Like spring calves

 

Pic:  The 'End Things' are depicted in the painting of 

the 'Opening of the Sixth Seal' in the National Gallery in Dublin.

 

Lectio Divina:*

Malachi 4:1-3**

Psalm 98

2 Thessalonians 3:7-12

Luke 21:5-19

 

Meditatio:

‘By your endurance you will gain your souls.’ (Luke 21:19)

 

Commentary (954 words):

 Hope Amid Chaos: A Comforting Message in Scripture

There’s something strangely comforting about today’s readings. Though they unfold against a backdrop of chaos—trial, judgment, destruction, war, and pestilence – they carry an unmistakable undercurrent of hope. The Old Testament, the Gospel, and the Psalm all point to a higher power guiding us through darkness toward light, toward greener pastures.

I often feel a quiet sorrow for those who find solace in the rituals and stories of the Bible but struggle to believe in life beyond death—or even more poignantly, in life before death. For what is faith if not the conviction that joy and meaning can be found now even amid despair as well as forever?

Indeed, there is much in today’s world that could lead us to despair: rising sea levels, rising hatred, rising inequality and a rising disregard for human life at every stage. Yet we are called to cling to hope – not a passive hope, but one rooted in the conviction that truth, goodness and beauty will ultimately prevail.  Here, the scriptures come to our help.

Leaping Calves and the Promise of Liberation

One verse, in particular, leapt off the page for me this morning. From the prophet Malachi (4:2):

But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.

What a vivid image of liberation! Anyone who has seen calves released into the fields after a long winter will understand. I remember my own days working on a farm—watching calves and cows, once confined to dark, muddy sheds, burst into the sunlight, kicking their legs in joy, tasting the fresh green grass of spring. That sight, that energy, that freedom—no words can quite capture it. But Malachi comes close. This is a springboard to Gospel reading from Luke which mirrors Malachi.

A Troubled World Echoing Ancient Struggles

This sense of release and renewal is especially poignant when we consider the context of Luke’s Gospel and especially chapter 21. Luke was writing for a community under siege—persecuted, harassed, and traumatised. Scholars believe his Gospel was written 10 to 15 years after the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in 70 A.D. – a cataclysmic event that scattered the Jewish people across the Mediterranean. The parallels to today are striking. Whether in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, or elsewhere, communities still endure unimaginable suffering. Meanwhile, in the West, we see a prosperous nation torn apart by fear and division, and a continent of 450 million struggling to welcome a relative trickle (less than a fraction of one percent of population in any given year) of desperate refugees.  But, we are not made for despair.

Endurance, Wisdom, and the Spirit Within

We live in a troubled world, no matter where we are. And yet, just as Luke, Paul, and Peter offered encouragement to the early Christian communities, we too can draw strength from Scripture. Consider these words from 1 Peter 4:12–14:

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice in so far as you are sharing Christ’s sufferings, so that you may also be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the spirit of glory, which is the Spirit of God, is resting on you.

We long for certainty—for signs, for predictability, for measurable outcomes. But that’s not how life works, and it’s not how God works. The signs we seek are often only visible in hindsight. We connect the dots after the fact and say, “Ah, yes, it was always going to happen.” But another outcome might just as easily have emerged. The seeds of possibility are always present – in every situation and every relationship.

In times of adversity, we may worry about how to respond, what to say. But perhaps that’s not the most important thing. What matters is that we remain rooted in love. This doesn’t mean agreeing with those who oppose us or share different values. It means holding fast to peace and compassion, drawing on the deep well of wisdom within us. That’s how we stay grounded. That’s how we keep our peace intact.

The early Christian martyr, Stephen, in Acts 6:10, is a powerful example:

But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.

The Holy Spirit is never far from us—especially when we feel weakest, most lost for words. It is in those very moments that the Spirit moves most powerfully.

And then there’s this gem from Luke 21:19:

By your endurance you will gain your souls.

What a pithy, powerful phrase. Endurance—not in bitterness or resentment, but in patience and compassion—is how we move forward. It is how we “win” life, for ourselves and, we hope, for others too.  However, to win life we have to be open to receive it from others and from places deep within us.

Nature’s Invitation to Joy and Renewal

When the weight of the world feels too heavy—when the news is grim and our spirits are low – it helps to step outside, to reconnect with the natural world. Psalm 98:7–9 offers a beautiful invitation:

Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
the world and those who live in it.
Let the floods clap their hands;
let the hills sing together for joy.

Nature is a gentle and wise teacher. It reminds us that joy is still possible, that healing is still unfolding, and that the story is not yet over.

 

Oratio

Collect of the Word for this Sunday (Church of Ireland)

Almighty God, you sent your Son Jesus Christ to be the light of the world.  Free us from all that darkens and ensnares us, and bring us to eternal light and joy: through the power of him who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

Footnotes

*  These readings are taken from the Sunday lectionary used in most Catholic churches. The source is BibleGateway.com: A searchable online Bible in over 150 versions and 50 languages (using the New Revised Standard Version - anglicised catholic edition). Psalms in this Blog are numbered according to the Hebrew (Masoretic) text with the Greek Septuagint/Vulgate numbering in parenthesis where applicable.

**  Chapter 4:1-3 in Malachi corresponds to 3:19-20 in the Hebrew version of the Bible.  For some very strange reason the liturgists left out the latter half of verse 4:3 in which the reference to dancing, joyful calves occurs.