Journey's Weekly Homilies

Daniel 12:1-3
Hebrews 10:11-14, 18
Mark 13:24-32

First, I want to tell you about a coincidence that sheds light on Mark's gospel.  

Forty years ago President John. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas on November 22, 1963, and he is about to be memorialized again, in print and broadcast journalism.  There is a four hour special  on PBS beginning tonight.

When a reader of the New Testament learns for the first time that about 40 years probably elapsed between Jesus' death and the first gospel, they gasp sometimes and say 'But who could remember all this for that long. ('This means the words and deeds of Jesus.')

Well, I --along with a lot of you-- remember that event in Dallas with great clarity, so it was no feat of memory for Mark (or any other evangelist) to have recalled such events and speeches from Jesus life--if that's how the 'writing' occurred.  It is quite possible to remember well what happened 40 years ago. I am not saying the evangelist waited 40 years to write down was he (possibly she) knew . . . but if  I am not careful I am going to get myself stuck in every matter of higher criticism, so I turn to Mark . . . so I turn to my subject proper.

Mark's gospel is the simplest, shortest, and oldest of all four gospels;  it was written some 40 years after Jesus' death. The situation was this:  Jesus had not returned, and the community of Mark must have been anxious about what was to occur--somewhat in the way we are wondering what is going to happen to us as persons in a community. The only promise we have that all will turn out right is Jesus' word.

  If Jesus hadn't returned even 40 years after his death,  maybe he was not coming at all.   That is at least two reasons why this chapter of Mark's gospel exists: to reassure and to promise. 

This 13th Chapter is an actually an apocalypse, and frequently referred to as the Markan Apocalypse or 'the little Apocalypse " in contrast to the big Apocalypse, the Book of Revelation.  The word 'apocalypse' means 'to uncover, and Mark has obviously placed it here at this juncture because of the long passion that would follow.

Mark has obviously placed it at this juncture because the long passion of Jesus is to follow in his writings, and this present chapter says, in its way "don't worry; all will be well."

'Jewish apocalyptic literature is dualistic," says one expert. "It speaks about the present evil age, characterized by trials and tribulations, and the glorious age to come. It holds that at some future moment God will intervene and bring history as we know it to an end. Evil will be annihilated and those who are righteous will be saved."   This future idyllic age provides hope to those who find themselves oppressed by the forces of evil in the present world.  You recognize that if there is anything our world needs today is hope, so
bewildered are we as to where we are going, as a culture, a civilization and, of course, as a persons.

It is not only those early disciples of Jesus who needed reassuring that evil will be annihilated and goodness will prevail.  We live in a world that is becoming more and more barbaric. We have only to open a newspaper or watch the evening news to see the catastrophes that surround us at almost every moment  And many of us sit, wishing that
only we could do something. And there are things to do, but so many have become so  benumbed at the killing and lying and torturing that they do nothing at all.

Whether Jesus spoke all the words in Mark or whether Mark wrote them for his community 40 years after Jesus' death, we do not know; the fact, is, that the worldly scene was similar for both:  Jesus was to face crucifixion and the Markan community was in fear of annihilation.

So in the face of this disaster, comes the reassurance "And then he will send out the angels, and gather his elect from the four winds . . . ."

Next there is the little parable of the fig tree:  "From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near, at the very gates."  While Jesus' comments about the fig tree sound cryptic, he simply assures us that the day of salvation for the elect is near.  The disciples asked for a sign (v. 4) and Jesus finally answers their request, although we will not name an hour or day for the fulfillment.  Just as the fig tree is barren in the winter, it blossoms with the promise
of summer.  This is the sign. The reference to the nearness of the Man of Heaven as being as close to us as "the very gates" is a reference to the gates of the city of Jerusalem, a walled city. While we've been speaking in cosmic dimensions, this 'closeness' is a very earthly close  indeed.

Then we have the final words  "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away."

This is a bold claim, but one that has withstood the test of history.  Again and again we see the downfall of worldly power, and then see another arise, and yet the words of Jesus' remain. How many tyrant-dictators have we seen come and go, and yet the word of Jesus remains.

Let us recognize why we come here and share; there are several important parallels between our lives and those disciples:

Jesus has not arrived in the cosmic sense.  In fact, we don't quite know what the return of Jesus would look like. But we do know though that in the midst of anger and bitterness or a sense of abandonment, there is a incredibly loving presence that appears who says 'I am here and I love you."  This is not the apocalyptic coming, but in the meantime that presence will more than suffice.

  When we gather as community the possibility of Jesus' return seems heightened.  We are reminded over and over who Jesus is and what he can be to us.  We sing together, approach the table together,  share with one another our love and offer a sign of  peace to all.  We can wait just as we sing, we wait; We keep our lamps trimmed and burning.

In a sense Jesus returned is already happening. Let us share that  Presence.