Will there be signs? (Annette Venables)

   Many reflections on [this Sunday]’s readings emphasize the idea that things of this world, even iconic buildings and powerful people are all fleeting. Of course, there is a lot of emphasis on the predictors of end times, although it’s very important to note (and biblical scholars are very quick to point out) that apocalyptic passages should never be taken literally or seen as predictors of things to come. 

   So why all these heavy messages of destruction and death? How can this help us to find God’s love and mercy in our lives? 

   The superficial answer is simple: you have to look for it. At the core of Ignatian spirituality is a tenet that is actually found at the core of all faith practices: God in all things. Earthquakes, wars, famines, violence, and tumbling governments are not at all new, but the God of Israel and the preaching of his Son Jesus Christ have survived thousands of years, despite the rise and fall of multiple empires, seemingly unlimited evil, and the outward appearances of doom and gloom. God’s love survives, and God is infinitely patient with the human race as we seek to know that. 

   Jesus warns us in today’s gospel, See that you are not deceived, for many will come in my name, saying I am he, and the time has come. Do not follow them. Later, he says: Do not be terrified in the face of gloom and doom. This, for me, is a call to Ignatian discernment – which is not the same as the English language definition of discernment. It is and can be very complex, but at the core is another very simple tenet: what are you feeling, and, are those feelings drawing you closer to God or away from God? 

   Let’s try to apply this to something less daunting than the complete destruction of the universe. I will use myself as an example. Recently [my husband] Paul and I were discussing how to apply our spiritual beliefs to some very powerful feelings of being overwhelmed, both in our work responsibilities, and in our relationships. These are common, everyday experiences: human resistance, lazy feelings, disappointments, and losses. Sometimes, they are truly big and sometimes they are pretty small, but they can all add up to some pretty Job-like feelings. 

   So, we played an imaginative game, or, as Ignatius would say, engaged in imaginative prayer or contemplation. What if you could just do whatever you wanted all day long? Sounds so exciting. Maybe you’d play your favorite sport, or you’d sit in Adoration, or you’d read all day, or you’d paint, or you’d endlessly hike beautiful trails. You may not be perfectly able to visualize this in these few moments, but I would encourage you to pray about it if this thought moves you. 

   Here’s what we discovered: that, even in imagining doing exactly what we wanted all day long, there would still be people who disappointed us. The physical limitations of our bodies and our minds would still get in the way. There would still be lots of uncertainties. In fact, it didn’t seem that the activities or the outcomes or the circumstances of anything mattered. What mattered was, could I find God in it? 

   As I looked for God in all my uncertainties, I found some peace, and, eventually, some direction and some comfort in knowing that I cannot and am not expected to muddle through this mess alone. All the problems did not disappear, but I felt a movement toward trust and confidence in God. I know that that is not a deception. 

   Maybe that’s what all these messages and signs from the sky are trying to say. The human mess is real, and pretty constant. Our precarious human situation points to our dire need for God, in our world, in our Church, in our families, and in our own hearts. Jesus is asking each one of us to shift from our reliance on our own limited resources and instead to nurture our faith in God’s limitless generosity. I can let go – not of my work, or even my daily grind… I can’t stop acting, but I can stop acting out of fear and hubris. When we receive God’s love in full spiritual freedom, we don’t need to ask when this good thing or bad thing will happen, and oh, will there be signs? 

   When I can see God working today, right here, right now, I can hear God calling me to receive his love and mercy, to receive his radical generosity, and to share it. Jesus tried to make it simple. He said: Love God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind, and love your neighbor as yourself. All the rest is a deception – do not be afraid. People and things will pass away, but God’s love is constant, today, tomorrow, forever. All you have to do is look for it. 

--Annette Venables,
OLMC, November 28,2023 

Image source: https://www.followmeaway.com/hiking-mount-tamalpais/