Friday of the Thirty fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Readings for Friday of the 34th Week in Ordinary Time
Commentary:
Reading 1 Rev 20:1-4, 11—21:2
In this long selection from John’s Book of Revelations we are given the vision of Christ defeating sin and death (holding in his hand the key to the abyss and a heavy chain. He seized the dragon, the ancient serpent, which is the Devil or Satan, and tied it up for a thousand years and threw it into the abyss”). The thousand years here is not to be taken literally. Like other numerical references in apocalyptic literature different numbers have different significance (i.e. 7 the perfect number or fullness, 6 the least perfect number – hence 666 the mark of the beast, and 40 the number of years for a generation), this on simply represents a long period of time between Christ’s first victory and his second coming, the Parousia.
We also are given the image of the final judgment when the dead rise from their graves (I saw the dead, the great and the lowly, standing before the throne) with a list of all they had done, the scrolls. They were judged according to their actions and then either passed to the New Jerusalem or cast into the pool of fire. Finally comes the new age and God ruling over it for eternity symbolized by the wedding.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 84:3, 4, 5-6a and 8a
R. Here God lives among his people.
Here we are given a hymn of praise for those who depend on God (Blessed they who dwell in your house!). The psalm is once again linked to the first reading, this time by the use of a response actually taken from Revelations (Rev; 21; 3b).
Gospel Lk 21:29-33
We have here the end of Jesus’ eschatological discourse. When talking about the immediacy of the signs and symbols, most scholars agree he is speaking of his own crucifixion and resurrection. He also mentions the timelessness of the truth of the Gospel. (“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”)
Reflection:
With almost a sigh the end of the Liturgical Year draws to a close with a vision of the end of all things; the Eschaton. St. John paints a picture of Jesus defeating sin and death while Luke shows us Jesus’ foreknowledge of his own impending death.
While we are once more reminded that what we have done is recorded and will be read out on our scroll in the book of life, we also know that the dawn of a new day is upon us and while we may not have been up to the task of being completely faithful to God’s law and Christ’s example in the past year, the new year is coming and with it yet another chance.
I am for the moment reminded of one of my favorite movies, Ground Hog Day, with Bill Murrey playing the part of a self-centered weatherman trapped in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, the official home of The Ground Hog, Phil who predicts the end of winter. Bill’s character is forced to relive the same day over and over again until he gets it just right. We are not forced to relive the same events, but in our new year, we are given the opportunity to do better. We are asked to look back at the year just past and, remembering the savior who was sent to bring us to the heavenly kingdom, correct our failings and come closer to our heavenly ideal.
Tomorrow marks the last day of this year of Grace, let us begin our preparation now to make the next one better than ever.
Pax
Readings for Friday of the 34th Week in Ordinary Time
Commentary:
Reading 1 Rev 20:1-4, 11—21:2
In this long selection from John’s Book of Revelations we are given the vision of Christ defeating sin and death (holding in his hand the key to the abyss and a heavy chain. He seized the dragon, the ancient serpent, which is the Devil or Satan, and tied it up for a thousand years and threw it into the abyss”). The thousand years here is not to be taken literally. Like other numerical references in apocalyptic literature different numbers have different significance (i.e. 7 the perfect number or fullness, 6 the least perfect number – hence 666 the mark of the beast, and 40 the number of years for a generation), this on simply represents a long period of time between Christ’s first victory and his second coming, the Parousia.
We also are given the image of the final judgment when the dead rise from their graves (I saw the dead, the great and the lowly, standing before the throne) with a list of all they had done, the scrolls. They were judged according to their actions and then either passed to the New Jerusalem or cast into the pool of fire. Finally comes the new age and God ruling over it for eternity symbolized by the wedding.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 84:3, 4, 5-6a and 8a
R. Here God lives among his people.
Here we are given a hymn of praise for those who depend on God (Blessed they who dwell in your house!). The psalm is once again linked to the first reading, this time by the use of a response actually taken from Revelations (Rev; 21; 3b).
Gospel Lk 21:29-33
We have here the end of Jesus’ eschatological discourse. When talking about the immediacy of the signs and symbols, most scholars agree he is speaking of his own crucifixion and resurrection. He also mentions the timelessness of the truth of the Gospel. (“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”)
Reflection:
With almost a sigh the end of the Liturgical Year draws to a close with a vision of the end of all things; the Eschaton. St. John paints a picture of Jesus defeating sin and death while Luke shows us Jesus’ foreknowledge of his own impending death.
While we are once more reminded that what we have done is recorded and will be read out on our scroll in the book of life, we also know that the dawn of a new day is upon us and while we may not have been up to the task of being completely faithful to God’s law and Christ’s example in the past year, the new year is coming and with it yet another chance.
I am for the moment reminded of one of my favorite movies, Ground Hog Day, with Bill Murrey playing the part of a self-centered weatherman trapped in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, the official home of The Ground Hog, Phil who predicts the end of winter. Bill’s character is forced to relive the same day over and over again until he gets it just right. We are not forced to relive the same events, but in our new year, we are given the opportunity to do better. We are asked to look back at the year just past and, remembering the savior who was sent to bring us to the heavenly kingdom, correct our failings and come closer to our heavenly ideal.
Tomorrow marks the last day of this year of Grace, let us begin our preparation now to make the next one better than ever.
Pax
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