OUR SECOND CHANCE

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara CSsR

Homily for 33^rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

November 15, 2009

A hospital called The Hospice of God in Beaune, France which was founded in 1443 has the picture of the Last Judgment painted by Rogier van der Weyden. The beds in the large hospital ward were positioned in such a way that the patients could see the painting from their sickbeds. In the center was Jesus Christ with the Archangel Michael. This picture of Jesus is not the friendly Jesus carrying a sheep on his shoulders; it was not the picture of Jesus surrounded by kids, it was the picture of Jesus as a Judge. In the picture, there was the Archangel Michael weighing the sins of those seen rising from their graves on a scale. The righteous are seen joyfully entering into God’s Kingdom, while the damned go to everlasting torture. The intention of the painting is so easy to understand. Those who are sick and dying are being warned and being given an all important second chance to prepare to meet the Lord for judgment. But guess what? Only those who have enjoyed the grace and the friendship of Jesus will appreciate this painting. They are the ones that will easily understand this painting. To such people, this painting will make a lot of sense.

All major religions of the world have a sense of judgment beyond this world. There is earthly judgment done by the Judges in various law courts. But there is the final judgment or the Last Judgment which will be done by the Son of Man himself. I have always believed and taught that if the perpetrators of evil should escape earthly judgment, they cannot escape the Last Judgment. At that Judgment, the all knowing Lord cannot be deceived or misled or misguided. Now Christianity and Judaism believe that the Son of Man will come in the clouds to judge. Our today’s Gospel says

“…they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory, and then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the end of the earth to the end of the sky.”

But it is not only biblical religions that teach about a judgment day. Islam teaches that when one dies the angel of death comes with God’s judgment to bring the person either to paradise or hellfire. Hindu, Buddhism and other religions of China talk about being reborn as a moth or a man, prince or a slave. But what determines where one will be reborn is one’s actions on earth. Sinful and evil people will be sent downward chained everlastingly. Whereas righteous people will be sent up. Therefore Nirvana or final nothingness is the hope of humanity according to these Asian religions. It is crystal clear that God has implanted in the heart of every human the notion of accountability. Human life does not go on unceasingly here on earth. There is life after life; there is life after death. Our actions here on earth determines where eternity will be spent. It was William Shakespeare who said that the world is a stage and everybody is an actor. Those who acted lovingly will be shown love hereafter; they will receive love. Those who acted with so much hate and bitterness will be rejected by love. The Igbo tribe of Nigeria describe human life on earth as going to the market or to the shops to buy things. After shopping, one does not stay behind in the shop, he or she returns home. The world is a shopping place, those who buy good will see good; those who buy evil will see evil.

In our Eucharistic Acclamations we profess our faith in Jesus’ coming: “Christ has died, Christ is risen , Christ will come again.” In the Creed we recite every Sunday we profess: “He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.” In the Creed, we profess our belief in a judgment that awaits us. In that judgment we will see the evil effects our sins have caused. We will see the numerous opportunities we had to do good but let slipped by; we will also see the good we did. The words of Jesus in today’s Gospel taking from Mark 13: 24-32 is a reminder of what lies ahead so that we live now with that second chance. Jesus’ first coming as Man and his second coming is one entire act of saving the world. His second coming is the final part of that salvation. The Lord will come again to judge the living and the dead.

“God won’t ask the square footage of your house. He will ask how many people you helped who didn’t have a house.

God won’t ask how many fancy clothes you had in your closet. He will ask how many of those clothes you gave away to those who didn’t have any.

God won’t ask how many material possessions you had. He will ask whether those material possessions dictated your life.

God won’t ask what your highest salary was. He will ask if you trampled over any people to obtain that salary.

God won’t ask how much overtime you worked. He will ask did you work overtime for your family.

God won’t ask how many promotions you received. He will ask what you did to promote others.

God won’t ask what your job title was. He will ask did you perform your job to the best of your ability.

God won’t ask what your parents did to help you. He will ask what you did to help your parents.

God won’t ask what you did to help yourself. He will ask what you did to help others.

God won’t ask how many friends you had. He will ask how many people you were a friend to.

God won’t ask what you did to protect your rights. He will ask what you did to protect the right of others.”

We have a second chance, that chance is now.

Today’s gospel calls us to learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branch becomes tender and sprout leaves, we say that the summer is near. Do not be frightened by today’s Gospel reading. The Lord’s intention is not to frighten us. He is calling our attention to what awaits us. He is giving us a second chance. Today’s Gospel from Mark is both a warning and a comfort. The warning is God’s judgment is coming. The comfort is Jesus does not want us to be unprepared when it happens. He wants us to be ready and well prepared. There is another thing comforting about this message of judgment. Who is the judge? It is Jesus who loves us so much, who promises never to leave us. He is our reconciliation. The judge is the one who said of himself in the Gospel of John 10: 10 “I have come that they may have life, life in its fullness.” The judge is the one who says in John 10: 11 “I am the Good Shepherd who will die for the sheep.” The righteous judge is the one who promised us in John 14: 2-3 that after he had prepared a place for us in his Father’s house, he will come to take us. The Judge is the one who called us friends in John 15: 15. The Judge is the one who promised not to leave us as orphans. The Judge is one who prayed for us in John 17 that we may be in him just as he is in the Father.

This Judge is giving us a second chance by reminding us to be ready. Are you ready? Holy Names, are you ready? Are you ready? Are you ready?