33rd Sunday Year B

33rd Sunday Year B – Half Full or Half Empty?

You will have heard the phrase, “A glass half full or a glass half empty” said many times and may not have given it a second thought. But do so now. Which are you, half-full or half empty? What type of person are you? Are you the one who sees the positive in any and all situations; the one who stays upbeat and cheerful because you can relish the things you have, the graces you have been given?

Or, are you the opposite? The one for whom everything is down and dismal; where all you see is what you have not got, what has been taken from you or denied to you; the person who some might say, walks around under a permanent cloud or with a very visible and audible chip on their shoulder?

Which one of these characters is nearest to you and yours? Is it, “Woe, woe and thrice woe. Infamy, infamy, they have all got it in for me!” Or is life a gift and the living of it a privilege and joy?

The reason I ask these questions and dwell so much on these opposing views is because it matters in how you take our readings for today. It is easy to dwell on the darker language of distress, sun darkening and moon losing its brightness as well as the stars falling from the heavens and become lost in anxiety and upset. The half-empty person can miss the next paragraph with its message of joy and celebration, of song and rejoicing. The message of ultimate victory and ultimate salvation may have been lost amidst the previous negative introduction.

So, where should we be? Well, even though you may accuse me of sitting on the fence, I would say that we need to have a healthy measure of both. We need to be aware of the signs and symptoms of the world, what is happening out there and how do these things, good or bad, affect me and my living. We would be foolhardy to ignore such things, however positive or negative they may be.

And then we need to act accordingly! We need to be aware that we are never going to know the exact where and when of our final moments and so should prepare our lives and our affairs accordingly. We need to live our lives to the full, experiencing everything that there is to offer and enjoying it to the full. Part of this experience should be how we portray and promote what we believe, our love of God and His love for me. If people ask you why are so happy, you should be able to say with confidence and with joy, ”Why, it is because God loves me and because I am saved!” Smile and the world smiles with you – and will want to know what it is that is making you so happy. Your smile is contagious. Your offering of the reason behind this smile is also contagious. Let people know who you are; what you are and why you are. God is good and He loves me.

This weekend we remember all victims of war. All the dead and wounded, all the destitute, the homeless and the resulting refugees. We remember with sadness all those that have suffered and we pray that they are comforted throughout their losses and sorrows.

And we remember with pride all those that have fought so gallantly for the rights of others, putting their own lives and safety before the needs of others, in so many wars and battle situations and for which we have so much gratitude and heartfelt praise.

We remember all of those who came home from those war-situations, who came back to their families and loved ones and we thank God for His goodness in returning them to us.

We always need to remember what we have lost and the dreadful situation of war and conflict so that we can learn from them and try to avoid the same again in the future. But we also need to remember all that we have gained, the victories and positive impacts on our lives and our living. We have so much because so many sacrificed so much for us.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them.

Either/Or – A Poem

You can shed tears that they have gone or you can smile because they lived.

You can close your eyes and pray that they will come back or you can open your eyes and see all that they left.

Your heart can be empty because you cannot see them or you can be full of the love you shared.

You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.

You can remember them and only that they are gone or you can cherish their memory and let it live on.

You can cry and close your mind; be empty and turn your back or you can do what they would do: smile, open your eyes, love and go on