Finding Hope in the Midst of All that Life Throws at Us
Mark 13:1-8
Peter Turchen, a complexity scientist who works in the field of historical social science, has made a similar comment when he suggested the whole world is caught in a global “polycrisis which will pose a severe and possibly existential threat to contemporary societies”2 – although he also suggested such warnings often go in cycles. I mention this by way of introduction because it is timely, and it also relates to the Gospel reading for November 17th where the author of Mark's Gospel forecasts a pending existential threat facing their country (Mark 13:1-8).
Other New Testament authors also were aware they were living on the brink of a national human disaster. So it's no wonder they wrote so often about “The end of the age” 3. They were facing, or had faced, total destruction of their homeland by the Roman military. They had lost all they knew and held dear – their homes, their family, their nation, and for many, their life. Little wonder when Jesus warned his disciples of what was to come, the disciples demanded: “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?” (Mark 13:v4).
While many were killed and others were taken away into slavery, the followers of Jesus still hung onto the hope that God would fulfil His promise and usher in the new Kingdom of God as promised by the Prophet Isaiah:
The
wolf shall dwell with the lamb,
and the leopard shall lie down
with the young goat,
and the calf and the lion and the fattened
calf together;
and a little child shall lead them.
The cow and
the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together;
and the
lion shall eat straw like the ox.
he nursing child shall play over
the hole of the cobra,
and the weaned child shall put his hand on
the adder's den.
They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy
mountain;
for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the
Lord
as the
waters cover the sea.
(Isaiah 11:6-9)
We met a similar theme in my last Blog on the 'Generosity of the Poor Widow' who was willing to give away everything she had – even the last coins she owned – and Jesus applauded her generosity because she had held nothing back. We begin to see how challenging the words of Jesus would become for the people of Jerusalem and surrounding landscape. And yet, as Frederick Meyer comments in his book, 'Binding the Strongman', in-spite of the reality of the gathering storm clouds of pending war and destruction, “The temple was devouring all the resources of the poor and was deaf to the voice of true wisdom and oblivious to the way of Compassion”. No wonder Jesus was saying quite clearly in both last week's Gospel reading, and again in this week's Gospel that the facade of self-focused religion was doomed. I wonder whether much has changed in our time and culture?
I say this because the Franciscan author/ Therapist, Richard Rohr has mentioned something similar when he reminded us that we all have to deal with suffering during our life as we wrestle with the conundrum of coming to terms with “Who am I?” “Why am I Here?” And more pertinently,“How and where do I find meaning and hope?”4. This was one of the concerns Jesus had for the Jewish people when he suggests they pack their bags while they had time, and flee to a safer place to live (Mark13:14-19).
How does this saying of Jesus apply to us? While we may live in relative safety, Rohr offers us a different challenge that invites us to consider engaging in two important tasks:
The first task is learning to build a strong container, or strong identity of our life. The second task is learning to create a strong sense of Self, and to discover what we really want out of life, and how we might go about to achieve it– which also involves having the courage to learn to listen to the promptings of the Spirit and be guided by them. Both tasks are essential for our ultimate happiness! 5
This is because we live in a world where many people have absorbed themselves in climbing the economic and workplace ladder. As a result they usually end up focusing on the things they need to achieve and on the way they live – physically, emotionally, socially, and in the way they perform in their chosen career. And yet, these are incomplete tasks because they are not ends in themselves. They need a focus beyond themselves – and this is what Jesus was criticising in the religious practice of the Scribes. They had made their religious practice into an end in itself, rather than learning to be guided by the promptings of the Spirit. For this reason, Mark's Gospel mentions three life-giving relationships:
Do we seek a relationship primarily with ourselves – where the focus of our life and religion are about meeting my needs as illustrated, for example by the Scribes?
Do we seek a relationship that is primarily focused on the structure (Church/Home/Work etc) in which we practice our faith and worship as illustrated by the Temple Priests?
Or do we seek a relationship that is primarily with other people where our religion is primarily about being a servant to others, and is a lived out in practical ways of experience where our own inner transformation and compassion is able to draw it's life and energy from our daily spiritual practice and life experience, as seen the life and teaching of Jesus?
In my last Blog we explored the story of the woman who gave the last two coins she owned. In many ways she demonstrated the wisdom and behaviour of 'Sophia' who was been with God from eternity and fills all that is with the wisdom God. In the Book of Proverbs she is referred to as the 'master worker' – or "the breath and power of God”, through whom creation came into being. We find a similar theme hidden within this week's story. For when we have they eyes to see and a heart to believe we begin to sense God's invitation for us also to live life open handedly, with risk, non attachment and compassion – and with trust that All will be Well, and in the knowledge:
that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing,
will be able to separate us from the love of God,
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39
Kia mau te rongo me te pai ki a koe i to haerenga
May you find peace and good will on your journey.
Phil
Footnotes:
1. Current issues for NZ for 2025: https://www.google.com/search? q=Current+issues+for+NZ++for+2025
3. See 7 https://www.openbible.info/topics/the_end_of_the_age
2. “Why reports that Western civilisation will soon collapse are premature” Peter Turchin 5 December 2023 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2406477-why-reports-that-western-civilisation-will-soon-collapse-are-premature/
4. “Because we will suffer. Even the Buddha said that suffering is part of the deal! See his article 'Transforming Pain' https://cac.org/daily-meditations/transforming-pain-2018-10-17/
5.. https://dominiccogan.com/the-two-halves-of-life/
