<div class=oldwebkit><p><strong>Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time</strong></p></div><div class=oldwebkit><p>First Reading Malachi 3:19-20a</p><p>Responsorial Psalm Psalm 98:6 7-8 9</p><p>Second Reading 2 Thessalonians 3:7-13</p><p>Gospel Luke 21:5-19</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h3>The Best of Times and the Worst of Times; the End of Times the Now</h3><p>&nbsp;<em>A reflection by Ann Marie Szpakowska</em></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>O LORD WHAT A MORNING.&nbsp; Negro Spiritual</p><p>(Listen to Marian Andersons version&nbsp;<strong><a href=https://www.dignityusa.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=18604&amp;qid=2634765 target=_blank title=https://www.dignityusa.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=18604&amp;qid=2634765>here</a></strong>.)</p><p>O Lord what a morning.</p><p>O Lord what a morning.</p><p>O Lord what a morning when the sun refuse to shine.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Youll hear the trumpet sound to wake the Nations Underground</p><p>Looking at my Lords Right Hand when the stars begin to fall.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Youll hear the sinner cry to wake the Nations Underground.&nbsp;</p><p>Looking at my Lords Right Hand when the stars begin to fall.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Youll hear the Christian shout to wake the Nations Underground.&nbsp;</p><p>Looking at my Lords Right Hand when the stars begin to fall.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>The readings for today as we are nearing the end of the liturgical year remind us of the End Times. We only have the Feast of Christ the King before the 1st Sunday of Advent begins our new year. As I was reading over the scriptures for this Sunday I could not help but reflect on the programming on cable TV. It does not matter where you find yourself on the political spectrum the reporting and opinions during these last weeks before the midterm elections have been frightening. American society and democracy appear on the brink of dissolving into a world we will not recognize.</p><p>So let us imagine how Jesus prophecy in todays Gospel reading from Luke sounded to the Jewish hearers of Christs prophetic word. As People of the Book they were all familiar with their history and with their prophets. They understood the Exodus as Gods intervention in their Egyptian bondage when they longed for freedom. They understood the Babylonian exile as the cost for their unfaithfulness to God. They had experienced the destruction of Solomons Temple and the rebuilding of it when they returned to Jerusalem. Now they hear Jesus say All that you see here the days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.</p><p>We have to look at Marks Gospel to see that when Jesus is brought before Caiaphas the high priest and the Sanhedrin the testimony against him included We heard him say I will destroy this man-made temple and in three days will build another not made by human hands. Matthews gospel puts the testimony in these words: I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.</p><p>Luke now gives voice to Armageddon. Were told the signs are wars insurrections earthquakes famines and plagues persecutions and death. Today we too wonder as we experience our world in turmoil if the End Times are here. So how do we as LGBTQIA+ people of faith hold on to hope love and belief?&nbsp; Do we believe that there will arise the sun of justice with its healing rays as found in Malachis prophesy?&nbsp; Does Psalm 98 reassure us as we hear that God will rule the world with justice and equity.?&nbsp; Who are our models and who do we imitate?</p><p>As four of our DignityUSA chapters celebrate their 50-year anniversaries we are given the opportunity to recall founding members histories struggles joys and milestones. We thank God for giving us the wisdom to refute and resist the unjust and untrue judgments which both society and religion have imposed on LGBTQIA+ persons. We are grateful for the progress that has occurred because of our activism. Luke assures us that by your perseverance you will secure your lives. We are grateful that the Synod process in the Roman Catholic Church has given us the opportunity to speak truth to power. Despite our misgivings we find our concerns delineated in our diocesan national and international ecclesiastical jurisdictions.&nbsp; We trust that the Holy Spirit blows where she wills and that perhaps despite signs of the times which feel so foreboding we may still witness the full implementation of Vatican II. More so we may live in witness to its inclusive and communal vision of Church humanity and creation.</p></div><div class=oldwebkit>&nbsp;</div><div class=oldwebkit><div class=mobile-full><img class=mobile-full src=https://www.dignityusa.org/sites/default/files/civicrm/persist/contribute/images/uploads/static/botsannmarie_szpakowska_1199d0830513457a36fbe5f307f4bde5.png alt= width=166 hspace=0 vspace=0></div><div class=mobile-full><p><em><strong>Ann Marie Szpakowska</strong>&nbsp;has been active and in leadership of Dignity/Buffalo for nearly 40 years. She also participates in the Women's Caucus and has been an active contributor to Liturgical planning for Dignity's Conventions Conferences and on Feminist Liturgy Committees over many years.&nbsp;She has presented workshops both locally and at Dignity Conventions.</em></p><p><em>She has also been a member of St. Martin de Porres parish since 4 inner city churches merged and built a new sanctuary in 1993. St. Martin de Porres is a predominantly African American community in Buffalo New York.</em></p></div></div><p style=text-align:center><a class=btn btn-primary href=https://www.dignityusa.org/civicrm/mailing/subscribe>Subscribe to Breath of the Spirit</a></p>