Our Ministries
15 Nov

Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Heaven on Earth?

Be vigilant! Look! Listen! Live each day as if it were your last. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. These are the lessons I learn from this Sunday’s readings.

If you knew that this is your last month, or last week, or last day on earth, how would you spend it? What would take priority in your day? Where would God be in the picture?

There are events in all of our lives when we feel as though the end is near. Some of the events are personal: a terminal illness, a damaging secret about to be revealed, the break-up of a relationship, sudden financial loss. Other events are social: wars, persecution, uncontrollable wildfires, famine, violence and poverty and refugees seeking asylum all over the world. As difficult as these events are, we know by our faith that God is here in the midst of it and life goes on. But we also have assignments…

When we pray the Lord’s Prayer we say, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” To be ready for the end time, the time of our accounting for how we lived our lives, we must have been hard at work, with a sense of urgency, building the Kingdom of God on earth. What would that look like? What would we be doing?

Who are the builders of the Kingdom of God on earth who inspire us? The prophet Daniel calls them shining stars, giving out points of light, showing the way.

There are powerful movements of the Spirit and Spirit-filled actions all over the world. There are stirrings and actions of persons and communities that are rising up, organizing and collaborating to act on behalf of change that brings about peace, justice, freedom, dignity, truth, equality and hope in their families, their communities and in our world. What will we do to join them?

And so we pray: Lord, fill us with your Word. We trust that it will never pass away. Move us to action. Help us to be vigilant, look and listen to the voices of the least among us. Help us to become the wise who shall shine brightly like the stars to guide the way.

Welcome to St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church