GENERAL JUDGEMENT AT THE END OF THE WORLD
33RD SUNDAY OF ORDINARY TIME NOVEMBER 18, 2018
BEFORE THE 1920’S, MANY PEOPLE BELIEVED THAT THE UNIVERSE DID NOT HAVE A BEGINNING. MANY PEOPLE THOUGHT THE UNIVERSE WAS ETERNAL. AND FEW EVER THOUGHT THAT THE SUN WOULD RUN OUT OF FUEL.
ONE DAY A MAN NAMED EDWIN HUBBLE BUILT THE HUBBLE TELESCOPE. THIS POWERFUL INSTRUMENT ALLOWED US TO DISCOVER 2 TRILLION GALLAXIES IN THE UNIVERSE. THIS HUBBLE TELESCOPE ALLOWED US TO DISCOVER FORCES IN THE UNIVERSE THAT WERE ALREADY LEADING TO THE END OF THE WORLD. IT BECAME INCREASINGLY EVIDENT THAT THIS WORLD WAS NOT ETERNAL.
3500 YEARS BEFORE THE HUBBLE TELESCOPE THE BOOK OF GENESIS TOLD US THAT THE WORLD HAD A BEGINNING. 2000 YEARS BEFORE HUBBLE JESUS TOLD US THAT THE WORLD WOULD EVENTUALLY COME TO AN END.
THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED. THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT. THE STARS WILL BE FALLING FROM THE SKY. THERE WILL BE A BIG EARTHQUAKE. AND THEN HE SAYS: “HEAVEN AND EARTH WILL PASS AWAY BUT MY WORDS WILL NOT PASS AWAY.
IMAGINE IF YOU WENT OUT SIDE AT NIGHT AND YOU SAW THOUSANDS OF STARS FALLING TO THE GROUND RIGHT BEFORE YOUR EYES. FIRES STARTING EVERYWHERE, LIKE IN CALIFORNIA.
JESUS SAYS THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED. THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT.
SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVED THROUGH 9/11 THOUGHT THE END OF THE WORLD WAS COMING-- THE DARKNESS-- THE SMOKE-- THE FIRE-- THE CONFUSION-- THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE EXPERIENCING JESUS’ DESCRIPTION OF THE END OF THE WORLD. FOR SOME OF THEM IT WAS THE END OF THEIR WORLD.
A FEW YEARS AGO I WAS CALLED TO UPSTATE HOSPITAL AT MIDNIGHT. WHEN I WALKED INTO THE ROOM IN INTENSIVE CARE THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS WERE GATHERED AROUND THE BED. I SAW A YOUNG LADY, ONLY 28 YEARS OLD LYING ON THE BED. SHE HAD JUST DIED. THEN MY EYES MOVED TOWARD HER SIDE AND I SAW A LITTLE NEWBORN BABY ALL DRESSED IN PINK. SHE WAS SO BEAUTIFUL, SO INNOCENT SO NEW. I SUDDENLY REALIZED THAT THE BABY WAS DEAD. I HAD TO LOOK TWICE. I COULD NOT BELIEVE THAT SHE WAS DEAD. THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT. THE BABY WAS BORN DEAD. THE MOTHER DIED SHORTLY AFTER.
I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TO SAY. IT WAS THE END OF THE WORLD FOR THAT MOTHER AND HER BABY.
IMAGINE HOW THE HUSBAND AND THE EXTENDED FAMILY FELT. FOR A LONG WHILE IT WAS THE END OF THE WORLD FOR THEM.
WHEN I DIE MY LITTLE WORLD WILL END. WHO I AM-- WHAT I OWN—WHAT SCHOOLS I WENT TO--WHAT I KNOW--WHERE I LIVE—WHERE I WORK--WHO IS IMPORTANT TO ME—WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO ME. ALL THESE IDENTIFICATION MARKS WILL NO LONGER MATTER.
SOMEONE ELSE WILL DISMANTLE EVERYTHING THAT I HAVE PUT TOGETHER ALL MY LIFE. MY POSSESSIONS WILL BE DISBURSED HITHER AND YON. MY POSITION WHATEVER IT IS MAY BE WILL BE FILLED BY SOMEONE ELSE. AS THE SCRIPTURE SAYS: “MY PLACE WILL NOT SEE ME AGAIN.”
THE BIBLE SAYS IT IS APPOINTED UNTO MAN ONCE TO DIE AND THEN THE JUDGEMENT. EACH ONE OF US WILL EXPERIENCE PERSON TO PERSON AND UP CLOSE THE PARTICULAR JUDGMENT.
WHEN MY SOUL IS AT THE EDGE OF ETERNITY, WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS THAT I WILL BE ASKING MYSELF? AM I IN THE STATE OF GRACE? HAVE I REPENTED OF EVERY SERIOUS SIN? AM I READY TO GIVE AN ACCOUNTING OF THE TIME THAT HE HAS GIVEN TO ME? AM I READY TO GIVE AN ACCOUNTING FOR THE TALENTS HE HAS GIVEN TO ME?
WHEN MY SOUL LEAVES MY BODY, AND ALL OF THE PEOPLE ARE STILL IN THE ROOM, I WILL HAVE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE. IN THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE MY WHOLE LIFE WILL PASS BEFORE ME. SUDDENLY I WILL SEE THE CONSEQUENCES OF ALL THE CHOICES THAT I MADE GOOD OR BAD.
DID YOU EVER CONSIDER THAT MOST OF YOUR EXISTENCE WILL NOT BE HERE ON EARTH? YOU MAY SPEND 70 OR 80 OR 90 YEARS HERE BUT MOST OF YOUR EXISTENCE WILL BE SOME PLACE ELSE.
IT’S NOT EASY TO THINK ABOUT THAT SOME PLACE ELSE. I AM NOT ANXIOUS TO THINK ABOUT MY DEATH. I’M NOT RUSHING TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR MY DEATH AND BURIAL. I DON’T CHERISH THE THOUGHT OF MAKING OUT A WILL AND MEETING WITH THE FUNERAL DIRECTOR AND BUYING A CEMETERY PLOT.
MOST PEOPLE PUT OFF THESE PREPARATIONS FOR DEATH BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THE THOUGHT OF DYING. HOW CAN WE HELP YOUNG PEOPLE TO LIVE MORE PEACEFULLY WITH THE REALITY OF DEATH?
WHILE YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD NOT BE WILLFULLY BLIND TO THEIR OWN MORTALITY; WHILE YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD NOT LIVE THEIR LIVES AS THOUGH THEY ARE GOING TO BE HERE FOREVER, THEIR FOCUS SHOULD NOT BE ON DEATH. THEIR FOCUS SHOULD BE ON LIVING THEIR LIVES IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEY NEVER HAVE TO FEAR DEATH.
THIS LITTLE STORY HELPED ME TO THINK A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY ABOUT LIFE AFTER DEATH. MAYBE IT WILL HELP YOU.
THIS IS AN IMAGINARY CONVERSATION BETWEEN TWINS STILL LIVING IN THE WOMB. LISTEN TO THEIR CONVERSATION.
THE TWINS ARE LOOKING AROUND, EXPLORING THEIR ENVIRONMENT. THEY’VE DISCOVERED THE LIFE CORD OF THE MOTHER. THEY SAY: “LOOK, SHE IS SHARING HER LIFE WITH US. THE MOTHER MUST LOVE US VERY MUCH.”
AS THEY MOVE AROUND IN THE WOMB, GROWING AND EXPANDING THEY REALIZE THEY ARE RUNNING OUT OF ROOM.
FIRST TWIN SAYS: “OUR TIME HERE WILL COME TO AN END SOON.WE WILL HAVE TO THINK ABOUT LEAVING THIS PLACE.”
SECOND TWIN SAYS: “DON’T SAY THAT. IT SCARES ME. I DON’T WANT TO LEAVE. I’M COMFORTABLE HERE. I KNOW WHAT IT’S LIKE HERE. I DON’T KNOW WHAT IT’S LIKE OUT THERE. I DON’T EVEN KNOW IF THERE IS ANYTHING OUT THERE. HOW COULD THERE BE? WE’VE NEVER MET ANYBODY FROM OUT THERE.”
FIRST TWIN SAYS: “OF COURSE THERE IS SOMEPLACE OUT SIDE OF HERE. WE’RE TALKING ABOUT IT AREN’T WE?”
SECOND TWIN SAYS:”I DON’T CARE. I’M AFRAID. I DON’T WANT TO LEAVE. I LIKE IT HERE.”
FIRST TWIN SAYS: “WE HAVE NO CHOICE. WE HAVE TO LEAVE. BESIDES MAYBE THERE IS A BETTER LIFE OUTSIDE OF HERE. DON’T YOU EVER WONDER WHAT THE MOTHER IS LIKE? WOULDN’T YOU LIKE TO SEE HER FACE?”
SECOND TWIN SAYS: “I DON’T BELIEVE ANYTHING YOU’R SAYING. IF WE TRY TO LEAVE HERE WE WILL HAVE TO LET GO OF THE LIFE-CORD OF THE MOTHER. WE WON’T BE ABLE TO LIVE.” HIS ANXIETY INCREASES. HE BEGINS TO FALL INTO DESPAIR. “WHAT IS THE MEANING OF ALL THIS ANYWAY? THE WHOLE THING DOESN’T MAKE SENSE. BESIDES, IF WE ARE IN THIS PLACE FOR ONLY A SHORT TIME WHY ARE WE HERE AT ALL? WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO US? MAYBE WE DON’T EVEN HAVE A MOTHER.
FIRST TWIN SAYS: OF COURSE WE HAVE A MOTHER. OTHERWISE HOW COULD WE BE HERE? WHO WOULD KEEP US ALIVE?”
SUDDENLY, IN SILENCE, THEY EXPERIENCE MOTION LIKE THEY HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE. THEY ARE TRAVELLING THROUGH THE BIRTH CANAL. IN MOMENTS THEY ARRIVE IN A WHOLE NEW WORLD. THEY’RE EYES ARE OPENED WHAT THEY SEE EXCEEDS THEIR GREATEST EXPECTATIONS --- THE LIGHT- THE COLORS- THE SOUNDS- THE VOICES- THE LOVE. THE MOTHER’S FACE. THEY ARE SO RELIEVED AND SO HAPPY.
SOMETIMES WE ARE LIKE THOSE CHILDREN IN THE WOMB. WE THINK THAT WE ARE AWARE OF EVERYTHING ABOUT OUR LIFE. THE FACT IS THAT YOU AND I LIVE AT THE BOTTOM OF A DEEP GRAVITY WELL. WE LIVE ON THE SURFACE OF A GAS COVERED PLANET GOING 70,000 MILES AN HOUR AROUND A NUCLEAR FIREBALL, 90 MILLION MILES AWAY AND WE THINK THAT NOTHING EXCITING EVER HAPPENS TO US.
WE ARE NOT EVEN AWARE OF THE WORLD AROUND US NO WONDER WE ARE NOT AWARE OF THE WORLD TO COME.
WE FEEL LIKE SMOLDERING SPECS IN THE UNIVERSE AND YET WE ARE DESTINED TO SEE WHAT NO LIVING HUMAN BEING HAS EVER SEEN. WE ARE DESTINED TO EXPERIENCE WHAT ST. PAUL DESCRIBES WHEN HE SAYS: “EYE HAS NOT SEEN EAR HAS NOT HEARD.NOR HAS IT EVEN ENTERED INTO THE MIND OF MAN WHAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM. “
YOU KNOW SOMETHING. YOU AND I ARE LIVING ON THE BRINK OF SOMETHING AWESOME. WE CAN’T TAKE THE RISK OF LOSING EVERYTHING. WE CANNOT AFFORD BEING CAUGHT OFF GUARD. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO PUT OFF OUR CONVERSION, OUR CONFESSION, AND OUR SURRENDER TO THE LORD OF THE UNIVERSE.
WE KNOW THAT AS SURE AS WE BREATHED OUR FIRST BREATH WE WILL BEATHE OUR LAST BREATH. BE READY. YOU KNOW NOT THE DAY NOR THE HOUR.