May 18, 2025; Revelation 21:1-5a; 5th Sunday of Easter
It is almost impossible to walk into any supermarket without encountering the word “new.” Throughout the store on a variety of items, this word is present, often emblazoned in a vivid starburst: “New breakfast cereal! New hamburger patties! New kitchen cleanser!” And of course the presumption of this marketing is that if it is new, it is better: “If you like our old pasta sauce, wait till you taste this new one.”
With a minute’s reflection, however, you and I can realize that new things in our lives are not always attractive or better than what we had before. Our daughter calls to inform us that she is divorcing her husband. That is a new development, but not necessarily one we welcome. Our company announces a program of downsizing, and this new initiative is a threat to our job. The x-rays detect a lump on our lung, and we find ourself facing a new reality which is one of fear. Every day new things enter our lives, and some of those things lead us down paths we do not wish to go.
This is why today’s second reading from the book of Revelation is important. In that reading, God speaks from the heavenly throne saying, “Behold! I make all things new.” These words are meant to assure us that our God is involved and active in all the new things of our lives. Now when the new things are a blessing and beneficial, it is easy to see God’s hand at work. But when something comes into our life which is detrimental or harmful, we should not conclude that God is absent. God does not send evil into our lives. God is not the source of family turmoil, financial crisis, or disease. But when these negative realities become a part of our lives, we in faith believe that God is still active, leading us and those around us to goodness and to life.
Now of course in these difficult circumstances we have a role to play. When our family is in turmoil, we are called to be agents of communication and peace. When our job is endangered, it is wise for us to reassess our abilities and perhaps move in a new direction. When our health is threatened, we have the responsibility to seek sound medical advice and to call upon family and friends for support.
But dealing with these new challenges in our lives is not something we do alone. Because once we have done everything that we can, we turn to the God who makes all things new and place the things that we cannot control in God’s hands. And in doing this, it is important to remember that the newness to which God is leading us is a newness of goodness and joy.