B: 33rd Sun of OrdTime (18 Nov 2018) - THE ALPHA AND THE OMEGA - Mk 13:24-32

There are 24 letters in the Koine Greek Alphabet, beginning with Alpha and ending with Omega. Validating this is a common phrase in the Book of Revelation where the Lord God says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega” (cf. 1:8; 21:6; 22:13). Aside from the fact that God’s eternal dominion is described in this statement, it also seemingly denotes that there is a definite beginning of time, the so-called “alpha”, as well as a definite end, the proverbial “omega”. We are then led to believe that the universe is a ticking clock, a countdown to zero when everything will explode back to nothingness.

This fatalistic approach to life creates either a fear toward the final days or a sense of helplessness toward an impending destruction. In effect, it turns people either to become spiritually stiff or to be reasonably hedonistic, respectively. Yet in the final analysis, both fails to give a significant meaning to one’s life as if one were saying: “We are all bound to die, anyway, I may just waste this life I have (either by rigidity or wantonness).”

If we take a close look at the Greek text of the Book of Revelation, it says, Εγώ εἰμι τὸ ἄλφα καὶ τὸ ὦ, transliterated as “Egō eimi to alpha kai to ō” and literally translated as “I [am] the alpha and the o”. Noticeable is that the alpha is spelled out while the omega is represented by its Greek symbol “ω”. Obviously, the readers of this text in the early centuries of Christianity understood the “ω” as the last letter of the alphabet. Yet, the question is why would the biblical author put it in its equivalent symbol rather than spelling it out like the “alpha” for “α”?

This leads us to consider that the so-called “omega” of the universe is something symbolic. The end of days is not to be perceived as a chronological event of time, but is any catastrophic moment that sucks out the meaning of one’s life. It could be a singular devastating experience or a communal strife; it could be a personal condition or a structural malady; an isolated frenzy or a recurring disarray. That is probably the reason why Jesus in our gospel today refers to the final days as something that can be discerned from the ordinary things around us, like that of a fig tree: “as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near (Mk 13:28)”. Simply put, we are the ones who make our omegas… we ourselves write our own fates.

Instead of being fatalistic, we are then challenged to be optimistic in life. Instead of covering our heads in sorrow, we are animated to cheer up. Instead of dreading the obliteration of the heavenly bodies (v. 25), we are directed to anticipate the coming of the Son of Man (v. 26). Indeed, in today’s penultimate Sunday of the Liturgical year (33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time), our readings expose the reality of the end of times. Yet, a week later, we will celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King… an opportunity to acclaim the redemption of the just and those who perform acts of charity to the needy, an occasion to revel at our new glorious lives.

While it is true that there are 24 letters in the Greek Alphabet—with 22 letters stuck in between alpha and omega—there are four letters that were initially part of the alphabet, viz. digamma, koppa, stigma and sampi, but were disused at a point in time. Similarly, even if we are realistically stuck in between the day we were born and the day we will die, there are many more good things hidden in life. We just need to see the brighter side of the world and appreciate the life that we are blessed with. Suitably, Pope Francis encourages us all to “appear as people who wish to share their joy, who point to a horizon of beauty and who invite others to a delicious banquet” (Evangelium Gaudii, 15).

- Rex Fortes, CM