Sunday 17 November 2024

Today is Sunday 17 November, beginning the 33rd week of Ordinary Time. Salt of the Sound sings, ‘O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus’. O the deep, deep love of Jesus Vast, unmeasured, boundless, free Rolling as a mighty ocean In its fullness over me Underneath me, all around me Is the current of thy love Leading onward, leading homeward To thy glorious rest above O the deep, deep love of Jesus Spread his praise from shore to shore How he loves us, ever loves us Changes never, nevermore How he watches o'er his loved ones Died to call them all his own How for them he's interceding Watching o'er them from the throne O the deep, deep love of Jesus 'Tis a heav'n of heav'ns to me And it lifts me up to glory For it lifts me up to thee Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Mark. Mark 13:24-32 ‘But in those days, after that suffering, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see “the Son of Man coming in clouds” with great power and glory. Then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven. ‘From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. ‘But about that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. How would you describe the tone - Jesus’s own words - of today’s passage? Dramatic? Urgent? Foreboding? Notice how you feel as you hear the words. Stay with your feelings for a moment. Is there any part of the passage that provokes you to ask a question? Listen to the passage again, noticing your reaction and letting any questions come to the fore. Remember that this is the same Jesus talking who loves, who calls us to love, who serves and calls us to serve, who forgives and calls us to forgive, who is courageous, and calls us not to be afraid. His message is indeed urgent. In another part of Scripture we read ‘the Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.’ In these closing moments, speak with God, openly, from whatever your standpoint. Allow time for your prayer. It might be a prayer you want to come back to. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.