Praising God: Never grow weary of doing right

	Word to Life  Jeff Hensley

This week's readings have a great deal to say about the second coming of the Lord and the rather terrifying events and persecutions of Christians leading up to that event, as well as the glory of the coming kingdom when God will be praised and worshiped - joyfully by all.

The reading from the Second Letter to the Thessalonians comes toward the end of this little epistle in which Paul addressed a community of which too many members were overly concerned about these events and anticipated their approach by sitting around idle and getting into each others' business. This is where Paul's famous phrase "anyone who would not work would not eat" comes into sacred Scripture.

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Sunday, Nov. 18, 2007) Malachi 3:19-20a Psalm 98:5-9 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12 Luke 21:5-19

Decades ago when I was a poor college student, my wife and I lived next door to a fearful (but well-dressed and socially prominent) widow of advanced years. She spent much of her time looking out the front window of her home, peeking through the blinds, fearful of any unexplained cars parked on our relatively busy street.

Somehow I was influenced by her behavior, very narrowly missing one opportunity to help someone whose car trouble had caused him to come to a halt in front of our house. Never before or since have I allowed myself to be infected by this fear of harm or loss of my possessions, but I did for a time allow a bit of paranoia to enter my life through this lady's influence. Perhaps I, like the busybodies Paul refers to, had too much time on my hands.

Likewise, I think some Christian communities generate fear to one another over anticipation of the second coming of our Lord, taking their attention away from the call on each of us to proclaim and live in the kingdom of God right now and draw others to the love of Jesus and the service of his church, our communities, and the poor.

	Reflection questions • Is fear of the future keeping you from serving the needs of others? • How might you start living in God's kingdom in the present moment, showing his love to others?

Just after the close of the passage from the Second Letter to the Thessalonians, Paul summarizes the response that community should have been striving for when, in verse 13, he writes, "You must never grow weary of doing what is right." And neither should we.

This column is offered in cooperation with the North Texas Catholic of Fort Worth, Texas.