Becoming Signs of Hope and Contradiction - A Call to Holy Disruption

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time: November 17, 2024

Readings: Daniel 12:1-3; Psalm 16:5,8-11; Hebrews 10:11-14,18; Mark 13:24-32

To listen to the audio-video reflections via YouTube, please click here: https://youtu.be/w9GATiX7U4c

As we draw near to the end of the liturgical year, the liturgical readings on the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time encourage us to live with vigilance and hope, grounded in faith. In a world marked by challenges—conflict, social injustice, and environmental crises—our call as Christians feels ever more urgent. We are reminded that to be a follower of Christ in today's world means to be a bearer of light, compassion, and courage. Amid the uncertainty, we are called to be steady and resilient, living out our faith not in fear but in trust, not in isolation but in community. Jesus invites us to be people, who build bridges, seek peace, and respond with compassion to the cries of those around us.

1. A Call to Holy Disruption

In Mark 13:24-32, Jesus presents an apocalyptic vision of the end times—a world plunged into darkness, cosmic forces in upheaval, and the heavens themselves shaken. It is a powerful and unsettling image, and it is meant to unsettle us. Yet, we find within this disruption a promise of redemption: the coming of the Son of Man in "great power and glory," gathering all people to Himself. Jesus’ words challenge us to look beyond the surface, to see that God's kingdom is not just a place or a future event but an active reality that breaks into our lives even now.

Often we do not like something that is "disruptive." We want to hold on to the old ways even though they may not help us in any way. We feel comfort in such things. We are happy and cozy about the things of the past which have set the trend for our lives in spite of the changed generations. Today we live in a disruptive age, with the arrival of Generative Artificial intelligence (AI), Machine Learning and the Internet of Things (IoT), new disruptive technologies have reshaped our everyday commute or transportation like Uber, Ola, Rapido and Namma Yatri, hospitality sectors like Airbnb, monetary transactions via QR codes, Communications like snap chats, WhatsApp, and so forth, entertainment like Instagram, Shorts etc, operations and supply chains like Amazon and Flipkart have reimagined our lifestyle. So too our spiritual side has changed rapidly. We see the radical challenges that Jesus poses to our comfort.

2. Seeing the Signs of Our Times

This message is radical, pushing us to confront what we would often rather ignore. We live in times of unprecedented crises—wars and conflicts that seem endless, an environmental crisis threatening the very foundation of life on earth, and systems of injustice that oppress millions. We are challenged to see these not merely as background noise to be endured, but as urgent calls for action and transformation. Jesus’ words are a warning against complacency, a reminder that discipleship demands our full engagement. To follow Christ today is to be deeply disturbed by the suffering of the world, to feel the weight of its injustices, and yet to find hope and purpose in the promise of His coming.

Jesus speaks of “learning from the fig tree,” a tree that shows signs of change and growth in its seasons. For us, this means opening our eyes to the signs around us—the signs of our times. We are called to live with alertness, a radical openness to how God is moving in our midst, and a willingness to respond with courage and conviction. This isn't a passive waiting for Christ’s return; it is a call to a holy restlessness. We are summoned to stand against the forces of oppression, to question systems that exploit and divide, and to embody the compassion and justice of God’s kingdom now.

3. Prioritizing the Eternal over the Temporary

Jesus’ statement that “heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” invites us to reorder our lives. It is to reorder from materialism and status, focusing on simplicity, generosity, and true Christian community. In a society obsessed with wealth, status, and security, His words remind us that none of these things endure. Our faith calls us to radical simplicity and generosity, to turn away from the endless pursuit of what is temporary, and to root our lives in what is eternal. This means reshaping our priorities and choosing to invest in relationships, community, and service rather than in material gain. It is to follow Jesus on a path that may lead us against the grain of society, toward solidarity with the poor, the marginalized, and the brokenhearted.

These are not easy teachings. Living this way means becoming a sign of contradiction, an active reminder of God’s alternative vision for the world. It is a call to courage in a world that prizes comfort, to compassion in a world that preaches self-interest, and to a faith that does not shrink from the realities of suffering and loss but moves toward them in love. So let these shake us awake, filling us with a holy urgency to live for what truly matters. May we become not just spectators but participants in God’s vision for a redeemed world, answering the call to radical discipleship and embodying the hope of Christ in a world that desperately needs it.

Questions for self-reflection

1. How do I respond when my comfort or security is challenged by the needs of others or by calls to justice? 
2. When I look at the state of the world—its crises and injustices—do I see these as opportunities for Christian action, or do I feel overwhelmed?
3. How can I cultivate a sense of holy urgency in my discipleship, actively looking for ways to bring hope and healing?
4. How do I respond when I encounter suffering, either personally or in the world?
5. Am I living with a sense of purpose that reflects my faith? 

Prayer based on Psalm 16

Lord, You are my portion and my cup; You hold my future in Your hands. I set You always before me; with You at my side, I will not be shaken. Fill my heart with joy and my soul with peace as I walk the path of life You have laid before me. Help me to trust in Your presence, which brings fullness of joy, and in Your right hand, where eternal pleasures await. Keep me close, Lord, that I may dwell secure in Your unending love. I make this prayer in Jesus' Holy Name, Amen.

- Olvin Veigas, SJ

15 November 2024