I like most kinds of recreational activities, but one thing I definitely don’t like at all is spelunking —exploring caves.
There’s no place darker than the deep recesses of a cave. Spelunkers crawl through long, narrow, muddy passages on their bellies, sometimes with only inches to spare and no easy way of backing out if you change your mind due to claustrophobia, snakes, scorpions or bats. You can’t see anything without a flashlight and even with one you can’t see much, and it’s very easy to get lost.
Stumble into a hole and break your arm or neck or lose the flashlight, and you’re in a bad predicament for sure. Even without a disaster, I’ve yet to figure out what’s so fun about getting scraped up and muddy inside a dark, dank, clammy cave.
There comes a time when all you want to do is get out of there, and you know it’s a long way back. At this point, words of encouragement are very helpful, especially if someone is hurt or getting a little panicky, but nothing equals that first glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel as the much-longed-for exit from these dark depths finally comes into view.
That’s how believers felt during the dark days of persecution. Our first reading describes their troubles as unsurpassed in distress, worse than any that anyone has ever suffered before, but then quickly follows with words of encouragement. Sure, they’re hurting a lot, but Daniel assures them that if they just hang tight and not panic, they’ll make it through these darkest of days. There’s light at the end of the tunnel.
In our Gospel, Jesus then adds to these words of encouragement a description of the final tribulation and what will happen afterward. Not only the world, but indeed the whole universe — sun, moon, stars — will come to an end, and after that dark and fearful day, Jesus, the Son of Man, will come with great power and glory to rescue all those believers who persevere, who remain faithful during their time of trial. This means that believers should not despair in times of distress, regardless of what that distress might be, regardless of how much we’re hurting right now.
God is with us to help us persevere. If you entrust your troubles to Jesus, take his hand and place your confidence in him, Jesus will lead you out of darkness into the light. There’s light at the end of the tunnel, even if the exit still has not yet quite come into view.
Bishop Anthony B. Taylor delivered this homily Nov. 17.
