Breath of the Spirit Reflection: Apocalypse Forgiveness and Letting Go

November 9, 2021

Maggie Annkel

-Breath of the Spirit is our electronic spiritual and liturgical resource for our members and potential members. Nothing can replace your chapter or other faith community but we hope you will find further support here for integrating your spirituality with your sexuality and all the strands of your life. <a href=https://www.dignityusa.org/civicrm/mailing/subscribe>Get Breath of the Spirit scripture reflections in your inbox every week</a>.--It is easy to wonder what these dire warnings of the end times have to do with us. How do predictions of the worlds end over which we have no control speak to our lives? Perhaps realizing that the meaning of apocalypse is rooted in uncovering revealing the truth in the process of world events. Todays reflection sees our current climate crisis as apocalyptic in that sense. Our current climate struggles can show us the way to greater love if we have eyes to see. As usual when Jesus is involved this uncovering is also rooted in forgiveness.November 14 2021: the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time  Daniel 12:1-3  Psalm 16:5 8 9-10 11  Hebrews 10:11-14 18  Mark 13:24-32 A reflection by John Falcone For many of us The End is near! has become something of a clicha. Who has not seen a disaster movie with a wild-eyed street preacher wearing a The End is Near sandwich board ironically unaware that space aliens or a super-volcano or an engineered virus is about to bring an actual world-ending catastrophe down on his head? In this weeks Gospel Jesus insists that the end really is near. How should we interpret this warning? Some people read Jesus warning existentially  as a moral and personal summons. In this way of thinking Biblical warnings about the end of the world should motivate us to consider our personal end. Each of us has a limited time here on earth; what are we going to do with it? Will we choose faith hope and love; or will we dither until its too late? Others read Jesus warning historical-critically  as a challenge to our naaveta and blind faith. In this way of thinking Jesus and the first-century believers thought God would end this material world in a matter of years and create a new better one in its place. We recognize the literal incorrectness of that belief but we believe the spiritual principles that emerge from that belief remain relevant. In some ways Jesus was not incorrect. Within 40 years of his final visit to Jerusalem before this generation has passed away (Mk 13:28)  Israels whole way of life had been erased. Long-running tensions between Jews and non-Jews finally boiled over in the years 66-73 C. E. Roman legions marched on Galilee and Judea wiping out towns and villages enslaving whole populations burning Jerusalem to the ground. Looking back Jesus prophecy seems more like political commentary. The end of their world really was near. Perhaps this present moment calls us to read Jesus warning apocalyptically  as an unveiling of manifest truths. The word apocalypse literally means removing the cover from what was covered up. In this way of thinking Jesus blows the whistle on business-as-usual and announces the time of refusing-to-look has come to an end. Could today be our climate apocalypse? Weve all heard the science. Every year now we need the equivalent of 1.79 Earths to provide all our resources and absorb all our waste. This generation will not pass away before global temperatures exceed 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. If temperatures exceed +2C (= 20 more years at present rates of carbon emission) floods and famines pandemics and desertification will bring brutal suffering to most of humanity. Can liberal democracy survive such catastrophes? Who will the demagogues target? What of the poor? In the face of apocalypse  in the face of reality uncovered  this weeks Scriptures ask us to trust in Gods love. Its not a love whose timings or outcomes we can control  nobody knows the day or the hour (Mk 13:32). But neither is it a love that asks us to do nothing  instead it rewards the wise and the leaders of justice (Dan 12:3). Its a love that works through sacrifice and forgiveness especially the one sacrifice of Jesus (Heb 10:14 18). If theres anything distinctive about Jesus theology its the way he marries apocalypse and forgiveness. Jesus told them This is how you should pray: Our [God] in heaven reveal who you are. Set the world right.  Forgive us and keep us forgiving each other (see The Message translation of Mt 6:9-12). Forgiveness is a key message of Jesus and a key part of the Reign of God. In the Bible forgiveness does not just mean deciding not to punish; it also conveys a strong sense of letting go. The New Testament Greek word for forgiveness is aphaami: to release to let go to leave behind. LGBTQ+ people and our friends family and allies are familiar with this aspect of forgiveness. Weve had to let go of comfortable and familiar identities to find love health and happiness. Weve had to stop skirting reality in order to seek fullness of life. The more we acknowledge reality the more we can let go of its toxicity and Gods love can free us. Jesus called out in a loud voice Lazarus come out! And Lazarus came out of the tomb. Then Jesus said Untie him and aphaami [trans:] let him go on his way. (Jn 11:43-44).  As the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference comes to an end what are we called to let go and leave behind so that we can forgive be forgiven and seek fullness in life? According to economist Daniel Cohen theologian Bob Stivers and many others it might be the religion of growth. Ever since the Great Depression the US government has measured prosperity in terms of economic growth. During the 2020 election Donald Trump promised to grow the economy by at least 4% every year. Joe Biden stresses how his policies favor growth in the green and middle-class sectors of the US economy. But what if growth itself is the real problem? Some activists economists and theologians have started talking about degrowth as a socio-economic and spiritual goal. Degrowth means working fewer hours and spending more time with each other. It means traveling less frequently. It means tending our local parks and making links with our physical neighbors. It means passing policies that increase income equality while redirecting service and industry: away from quantity and towards greater quality away from junk towards durables and renewables. It means questioning the imaginary link between more and better  be that in love politics work leisure or life. (To learn more click <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Degrowth>degrowth</a> in Wikipedia or <a href=https://bccatholic.ca/voices/c-s-morrissey/degrowth-the-answer-to-pope-s-call-for-economic-justice>this article</a> on Pope Francis and the degrowth movement.) The End really is near. Our current American ways of life are unsustainable. If we let go of them Jesus has shown us how to turn back to God and how to turn to each other. We cant save the old ways (Do we really want to?). But we can help save each other and the world yet to come.  -<img src='https://www.dignityusa.org/sites/default/files/falcone_0.png'>John P. Falcone is a practical theologian religious educator and a practitioner of Theatre of the Oppressed (PhD Boston College). He has been a Dignity member for more than 20 years with close links to Dignity NY where he met his husband Matias Wibowo in 2005. He is currently Theologian-in-Residence at St. Matthews Bethnal Green (Church of England) in Londons East End.

Breath of the Spirit Reflection: Apocalypse Forgiveness and Letting Go

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