The Times, They Are Uncertain...
(Courtesy of Stewardship Today, Diocese of Baton Rouge)
We enter the last year of an eventful decade with little consensus as to what the future holds. We don't even agree what we should call this period of history. Are these the O's? The Zeros? The Aughts? The Two-Thousands? Trying to help us, a handful of knowledgeable historians have completed studies of the mirror decade in the century just past. They found little indication the issue was a topic of interest a hundred years ago. Referring to the decade as "the turn of the century" was as common a reference as any. Think back. Do you remember what you were doing, thinking about, listening to just one decade ago, at the turn of the last century? Remember Y2K?
According to the BBC, the cost to correct the anticipated glitches the millennium bug was expected to cause exceeded $300 billion. Did the investment resolve all issues, or were fears largely unfounded? As some countries invested little and suffered less, that debate continues. Nonetheless, ten years ago a pervasive message of impending gloom and doom dominated the press and surfaced in conversations around dinner tables, in coffee shops and in untold numbers of corporate planning meetings.
Y2K may have been a grave concern a decade ago, but clearly we survived it. How have we handled the years that followed? In this last decade, life has been largely defined by a series of horrific events that began in September of 2001. Financial upheaval has followed unprecedented tragedy, war and natural disasters of biblical proportions. In each case, the actions-even the inaction-of a few have touched the lives of millions. Wise parishioners are good stewards of their time and talents. So, how do we prepare for situations like these? They seem increasingly inevitable, and for people who prefer to be active and proactive, the remaining option-to be reactive-is its own burden.
"Behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age." The Lord's words of substantive encouragement, as recorded by St. Matthew at the close of his gospel, should shape our responses, just as they should guide our thoughts and actions. Those living for Christ in the 1900s had yet to face the hurdles created by Communism, Fascism and Nazism, yet in their lives, Jesus was a divine presence and comfort. As we weigh both the concerns and the opportunities of a new year, with gratitude we thank God for his presence now. He is with us. As he has always been, he is now and will be tomorrow.
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