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Malachi 3:19-20 Thessalonians: 3:7-12 Luke 21:28
Unless you have been living as a hermit over the past year, you have likely witnessed actions and speech that are confusing, if not shocking. It has, at times, felt that compassion, love, justice and truth were disappearing. How many times have you heard or read something this year and said, “What’s going on?”
We have been wisely advised to limit our news intake and time spent on social media, and to appreciate the beauty of nature and the goodness of the people around us. We have been reminded not to take our freedom for granted and to remain vigilant in caring for others.
How many conversations have you had that include, “What can we do?” How many times have you felt hopeless in the face of what seems like insurmountable obstacles? How many nights were your sleep interrupted by anxious thoughts?
I confess to all the above and, along with others, am trying to change my habits to embrace what is good and decent, rather than lamenting what is beyond my sphere of influence to change.
I heard a story the other day about a large public high school in the area that established a food pantry on its campus. Recognizing that many students and their families faced food insecurity, the teachers contributed food and collected donations from local grocery stores and community members. They also went through the necessary channels to complete all the paperwork required to receive food from Food Share. Their efforts culminated last week when students whose families needed food were given grocery bags donated by Trader Joe’s and invited to choose items their families would use.
At first, the students were shy as they entered the classroom set up for shopping, and some were embarrassed. However, with the support of the teachers, they soon got into the spirit. The teacher who shared the story said it moved her to tears. Last year, the school tried to open a food pantry, but permission was denied. They did not give up, and this year they were able to offer much-needed assistance to the students and their families.
A neighborhood in Portland, Oregon, came together to gather food and raised $800 for the Holy Trinity Catholic Church’s food bank. Some in the neighborhood had been trying to figure out what they could do to channel their frustration with all they were hearing and reading about in the news and decided that a practical contribution would be helpful to people in their area.
Seven families filled their cars with food. The volunteers at the food pantry were in tears as the cars were unloaded and the women gave them the money to buy what they needed most. The pantry was low on supplies.
The food also supported the parish’s backpack program. Schools in the area provide breakfast and lunch for students, but many children don’t have much for the weekends. The parish hands out backpacks each week filled with “kid-friendly” food to help the children get through the weekend.
These stories do not make it onto social media or the evening news, but they are happening all around us. Our volunteers can attest to that in the work they are doing.
The readings today offer a glimpse into ancient times, not unlike our own. They call on us to remain faithful, to not give in to despair. Malichi addresses the “evil doers” of his age as a reality but also offers comfort, saying that for those who respect and acknowledge (he uses the word “fear”) the presence of God, “there will arise the sun of justice with its healing rays.” We can see these healing rays in the stories above, where people stepped in to address one of the most practical human needs: food.
In the gospel, we hear Jesus describing how the world will end – earthquakes, wars, famine, plague, and persecution. He talks about family and friends turning on each other. Sometimes we feel that the world cannot continue as it is, with the very things happening that Jesus spoke of so long ago. We worry, we fret and we forget how Jesus ends the passage. He tells those in the temple that their faithfulness will save them: “I myself shall give you wisdom in speaking…not a hair on your head will be destroyed. By your perseverance, you will secure your lives.”
It is this that I think we often forget in our frustrations and anger at the many things we see happening around us. If we believe that, as the psalmist says, “The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice,” we can temper our worry and work to create that justice. Whether it be gathering food for hungry people or organizing to help craft legislation that will serve the needs of people to live in dignity, we have the capacity, with the grace of God, to be catalysts of change. God is with us on this journey.
Peace,
Anne
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