END OF THE WORLD?

33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time

Mark 12: 13:24-32

November 17, 2024

“Take the fig tree as a parable: as soon as its twigs grow supple and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see these things happening, know that the Promised One is near, right at the door. The truth is, before this generation has passed away, all these things will have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. “But as for that day or hour, nobody knows it — neither the angels of Heaven, nor the Only Begotten — no one but God alone.”

The Seekers, Mayan Calendar, Harold Camping, William Miller, Halley's Comet, Large Hadron Collider, Shoko Asahara, Heaven's Gate, Y2K, Solar Flash.

These are some of the major “end of the world” prophecies that our world has heard in the past century. If I went back farther, I have no doubt the list would be even longer. The one thing in common that they all share is that none of them have come true. And any prophecy that we’ll hear of in the future (and there will be more!) will also be false. How can I be so sure? Because Jesus told us that only God knows when the world will pass.

I give very little thought to the end of the world, quite honestly. First of all, I trust that if it happens at all, it will be well past my time on this plane. Second, I believe that the “end of the world” will not be a time of horror or pain. I believe that what we now know as the earth and this world will be lifted up and become a sphere of love, understanding, and peace.

When I read the Gospels and listen to the words of Jesus, what I hear is a teaching of love. Not just for those who look like me or talk like me (heaven forbid!) or live in my own country. Jesus was very clear that I am to love everyone. Ev-er-y-one. I admit that's not always easy to do. And I fail miserably at executing it. But I continue to work at it and get better at it.

The biggest problem with end-times prophesies is that they typically rely on the appearance of some-one or some-thing that will save us. But that's not how it works. As my mother used to say, “God works through us, not for us.” So, if I just sit and stare at the sky waiting for the Second Coming or some other supernatural event, I’m going to be very disappointed.

But…if I take the Gospel’s seriously and work to apply Jesus’ teaching to my life, and others do the same, there will be a new earth created. I have free will to do with my life what I choose to do. If I choose hate, there will be hate in the world. If I choose love, there will be love in the world. I choose love. With every thought, feeling, word, action, belief and memory I express.1

Do not misunderstand me. There remains too much injustice in this world. I remain committed to doing what I can to alleviate the injustices I can do something about. What I refuse to do is to allow my heart to become hardened and feel hopeless. Because God is love and God is in all things, I believe there is always the potential for change and for hope.

Love as an action is the only thing that has ever changed the world for the better. Love is Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi…. Love is a little girl in Pakistan named Malala Yousafzai standing up to armed men who said that girls shouldn’t be educated…. 

Love is a firefighter running into a burning building, risking his or her life for people he or she doesn’t even know. Love is that first responder hurtling toward an emergency, a catastrophe, a disaster. Love is someone protesting anything that hurts or harms the children of God. Jesus said it this way, hours before his crucifixion: “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s own life for one’s friends” [John 15:13].2   

My world is not going to end anytime soon. There is still too much love to spread into the darkest corners of the earth. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight, that we, … will get to the Promised Land.”  I know that this world is capable of loving all people and all things. I will continue to do my share by loving everyone I encounter, no matter if I agree politically, religiously or their opinion of which football team is the best. I will encourage everyone I meet to be more loving, as well. I may not be successful every time, but I will not stop working for love.

Every Day.

1.     Cota-Robles, Patricia “The Solar Flash”, https://mailchi.mp/eraofpeace/the-solar-flash?e=a9a7ce4321, November 1, 2024.

2.     Michael Curry with Sara Grace, “Love Is the Way: Holding on to Hope in Troubling Times” (New York: Avery, 2020), 14–16, 20, 23, 27. 

© 2024 by Timothy J. Doppel

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