And now you know the rest of the story! As I steal a quote the late, famous Paul Harvey’s traditional end of the “Rest of the Story” segment on his radio news broadcast, we can hear a hint of the “rest of the story” in the beginning line of today’s Gospel from Mark: The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God, as Father Eugene A. LaVerdiere, S.S.S., a leading American Scripture Scholar, points out.
The great Winston Churchill once referred to an early WWII Allied victory in North Africa as “the end of the beginning” in order to offer hope to the people of the world in what would be a long war. Churchill knew, according to historians, that offering people hope would allow them to transcend time and be about the reality of their day. We also need hope today—and Advent brings us that Hope— to transcend time in the midst of a fast changing and difficult world—while still being about the reality of our time and prepare for what is coming—The Christ!
As Mark’s Gospel begins with what might seem to be the “whole shah-bang”—that Jesus is the Son of God—Mark is telling us that we need to be about Christ, we need to take part in His mission and ministry in our own time and place not so to “finish the job that Jesus begun, for God will do that but rather to be of it—so that we can carry it on with our servant discipleship. It will be in our “doing” of the Good News of Christ so that we bring about Hiscompassion, hope and love in many wonderful ways that God and Christ Himself become present to those in need. In effect, we—Christ’s followers—become His arms and heart in this world of trial and tribulation.
Last year our Youth Ministry placed numerous puzzle pieces high above the sanctuary with acts of love and charity written on them and asking each of us just what Piece of the Peace (of Christ) were we going to become. That question by our youth needs to constantly be considered by us. If we hope for the day when His Peace will reign across all lands, then how are His disciples going to help build it? What piece of His Peace will we be?
We can feed the hungry (St. Elizabeth House, Pantry Partners, Feed the Hungry) or reach out to the sick and suffering (Malta House of Care, Prayer Shawl or Eucharistic Ministers), we can collect warm items for the homeless or refugees (Catholic Charities or Feed the Hungry), we can assist the Little Sisters of the Poor (Lenten Mercy Project) or local neighbors who are suffering
(Neighbors in Need, Men’s & Women’s Clubs) and through a host of other church-sponsored ministries. We certainly know that the need is there. And we also know that the disciples of Christ are there. This week a parishioner called me about helping a homeless man who seems to be
falling through the cracks of our governmental social services programs—simply seeing him at a local venue and reaching out to him with compassion is the living, breathing action of Christ. How many times have I driven by a homeless person at a busy traffic corner? It is easy to see past the homeless, the hard (and the Christian thing) is to look at them with eyes of faith and act like Christ.
As Saint Paul would say: “sin abounds and grace abounds all the more.” Human needs bound—will human care and action abound all the more? Advent and today’s Gospel asks us if we are willing to heed (pay special attention to or care for…) the needs that are around us and be their answer. Advent is about the past: 2000 years ago when God deemed to intersect with humanity in the Incarnation and bring us a Savior; Advent is also about the future: the Second Coming and if we will be ready for that Day when Christ will come again and take us to Himself. Let us heed the Good News of today’s Gospel from the perspective of Father Eugene A. LaVerdiere,
S.S.S. and become “the rest of the story” and act like Christ. As Saint Paul would say: “sin abounds and grace abounds all the more.”