Coming to an end

Life is changed but not ended. This phrase is part of the Eucharistic prayer of the liturgy celebrated for the dead. The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary bring us to consider the how the joy, life and security which the psalmist praises as his experience in relationship with God may change as the world ends either in an apocalypse, according to the will of the Creator, or for us personally as we pass through death. The verse from the Book of Daniel envisions a time of judgement heralded by Archangel Michael, who marks the Presence of God, when people will rise to everlasting life or to everlasting shame and contempt. What attribute of God do we focus on when contemplating this scenario? Friar Jude Winkler comments on the text of the thirteenth chapter of Mark which describes the signs which we have to prepare us for the end time. Friar Jude points out that the signs are both singular, tied to the final day, and familiar as eclipse events. Is the message for the end time or our life now? Yes is the answer which applies, as it reminds us of the Jewish technique for presenting the argument for both choices and underlining that we have been gifted with free choice. Perhaps we can also identify with the time of turmoil and suffering prior to the end which is mentioned in both Daniel and Luke. Believers will be rejected and persecuted for the lifestyle which follows the Way. Friar Jude comments that the description of Jesus as high priest in the text from Hebrews appeals to Greek thought that the perfect act of, in this case, of seeking forgiveness for sin, is done once. Imperfect acts need to be repeated. The annual sacrifices of the Jewish high priest for this forgiveness are presented as imperfect. The Perfection of God is an attribute which perhaps does not give us imperfect beings much comfort when thinking about the last days. Father Larry Gillick SJ is careful to remind us that the legalistic view of mercy is something that Jesus spoke strongly against and therefore is not the approach of God. Father Larry reminds us of Creator, who continues to offer us the choice to be recreated and restored through our relationship with Jesus and the Holy Spirit so that the Resurrection begins for us an eternal changing direction in our lives toward greater intimacy with God.