"It’s going to get worse before it gets better” is a phrase that prepares us to buckle up for a rough ride. We know that enduring a difficult time will require some strenuous physical or emotional energy on our part before we experience the calm of normality. Our past experience tells us that we can endure the difficult pressure better when we know how long it will last and if we know that something better awaits us. Getting through the tough times while holding to the promise that awaits us is the message of this weekend’s readings. They point toward the promises of God’s kingdom that will come after the maelstroms and chaos of this world.