common: they’ve all been mistaken. We hear in today’s second reading that many of the Thessalonians expected Jesus to return almost immediately. So they gave up their jobs and sort of waited around for him. St. Paul told them to go back to work. Jesus also said no one will know when it will be, but it will come suddenly. And so we should always be ready.
Speaking as a prophet, Jesus foretells the pains that would precede the birth of the kingdom. The temple would be destroyed and catastrophic events such as wars and natural disasters will come and go, but the end is not yet. First the disciples would suffer for being Jesus’ disciples, just as Jesus would have to suffer. The powers of evil will not give up without a fight; but the powers of evil will not frustrate God’s plan of salvation. For those faithful to God, not a hair on their head would be destroyed.
Until Jesus comes again, we prepare for that day by gathering together in faith, by listening to his words, and by being nourished by his own Body and Blood. Sometimes life is a joy; sometimes it is a great struggle. In the process, God is making something new. So, instead of making calculations about when the world will end, Jesus invites us to live the kingdom of God here and now – to live and let live! For the kingdom is already in our midst: in our offices, in our shopping malls, on our roads, in our neighborhoods, in government policies, in those around us, in the choices we make and style of life, in our hearts. It is here and now!
Fr. Gabriel Wankar
Priest in Residence