“Even If…”

Saturday of the 34^th Week in Ordinary Time

Daniel 7:15-27; Luke 21:34-36

The book of Daniel is a complex work. To put the book in a little context, we must try to see the world as the Hebrews of that time did. Think of the great kingdoms and empires they knew of – Egypt, Persia, and Greece – and the seven wonders they created: the Great Pyramid at Giza, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, the statue of Zeus in Olympia, the temple of Artemis in Ephesus, the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, the Colossus of Rhodes, and the Lighthouse of Alexandria. In comparison, what did Israel have? The Temple, but that was a rebuild; a shadow of its former glory. In the eyes of the world, it was no wonder that Israel was a conquered people; in comparison to the real powers, they were nothing and had nothing.

Or did they? Part of the reason for Daniel, and the entire Old Testament, was to show that, in fact, Israel and Israel alone had the greatest wonder of all: the one, true God. He could have revealed Himself to any of the great powers, but He chose them, spoke to them, and promised them a kingdom which would last forever. All they needed was faith.

Of course, the Old Testament also shows that faith isn’t always easy. Among the biggest obstacles are fear and anxiety. As we just heard, Daniel himself was anguished and terrified, and he wasn’t alone. Remember Moses, encountering God in the burning bush (Exodus 4), or David, running for his life (Psalm 55). They were very afraid. The truth is that no one is exempt from the all-too-human tendency to think about everything that can go wrong, given what has already gone wrong, and the cost to ourselves and those we love. Worried minds are a breeding ground for fear and anxiety.

That is why Jesus urges us not to be afraid, but to have faith (Luke 8:50). We might miss the connection between the first reading and today’s gospel passage in this regard, but that’s a minor translation issue. Where we hear Jesus saying, Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy (Luke 21:34), think of drowsy as being weighed down or overcome. Fear and anxiety paralyze us, keep us from acting, and Jesus wants just the opposite; he wants us to dare. Throughout the gospel, he delights in those who do exactly that. There was the leper who approached him (Luke 5:12-16), the hemorrhaging woman who touched him (Luke 8:43-48), and the blind man who kept calling Jesus (Luke 18:35-43). Each defied the conventions of Israelite society, and each was richly rewarded by Jesus.

Defying what others think or going against the spirit of the age can inspire both fear and anxiety, but we can’t let that stop us. In fact, we mustn’t; it’s the job of the Church to transform society, not to be transformed by it. I recently heard a talk in which the priest gave a good piece of advice. He said that, if we are afraid to step out in faith and do something, and keep asking ourselves, “What if I stumble?” or “What if I fail?”, we should substitute the words “What if” with “Even if,” and turn it into a prayer: “Even if I stumble, even if I fail, Lord, I still have faith. You are there.”

The tradition of making resolutions on the last day of the year is as ancient as any of the empires I’ve mentioned, dating back about 40 centuries. Given that, I propose that on this, the last day of the Church year, we resolve from now on to substitute “Even if” for “What if” in the prayers of our anxious moments. After all, in God’s eyes, the greatest earthly empires are kingdoms of sand. Where are they now? All gone. Where are we? Exactly where he has promised all those who dare to approach him in humility would be: Saved. Go. Your faith has saved you (Luke 7:50; 8:48; 18:42).