Blessed Vincent Levoniuk and His Twelve Companions: Nykyta Hrytsiuk, Ivan Andreychuk, Constantine Boyko, Michael Vavryshchuk, Onuphriy Vasyliuk, Philip Kyryliuk, Maxim Havryliuk, Daniel Karmashchuk, Constantine Lukashchuk, Bartholomew Osypiuk, Luke Boyko and Ignatius Franchuk; Martyred at Pratulyn (1874). The Holy Priest-Martyr Clement, Bishop of Ancyra. Holy Martyr Agathangel (both 286-305). Passing into Eternal Life (1952) of Blessed Olimpia Bida, Superior of the Sisters of St. Joseph, and Martyr.
2 Peter 2:9-22. Mark 13:14-23.
Read Mark 13:14-23
Christ is born! Glorify Him!
Today’s gospel presents us with two possible problems, two potential sources of anxiety. First, there is the question of how anyone can survive the kind of tribulations that Jesus says will take place before his coming; and second, the issue discerning the false messiahs that Jesus says will try to lead the faithful astray.
If we read it in isolation, today’s gospel is pretty bleak. However, Jesus’ final words, “I have told you all things beforehand,” may hint that we should look elsewhere in the gospels for comfort and guidance. Just prior to the beginning of today’s passage, Jesus tells his disciples that they should rely on the Holy Spirit when standing before hostile judges. So, one thing we might do to prepare for the coming judgement is cultivate our reliance on the Holy Spirit, who can guide us in discerning who is speaking with the authority of the Church and who is not.
We might also glean some guidance from Jesus’ instructions to his disciples when he sent them out as missionaries. Among other commands, he told them to take only one cloak. Perhaps this single-minded reliance on God is a necessary prerequisite if we hope to weather the coming tribulations, in which turning back even for our cloak is something that Jesus warns against.
We don’t know when the end will come (and Jesus commands us not to speculate on that question). But we do know we must be prepared. What better preparation for the judgement – when we’ll be asked whether God was truly at the centre of our lives – than making Him the centre now, while we still have time.