Two weeks from today and we conclude the Church’s liturgical year and then on the 3rd December we begin the season of Advent. Already we are being encouraged to shop at Target, Myer, David Jones, Harvey Norman to name a few of the retailers who have already bought their Christmas stock for our consumption.
In my own family we have in recent years decided to push back on the commercialization of Christmas by drawing names out of a hat and choosing just one person each to buy a gift for although there is a little cheating that goes on for the grandchildren. Others of us have decided to donate to our favourite charity what we may have in the past spent on gifts. The focus for our very diverse family at Christmas is yes to celebrate the coming of God among us but also the possibility that human life gives us in so many ways to care for the earth and to share its resources in harmony with the whole of creation.
In today’s Gospel as last week we are reminded of predictions about possible consequences for each of us that are presented in a way that challenges each of us to reflect critically on life style and attitudes. End of the world talk, the threat of nuclear war has recently resurfaced, fueled by fear and anxiety. This can lead us to withdraw, remain silent, ignore or to respond to such threats with hope and the promise to be found in God.
We do not know how the world will end, although some of us are fearful of the stupidity of others. The Christian belief is that the end will be a consummation not a catastrophe with God bringing his loving purposes for creation to fulfillment and in the meantime we are to live our lives in faith, trust and hope. We all have gifts and as Christians are called to use the God given talents for the benefit of not only ourselves but the whole of creation
Shalom
Ray