The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King was quoted saying, "The arc of the universe bends slowly toward justice." This quote would agree with process theology in some ways. This quote does not agree with the prophecy that is attributed to Jesus in the Gospel of Mark. Process theology does state that it is God who is the creator of the universe, however, God is not all-powerful but rather, works through and with the laws of nature and the free will of humans and nature. This means that when God, nature, and enough of humanity work towards justice, then the universe will bend towards justice. If nature or enough of humanity oppose this goal, then God can't overcome it and invites them to get back on track. The author of the Gospel of Mark points to a cataclysmic event of cosmic proportions with the sun darkened and stars falling from the sky. This would be quite the thing if they were literal stars, but guessing that their cosmology wasn't up to science, they probably meant meteors falling to the ground. The gospel writer of Matthew tries to resolve this prophecy that has Jesus dying on the cross and the world goes dark, the temple curtain is torn, there is an earthquake, and dead come back to life.
The Apostle Paul writes in his letters that here is the way to know if the person is a prophet or not. If what they say comes true, then the person is a prophet. If it doesn't come true, then they aren't. In Jesus' prophecy, Jesus freely admits that he doesn't know the time when this will happen, only the God in heaven knows when these things will come to pass. And many Popes, reformation leaders such a Martin Luther and John Wesley, and even our own American televangelist Pat Robertson have predicted the end of the world and have come up short when the sun still continues to rise.
No where in this chapter has Jesus telling us to help it along, but starting wars or supporting wars that will bring the end of the world. The Ukrainians and the Palestinians aren't a means to the end of the world. They are the Ukrainians who have been unjustly attacked and the Palestinians have been subject not to justice, but rather to vengeance and a distraction to the corruption and political ambitions of Benjamin Netanyahu. Jesus does say in the verses we skipped over that when things get really bad, to just leave their homes and head for the hills. But, however, Jesus also tells us that for us to keep doing what he commanded until the return. Expect Jesus to come back, and keep his 'house' in good order so when Jesus comes back, he will find the things he started continuing and us following in his footsteps.
In our culture war that is pervading across our country and around the world, the powers and principalities on the other side believe that it is they who should have power and the minority groups that have been pushed to the side and underground should remain there in the darkness. Letters to the editor have railed against the 'woke' culture that is prophesied to bring an end to the American way. They would rather go back to the 1950's where the government helped create the suburb so white people can get away from those who aren't and 2SLGBTQAI+ are back in the closet and scorned and one culture dominates all others with white Jesus on the wall and the American Flag ruling supreme.
Those who perpetuate the anti-wokness today forget that Jesus own mother Mary prophesied about the poor being given good things and the rich sent away empty. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus is quoted as saying, "Woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep." Stay alert Jesus emphasizes. Stay "Woke." Focus on the things that are against God's kin-dom, God's economy, God's household that pervert justice and work towards a better future. Nurture and grow the gifts of the Spirit so we don't return hate for hate, blow for blow, and leave the whole world blind. Let us be alert not towards the end of the world, but where God and the Spirit are working now, where Jesus enters into our lives, community, country and world as the least of these, whether a refugee, immigrant, outcast, different, stranger, or bullied. Amen. Amen.
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