Saturday of the Thirty fourth Week of the Year

Saturday of the Thirty fourth Week of the Year

Readings for Saturday of the 34th Week of the Year

Commentary:

Reading 1 Rev 22:1-7

This final vision of the heavenly kingdom provides us with the ultimate peaceful seating. God and the Christ, the Lamb of God presiding over the water of life flowing through a land filled with an abundance of good things and nothing evil present.

When the reference is made to the name inscribed on their foreheads; “They will look upon his face, and his name will be on their foreheads” it is a direct corollary to the Hebrew Phylactery, small, black leather, cube-shaped cases containing Torah texts written on parchment worn on the forehead to symbolize they had internalized God’s law. (Note; the sign of the beast is in the same place for those who are thrown down.)

Our passage ends, appropriately; “Behold, I am coming soon.” Advent begins tomorrow.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 95:1-2, 3-5, 6-7aba
R. Marana tha! Come, Lord Jesus!

This psalm again points forward to the new liturgical year. It is a touch of liturgical irony since this is the psalm recited each morning as the Invitatory, “Come, let us sing to the Lord and shout for joy to the rock who saves us…” A psalm of thanksgiving, it is the beginning of prayer.

Gospel Lk 21:34-36

Jesus again finds it necessary to remind his disciples not to become complacent in their practice of the faith. It is one of his sternest warnings that the end will come without notice and judgment will be immediate.

Reflection:

It is almost like those who assembled our reading could not wait for Advent to begin. The passage from St. John’s Revelations ends with; “Behold, I am coming soon.” The Psalm response is “Marana tha! Come, Lord Jesus!” and it is interspersed with Psalm 95, the invitatory psalm we use in the Divine Office. And finally we are given a Gospel that has Jesus telling us that we must hold ourselves in consent preparation because we do not want to be caught unawares when the Lord comes again.

On this last day before the season of Advent begins, it is good to think about this past year and what we have done – right and wrong; “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive recompense, according to what he did in the body, whether good or evil.” (2 Cor 5; 10)

Let’s think about our interactions at work or school; were we living God’s law of love as best we could? Did we consciously hurt or degrade a person? Do we need to make amends and apologize to anyone specifically?

What about in our family; did we set the good example that we are asked to? Did we show those we love the most that God does rule in our hearts?

And finally, in our solitude, have we worked hard at allowing the Lord to guide our inmost thoughts and therefore drive our actions with those about us? Have we been diligent in our prayer; in praise of the one who saves us all; for ourselves; and for the world? Have we been faithful in our participation in the sacraments of Eucharist, Reconciliation, and, as needed Anointing? Have we allowed God’s grace to buoy us up and give us strength?

As we think through this short list most of us will find ways to improve, to grow closer to God in the coming new year of grace. Let us add a prayer for strength that we might walk hand in hand with the Lord through out the year.

Pax