Eternally Focused

A Reflection on the First Reading for November 14th, 2021:
Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Daniel
12.1-3

At that time Michael, the great prince, the protector of your people, shall arise. There shall be a time of anguish, such as has never occurred since nations first came into existence. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

When things are challenging, as they have been globally these last few years, we can be tempted to get wrapped up in an apocalyptic mindset. Humanity is obsessed with its own end, as is evidenced by the multitude of apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic books, shows, and films. There are doomsday cults and apocalypse preparedness blogs, websites, and books so that we can be ready for the things that haunt our nightmares. Our obsession with manner and means of our collective end speaks not only to our fear of the end, but also to our desire to be one of the survivors at any cost.


The apocalyptic scenarios we revel in of course have a group of people enduring and surviving beyond the world changing and ending event that is at the centre of the story. These survivors, some deserving, some lucky, some tenacious, are all tested. What will they do to survive? What can be excused in the name of ensuring the future of humanity? There is an ongoing apologetic for atrocities in the name of survival. What we can’t justify when it’s only our life at stake, we can justify when it means humanity itself might come to an end. When there is nothing awaiting after death, anything can be justified to ensure another day of life.


The problem with the mindset of doomsday preparedness is that it is about my own survival above all. We are told to hoard food, weapons, and other supplies. We use our excess not to care for others, but instead stockpile to ease our own fears. We accept the suffering of our neighbour today in the name of our fear that our daily bread and safety may be challenging in some future moment.


But what are we as Christians called to be in the midst of the world’s obsession with the end of our species? Daniel reminds us today that our future will be in the hands of the Lord. We shouldn’t be focused on mere survival, but instead on our eternal life. We should put our entire focus on the Lord and who He invites us to be in the Spirit. We should set aside our fear and rather focus on love — love of the Lord and love of neighbour.


We have no need for survivalism when we have the mighty arm of the Lord and His daily provision for us. If He is ours and we are His, that is the only preparation we need for the future. Let us be for Him and not for our fears.




Stephanie Potter

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