1 Macc 6:1-13 / Luke 20:27-40
We know what disappointment is. Yet is also said that the more the expectation, the greater will be the disappointment.
So in that case, why have any expectation at all? No expectations would mean no disappointments.
But that's not how we live life. In life we will have our expectations. The question is what are we expecting?
In the 1st reading, we heard that king Antiochus threw himself on his bed and fell into lethargy from acute disappointment, because things had not turned out as he had planned.
He had planned and achieved many things - he made people worship him; he had made many conquests and his kingdom was the most powerful at that time.
He had planned to conquer the city of Elymais and sack its renowned riches. He had high expectations that all his plans would be fulfilled and that nothing could stop him.
But it all came to a stop. As it is always the case, the one who has only selfish plans of self-glory will suffer the great disappointment sooner or later.
From acute disappointment, king Antiochus suffered further from deep and recurrent fits of melancholy until he understood that life was slipping away from him - he understood he was dying.
His life was one great worldly expectation that eventually led to one great worldly disappointment.
We too have a great expectations. But our expectations are not of this world. Our expectations are of the other world where God will reward us with eternal life.
It is our faith in God that will give us this expectation. It is an expectation that won't result in a disappointment.