Readings for Wednesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1: Revelations 15:1-4
Then I (John) saw in heaven another sign, great and awe-inspiring:
seven angels with the seven last plagues,
for through them God’s fury is accomplished.
Then I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire.
On the sea of glass were standing those
who had won the victory over the beast
and its image and the number that signified its name.
They were holding God’s harps,
and they sang the song of Moses, the servant of God,
and the song of the Lamb:
“Great and wonderful are your works,
Lord God almighty.
Just and true are your ways,
O king of the nations.
Who will not fear you, Lord,
or glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
All the nations will come
and worship before you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Rev 15:1-4
This part of John’s eschatological vision shows us the victory of the martyrs (“who had won the victory over the beast and its image and the number that signified its name”). They are singing the same Canticle of Moses we hear in Exodus 15:1-18 as the Hebrew people escape the bondage of Egypt. St. Paul’s vision of the body of Christ applying God’s offer of adoption (and hence salvation) to both Jews and Gentiles is supported by conjoining “…the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm:[4] Psallm 98:1, 2-3ab, 7-8, 9
R. (Rev. 15: 3b) Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God!
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God!
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God!
Let the sea and what fills it resound,
the world and those who dwell in it;
Let the rivers clap their hands,
the mountains shout with them for joy.
R. Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God!
Before the LORD, for he comes,
for he comes to rule the earth;
He will rule the world with justice
and the peoples with equity.
R. Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 98:1, 2-3ab, 7-8, 9
The psalm selection supports the vision of John. Here we have a song of victory, song in praise of God’s salvation. The imagery could have been borrowed by John; “Let the sea and what fills it resound, the world and those who dwell in it;”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Luke 21:12-19
"Before all this happens, however
They will seize and persecute you,
they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons,
and they will have you led before kings and governors
because of my name.
It will lead to your giving testimony.
Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand,
for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking
that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.
You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends,
and they will put some of you to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.
By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lk 21:12-19
The Gospel today continues Jesus eschatological discourse from yesterday. Today we hear how the good news will result in persecution from every side for the early Christian community. The Lord foresees this time of intense persecutions and asks for a steadfast response. By not preparing a defense, he is asking that those persecuted not recant the faith and promises them the reward of the martyrs.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
As we move closer to the end of our Liturgical year we are once again reminded of both the challenge we chose to accept by being followers of Christ and the ultimate reward of faithfulness. John’s Revelation shows us that what Luke’s Gospel means when Jesus says; “not a hair on your head will be destroyed” he is not referring to our physical body but our spiritual body. Only by denying the Lord can we be destroyed in that sense.
The Gospel predicts that; “You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends”. The clear implication is that the Gospel message is so divisive that even family bonds can be shattered by it. While the great persecutions have ended in the western world, they are heating up elsewhere in the world. Especially in China where Christianity is suppressed, persecution still takes this form. In other parts of the world, specifically the Middle East, were radical Islam now flourishes; conversion to Christianity earns the death sentence. We should not forget to give thanks for our freedom of worship, still a somewhat unique gift of our great country.
We do not need to travel to the Orient or to the Middle East to find a more subtle form of persecution. We see it in the numerous law suits regarding religious displays spring up at this time of year. Couple the attacks on the symbols of the Lord’s nativity with intensified secular attacks on core Christian values’ the sanctity of life and the sanctity of marriage, we see most clearly the divisive nature of the Gospel about which Christ spoke.
As families get together during this holiday season we see how the long held views of some family members clash with those who have been seduced by secular values. It seems there is always more family tension at this time of year as a result of these differences. It also seems that when families get together our normal “even tempered” defense of the faith becomes much more vociferous – the attacks more personal. It is especially at this time of year when we must recall Jesus own temperament – one of love, grace, and humility. We must contain our zeal and allow our love to take charge (without, we should add, coming across as patronizing).
Our response to these situations and to this message must be one that is consistent with Christ’s message; “Love one another.” It is only way we can respond and the only way that leads to the Peace of Christ. Any other response opens the gates of hatred that comes from the one whose number is defeated in the last battle.
Pax
[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture today is “The Seven Angles and Seven Plagues” by Stephanus Garsia Placidus, 11h century
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana
[4] Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1: Revelations 15:1-4
Then I (John) saw in heaven another sign, great and awe-inspiring:
seven angels with the seven last plagues,
for through them God’s fury is accomplished.
Then I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire.
On the sea of glass were standing those
who had won the victory over the beast
and its image and the number that signified its name.
They were holding God’s harps,
and they sang the song of Moses, the servant of God,
and the song of the Lamb:
“Great and wonderful are your works,
Lord God almighty.
Just and true are your ways,
O king of the nations.
Who will not fear you, Lord,
or glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
All the nations will come
and worship before you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Rev 15:1-4
This part of John’s eschatological vision shows us the victory of the martyrs (“who had won the victory over the beast and its image and the number that signified its name”). They are singing the same Canticle of Moses we hear in Exodus 15:1-18 as the Hebrew people escape the bondage of Egypt. St. Paul’s vision of the body of Christ applying God’s offer of adoption (and hence salvation) to both Jews and Gentiles is supported by conjoining “…the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm:[4] Psallm 98:1, 2-3ab, 7-8, 9
R. (Rev. 15: 3b) Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God!
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God!
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God!
Let the sea and what fills it resound,
the world and those who dwell in it;
Let the rivers clap their hands,
the mountains shout with them for joy.
R. Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God!
Before the LORD, for he comes,
for he comes to rule the earth;
He will rule the world with justice
and the peoples with equity.
R. Great and wonderful are all your works, Lord, mighty God!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 98:1, 2-3ab, 7-8, 9
The psalm selection supports the vision of John. Here we have a song of victory, song in praise of God’s salvation. The imagery could have been borrowed by John; “Let the sea and what fills it resound, the world and those who dwell in it;”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Luke 21:12-19
"Before all this happens, however
They will seize and persecute you,
they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons,
and they will have you led before kings and governors
because of my name.
It will lead to your giving testimony.
Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand,
for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speaking
that all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.
You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends,
and they will put some of you to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.
By your perseverance you will secure your lives.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Lk 21:12-19
The Gospel today continues Jesus eschatological discourse from yesterday. Today we hear how the good news will result in persecution from every side for the early Christian community. The Lord foresees this time of intense persecutions and asks for a steadfast response. By not preparing a defense, he is asking that those persecuted not recant the faith and promises them the reward of the martyrs.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
As we move closer to the end of our Liturgical year we are once again reminded of both the challenge we chose to accept by being followers of Christ and the ultimate reward of faithfulness. John’s Revelation shows us that what Luke’s Gospel means when Jesus says; “not a hair on your head will be destroyed” he is not referring to our physical body but our spiritual body. Only by denying the Lord can we be destroyed in that sense.
The Gospel predicts that; “You will even be handed over by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends”. The clear implication is that the Gospel message is so divisive that even family bonds can be shattered by it. While the great persecutions have ended in the western world, they are heating up elsewhere in the world. Especially in China where Christianity is suppressed, persecution still takes this form. In other parts of the world, specifically the Middle East, were radical Islam now flourishes; conversion to Christianity earns the death sentence. We should not forget to give thanks for our freedom of worship, still a somewhat unique gift of our great country.
We do not need to travel to the Orient or to the Middle East to find a more subtle form of persecution. We see it in the numerous law suits regarding religious displays spring up at this time of year. Couple the attacks on the symbols of the Lord’s nativity with intensified secular attacks on core Christian values’ the sanctity of life and the sanctity of marriage, we see most clearly the divisive nature of the Gospel about which Christ spoke.
As families get together during this holiday season we see how the long held views of some family members clash with those who have been seduced by secular values. It seems there is always more family tension at this time of year as a result of these differences. It also seems that when families get together our normal “even tempered” defense of the faith becomes much more vociferous – the attacks more personal. It is especially at this time of year when we must recall Jesus own temperament – one of love, grace, and humility. We must contain our zeal and allow our love to take charge (without, we should add, coming across as patronizing).
Our response to these situations and to this message must be one that is consistent with Christ’s message; “Love one another.” It is only way we can respond and the only way that leads to the Peace of Christ. Any other response opens the gates of hatred that comes from the one whose number is defeated in the last battle.
Pax
[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture today is “The Seven Angles and Seven Plagues” by Stephanus Garsia Placidus, 11h century
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana
[4] Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved
No comments:
Post a Comment