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“It’s the end of the world as we know it; it’s the end of the world as we know it; it’s the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine.” Every year at this time of the year, that R.E.M. tune rattles about my head. As we approach the end of the Church calendar, our readings speak to the End Times.

The first reading for the Thirty-third Sunday of Ordinary Time is from the book of the prophet Daniel and describes Daniel’s vision of the resurrection and the last judgment. In this vision, Daniel presents the apocalyptic struggle between good and evil (spoiler alert: good will triumph).

In the Gospel reading, Jesus paints a picture with words about the second coming. But we must remember he is neither telling us what eternity will look like nor providing a timetable of the future. It is a frightening picture of a darkened sun and moon, and stars falling from the sky, and the powers of heaven being shaken. The angels will be sent to gather the elect.

Then, Jesus says something that is enigmatic: “Learn a lesson from the fig tree.” While it may seem out of context, this speaks to Chapter 11 of St. Mark’s Gospel, when Jesus and his disciples were going to the temple, encountered a fig tree full of leaves but no fruit because “it’s not time for figs.” Jesus cursed the tree, saying: “May no one ever eat your fruit again.” When Jesus cursed the fig tree, he knew there would be no fruit on it because of the season, but the leaves tell us that summer is near. Then they go into the Temple and Jesus cleanses the Temple of the money changers and livestock. The very next day they encounter the tree again and it is withered to its roots. The withered tree is symbolic of the eventual destruction of the Temple. When Peter points out the withered tree to him, Jesus replies by telling the disciples to have faith in God, pray and forgive anyone with whom they have a grievance, so the Father in heaven will forgive their transgressions.

Then Jesus says, “Heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away.” Jesus’ words are eternal. Jesus is the Word who is eternal.

Over the centuries, there has been war after war, pandemic after pandemic, natural disaster after natural disaster. And while war, pandemic and natural disasters happened in each generation after Jesus, there have been folks prognosticating that the current war, pandemic and natural disaster is a sign of the end of the world, and looking to the predictions of Nostradamus. In the 21st century, we have had the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the bird flu, the swine flu and COVID-19. We have had hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes that have devastated people’s lives and livelihoods. And the world keeps on turning. Jesus says of heaven and earth passing away, that no one knows the day or the hour.

Let us learn the lesson of the fig tree. Let us bear fruit for the kingdom of God. Let us be full of faith and forgiveness. Even if the time were to come, having faith and love of God and neighbor, we can say, “It’s the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine.”

Father Beeson is pastor of St. Pius V in Cannon Falls and St. Joseph in Miesville.

Sunday, Nov. 14
Thirty-third Sunday in?Ordinary Time?