33rd
Sunday in the Ordinary Time
November 15, 2015
Mark 13:24-32
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not
pass away (Mrk 13:31).”
One of my greatest joys in the Order is
to teach. I am happy because I am currently teaching Ecclesiology – study of
the Church – at the Angelicum College, and the Old Testament at the Holy Rosary
College Foundation, both are in Metro Manila. Surely, the task of teaching is never
easy. I need to prepare the lessons and do my research. Even I need to crack my
head to find ways in explaining the mysteries of faith like the Holy Trinity
and the Covenant, so that my students can easily comprehend them. The teaching
ministry is not a joke, yet after the class, I often smile because I feel a sense
of purpose and profound joy deep inside. However, I am aware that my present
teaching apostolate will not last forever. Perhaps, my superiors shall send me
for mission in Timbuktu or a long vacation in Bali. Whatever the reason is, it is
going to end. The awareness surely gives me feeling of discomfort and sadness
because the best part of my life will be taken away from me.
Anything what we do, anything who we are
now has a beginning as well as an end. We may be passionate educators or successful
entrepreneurs, yet we need to retire someday. We may be care-free and happy
young men, but lives will change when we commit ourselves into marriage and
receive our firstborn child. We become fulfilled parents with beautiful and
smart kids, but someday, when our children grow up and independent, our identity
as parents shall be shaken and grope for another identity. Finally, all our
success, achievement, and glory will be taken away when we reach our final
moment. We are sad, afraid and confused, yet it is unavoidable.
Today’s Gospel portrays how our world is
going to end. The graphic images of the cosmic apocalypse are frightening, but
its finale is truly a good news because instead chaos, there is the Way,
instead total darkness, there is the Light, and instead nothingness, there is
the Life. It is a happy ending because there is Jesus. He himself assured us
that all things will pass away, but His Word will last. Jesus does not only
teach us to embrace our various finish lines in lives with courage and
gratitude, but He is really there together with us.
If we are away from our native land to
work, Jesus also left Nazareth to preach. If we need to terminate our works,
Jesus had to stop his profession as carpenter and began proclaiming the
Kingdom. If we are losing our friends, Jesus was deserted by His trusted
friends as well. Eventually, when we have to face our final end, we know Jesus
embraced His brutal death on the cross. Now if we believe in Jesus who was
dying and buried in darkest tomb, we believe also that together with Jesus, we
will resurrect. Only in Jesus, many ends in our lives truly find their fresh
and vibrant meaning.
There is a story of one little wave that
enjoys its existence, playing and having fun with other waves. Yet, it sees that
all waves, big or small, will finally go to the coast and crush themselves on
the rocks. He slows down in fear. His nervous motions get noticed by one big
wave and he says to the little wave, “Why are you afraid?” He replies, “I am
going to crush myself to the rock and I am going to die.” The big wave then
explains, “You don’t understand. Do you? We are not single isolated wave here.
We are always parts of the ocean.” Everything will end, but we know all will
find a happy ending because Jesus is with us.
Br. Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP
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