Through the Mist

Greetings on this the Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings: Mal 3:19-20a; Ps 98:5-6, 7-8, 9; 2 Thes 3:7-12; Lk 21:5-19
Notes: We near Christ the King Sunday.

Recurring themes of:

Persistence in prayer (Saturday).
Perseverance in hope (Sunday).

Personal note: Happy Birthday, Barry! We share the same birthday and faith in Christ!!

In the Mist
My daily walk this morning was through a heavy fog-mist. It was really beautiful, the fog.

Line of sight is reduced but for 50 yards.
Beyond that, the horizon is shrouded in a mist.

No matter how far or fast I walk, the distance I can see remained about the same. Always a mist in the distance.

Always, the future is shrouded in a mist.

Pilgrimage Mist
Earlier this year I had the opportunity to drive from Mexico Ciy to Frontera Corozal passing through the Izta-Popo Zoquiapan National Park as a part of a larger pilgrimage journey. One section through the mountains has such dense fog that I literally could not see a thing in front of me. I trusted the driver in the vehicle ahead of me. His tail lights were my only guide. If he doesn’t go off the mountian side, then neither will I.

Hope through Mist

But as it is written: “What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love him,” this God has revealed to us through the Spirit (1 Cor 2:9-10a).
For this momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to what is seen but to what is unseen; for what is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal.(2 Cor 4:17-18).
Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen (Heb 11:1).

Today and Forever

Saturday, we were encouraged to be persistent in prayer trusting in the Lord in matters of justice (big and small).
Sunday, we are encouraged to persevere to secure our lives for eternity.

Dense Fog!

You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name, but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.

Obviously, there is an apparent contradiction here. You cannot be put to death and also say not a hair on your head will be destroyed.

Or can you(?), through the Mist, see the double meaning?

Mist phrases

Not a hair on your head will be destroyed. On Divine Protection.
For you cannot make a single hair white or black (Matt 5:36b). On Worry.

These are describing the permanence and reliability of the love of God even in the need to persevere and persist.

You are who you are, how you are made, and the divine plan for you.
Your essence and importance to the Lord cannot change.

Your “hair” is a gift from God. It is neither subject to destruction nor to worry.
Your destiny is a gift from God.

Just follow the taillights.

First reading
But for you who fear my name, there will arise the sun of justice with its healing rays.

Responsorial Psalm
The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.

Second reading
Brothers and sisters: You know how one must imitate us.

On the contrary, in toil and drudgery, night and day we worked, so as not to burden any of you.

Rather, we wanted to present ourselves as a model for you, so that you might imitate us.

Persistence in prayer.
Perseverance in hope.

Follow the taillights.

Alleluia Verse
Stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.

Gospel Portion
The temple will be destroyed.
The faith shaken by persecution and oppression.

By your perseverance you will secure your lives.
Follow the taillights.

Exodus Mist
The LORD preceded them, in the daytime by means of a column of cloud to show them the way, and at night by means of a column of fire to give them light. Thus they could travel both day and night. Neither the column of cloud by day nor the column of fire by night ever left its place in front of the people (Ex 13:21-22).

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry