Daniel 12:1-3 (NRSV)
The Lord spoke to Daniel in a vision and said, "At that time Michael, the great prince, the protector of your people, shall arise. There shall be a time of anguish, such as has never occurred since nations first came into existence. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever."
Psalm 16 (BCP, p.599,600)
Hebrews 10:11-125 (NRSV)
Every priest stands day after day at his service, offering again and again the same sacrifices that can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, "he sat down at the right hand of God," and since then has been waiting "until his enemies would be made a footstool for his feet." For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying,
"This is the covenant that I will make with them
after those days, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds,"
he also adds,
"I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more."
Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.
Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Mark 13:1-8 (NRSV)
As Jesus came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!" Then Jesus asked him, "Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down."
When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, "Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?" Then Jesus began to say to them, "Beware that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name and say, `I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birthpangs."
Blog Reflection
As I read the Scripture Readings for this Sunday, I feel as though I can identify with them personally.
Over the past two weeks, I have been very busy as my Mother's personal caregiver. My Mother has been in an assisted living facility since May of 2014. She had to live there due to issues she has been having with vascular dementia. Up until a month and a half ago, Mom was very active. She went out with the activities director to the store once a month, out to lunch or dinner. She came over to our home for Thanksgiving and Christmas Dinner in 2014. I drove her to doctors appointments, and watched over her health care programs. In early September of this year, my mom called me to say that she was not able to hold food down, and lost interest in eating. I took her to doctor appointments, as well as to get x-rays of her throat and esophagus, and she saw an ear, nose and throat specialist. They all found nothing to explain what was happening. On Monday, on November 2nd, my mother made the choice to not go to any more doctor appointments. She did not want to go to the ER for an evaluation of her condition. She made the conscious choice with a sound mind, that she wants to die. She is not eating and drinking just enough water to keep her hydrated. Mom confessed to me, that she has been doing all of this to herself, because she is tired of being sick and wants us to let her die. In as much as I wanted to do everything I could do to change her mind, I do not have the power to over ride her decision. My only course of action has been to arrange hospice services to care for her needs and honor her decision. Not only is hospice doing a really great job with providing comfort care services for my Mother, they are also very helpful to my husband, myself and other members of my family as we are grieving what is inevitable.
This is a period of great difficulty as you can imagine. I am having to allow myself the room to grieve that my Mother will be leaving us to enter into her Eternal Rest. Everything that I may have thought I had in its stable place is changing.
I think that is what Jesus was telling those who were listening to Him as He talked about what was to come. Jesus was not so much as telling His listeners about the ending of the age, as Tradition has concluded. Jesus was prophesying about the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. In a moment like that, no wonder they would hear of nation against nation and as if there were earthquakes. It would seem like birthpangs as one age would give away to another. Not knowing about what has to come must have been very frightening and unsettling.
By now, we have all heard about the horrible shooting in Paris, France. We have also heard about the horrible accusations that just because a fundamentalist Islamic group has claimed responsibility for this horrific act of violence, so it is automatically assumed that all Muslims are violent. It is an interesting analogy, given the many who assume that just because fundamentalist Christians are quite violent with their rhetoric and activities, all Christians must be as well. I am proud to say that such is not the case with Christians anymore than it is with Muslims.
Whether we are talking about aging parents and siblings, violence, oppression and religion; the heart of the matter is that change is inevitable. How do we find stability in the midst of that change?
As Benedictines, our Vows are Stability, Conversion of Life and Obedience. Our Vow of Stability is about finding stability in Christ and our Community. Conversion of Life is about allowing God to change us through prayer, work and our relationships within our Community. Obedience is about obeying our Superior out of love, not fear so that we may find a greater Stability in God with purity of heart, submit ourselves to the Conversion of Manners, in Obedience to God's will.
Whether God does or does not change, whether the Scriptures are the Word of God or not, regardless of the changes the Church and each of us experience; God desires each of us to search for union with God so that whatever changes come our way, we know that God alone is our stability.
Our world, our country, the Church is changing. We have been walking and learning together that God wants all of us to strive for peace and justice for all people and to respect the dignity of every human person. God knows we cannot do this on our own, which is why we respond to the Vows of our Baptism; "We will, with God's help." We need God's help and the help of one another to find our stability in God as we are changed through obedience to God's will.
All of this comes down to the point of letting go.
As I am witnessing my Mother's deep faith, with her finding peace in letting everything as she has known it, by letting everything go; she is teaching me about letting go.
All of the things we tend to hold on to including the arguments we may have had with our parents while they were with us, our spouses, and one another; as we all journey towards being with God in Eternity, what are they all worth?
As we acquire wealth and political power, spreading prejudice and the divisions because of race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, language, health status, religion and much more; what is it all worth when we have to let it all go to meet God face to face?
The answers to these questions comes by way of what we read in Matthew 25:40: "Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.' "
The things we take with us from this life into the next is love, compassion, forgiveness, mercy, goodness, that which we did for others in the Name of Christ, and of course faith through God's Grace. We receive all of these in this life to take to the next by letting go.
As we hear the Holy Scriptures this week, "mark, learn and inwardly digest them" let us also ponder with the heart of Mary (Luke 2:19), ask the Holy Spirit to help us to let go. All we really have to gain is the love and mercy of God, if we will all only let go.
Amen.
Prayers
Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for
our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn,
and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever
hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have
given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with
you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Proper 28, The Book of Common Prayer, p.236).
O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us
through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole
human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which
infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us;
unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and
confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in
your good time, all nations and races may serve you in
harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for the Human Family, The Book of Common Prayer, p. 815).
Almighty God, we entrust all who are dear to us to thy
never-failing care and love, for this life and the life to come,
knowing that thou art doing for them better things than we
can desire or pray for; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (Prayer for Those We Love. The Book of Common Prayer, p. 831).
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