Friday of the Thirty-fourth Week in
Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 507
In a vision I, Daniel, saw during the night,
the four winds of heaven stirred up the great sea,
from which emerged four immense beasts,
each different from the others.
The first was like a lion, but with eagle's wings.
While I watched, the wings were plucked;
it was raised from the ground to stand on two feet
like a man, and given a human mind.
The second was like a bear; it was raised up on one side,
and among the teeth in its mouth were three tusks.
It was given the order, "Up, devour much flesh."
After this I looked and saw another beast, like a leopard;
on its back were four wings like those of a bird,
and it had four heads.
To this beast dominion was given.
After this, in the visions of the night I saw the fourth beast,
different from all the others,
terrifying, horrible, and of extraordinary strength;
it had great iron teeth with which it devoured and crushed,
and what was left it trampled with its feet.
I was considering the ten horns it had,
when suddenly another, a little horn, sprang out of their midst,
and three of the previous horns were torn away to make room for it.
This horn had eyes like a man,
and a mouth that spoke arrogantly.
As I watched,
Thrones were set up
and the Ancient One took his throne.
His clothing was snow bright,
and the hair on his head as white as wool;
His throne was flames of fire,
with wheels of burning fire.
A surging stream of fire
flowed out from where he sat;
Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him,
and myriads upon myriads attended him.
The court was convened, and the books were opened.
I watched, then, from the first of the arrogant words
which the horn spoke, until the beast was slain
and its body thrown into the fire to be burnt up.
The other beasts, which also lost their dominion,
were granted a prolongation of life for a time and a season.
As the visions during the night continued, I saw
One like a son of man coming,
on the clouds of heaven;
When he reached the Ancient One
and was presented before him,
He received dominion, glory, and kingship;
nations and peoples of every language serve him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
that shall not be taken away,
his kingship shall not be destroyed.
R. Give
glory and eternal praise to him!
"Mountains and hills, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give
glory and eternal praise to him!
"Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
R. Give
glory and eternal praise to him!
"You springs, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give
glory and eternal praise to him!
"Seas and rivers, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give
glory and eternal praise to him!
"You dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give
glory and eternal praise to him!
"All you birds of the air, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give
glory and eternal praise to him!
"All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give
glory and eternal praise to him!
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
Stand erect and raise your hands
Because your redemption is at hand.
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
Jesus told his disciples a parable.
"Consider the fig tree and all the other trees.
When their buds burst open,
you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near;
in the same way, when you see these things happening,
know that the Kingdom of God is near.
Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away
until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away."
Meditation: "My words will not
pass away"
Do you recognize the signs of God's presence and
action in your life and the world today? Jesus used the image of a
fig tree to teach his disciples an important lesson about reading the
"signs of the times." The fig tree was a common and important source
of food for the Jews. It bore fruit twice a year, in the autumn and in the
early spring. The Talmud (teachings and commentaries of the ancient rabbis on
the Jewish Scriptures) said that the first fruit came the day after Passover.
The Jews believed that when the Messiah came he would usher in the kingdom of
God at Passover time.
Let the fruit of God's kingdom grow within you
The early signs of a changing season, such as springtime, summer, or autumn,
are evident for all who can see and observe the changes. Just so are the signs
of God's kingdom and his return in glory on the day of judgment. The
"budding" of God's kingdom begins first in the hearts of those who
are receptive to God's word. Those who trust in God's word will bear the fruits
of his kingdom. And what are the fruits of that kingdom? "The kingdom of
God ..is righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Romans
14:17). The Lord gives the first-fruits of his kingdom to those who open their
hearts to him with expectant faith and trust in his word.
We do not know the day nor the hour when the Lord
Jesus will return again in glory. But the Lord does give us signs, not only to
"wake us up" as a warning, but also to "rouse our spirits"
to be ready and eager to receive his kingdom when he comes in all his power and
glory. The "Day of the Lord" will strike terror in those who have
ignored or rejected God, but it will be a day of joy and rejoicing for those
who long to see the Lord face-to-face. The Lord Jesus wants us to be filled with
joyful anticipation for his coming again.
The Lord opens he word for us - listen and respond
While we wait for the Lord's physical return in glory, we can know his presence
with us through the work and action of the Holy Spirit who dwells in our
hearts. The Lord Jesus comes daily and frequently to those who long for him and
he speaks tenderly to our hearts like a lover who whispers in the ear of the
beloved. He comes to show us the way to our heavenly Father and to give us the
hope of eternal life. Do you recognize his presence and do you listen to his
word?
"Lord Jesus Christ, you are the Alpha and the
Omega, the beginning and the end of all history, and the lord of all creation.
Give me joyful hope and assurance that I will see you face to face and be
united with you forever when you return in glory."
A Daily Quote from the early church
fathers: My words will not pass away, by an anonymous early author from
the early Greek fathers
"'This generation' refers both
to those who suffer temptation and to those who cause it. It refers to sinners
among men and to the demons who are at work in them. For neither group will
cease being in the world until its consummation. For Christ said, 'Depart from
me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels'
(Matthew 25:41). Moreover, it is necessary that the source of temptation be
preserved as long as there is faith which needs testing. It is also possible,
however, that 'this generation' refers to those mortal Christians who would not
pass over into eternal life and be made immortal and impassible 'until' all the
events about which Christ was speaking had taken place.
"'Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will
not pass away' because heaven and earth were created to serve you, but my words
were uttered to govern you. Both heaven and earth are subject to vanity, as the
apostle said, 'Creation is subject to vanity' (Romans 8:20). Truth, however, is
by nature unable to deceive and can never die." (excerpt from INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW,
HOMILY 49, the Greek fathers).
FRIDAY,
DECEMBER 1, LUKE 21:29-33
Weekday
(Daniel 7:2-14; Psalm: Daniel 3)
KEY
VERSE: "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words
will not pass away" (v 33).
TO
KNOW: The prophet Jeremiah used the example of the budding
of the almond tree, which he called the "watching tree" (the first
tree to bloom in springtime), to predict the coming destruction of Jerusalem in
his own time (Jer 1:11). Similarly, Jesus used the budding of the fig tree to
illustrate the coming reign of God. Jesus told his disciples that the first
signs of the kingdom's nearness would be witnessed by their own generation. This
did not mean that the end of the world would come during the disciples' life
time. That generation had already passed by the time Luke wrote his gospel. The
statement probably meant that the first of the events leading to the end of the
world was the fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE, which happened within that
generation. Jesus emphasized the certainty and truth of his word. Heaven and
earth might pass away, but his words would endure. Jesus is God's eternal Word.
TO
LOVE: Do I listen to God's Word in my daily Scripture
reading?
TO
SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to trust in your promise of the
coming of your kingdom.
Friday 1
December 2017
SS Edmund Campion and Robert
Southwell.
Daniel
7:2-14. Luke 21:29-33.
Give glory
and eternal praise to him – Luke 21:29-33.
‘When you
see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.’
Jesus’ hearers, many of them from
agricultural backgrounds, were adept in reading the signs in nature that
presaged the changing seasons and gave promise of abundant harvests. They also
believed that certain signs would herald the coming of the Messiah and the
inauguration of the reign of God. Conscious of his unique life-giving mission,
Jesus himself read the signs of the times and discerned the fulfilment they
promised with a prophet’s privileged insight.
In a brief parable with
apocalyptic overtones, Jesus directs our attention to the kingdom of
‘righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit’ (Romans 14:17). When the
times have run their course, we will come into our own and everything will be
brought together under Christ (Ephesians 1:10). Lord, may your kingdom come.
ST. EDMUND CAMPION
Edmund Campion was born in London on January 25,
1540. He was raised as a Catholic, and had such a powerful and flamboyant
intellect that at the age of only 17, he was made a junior fellow at Saint
John’s College of Oxford University.
On visiting the university, Queen Elizabeth I was so taken by
Edmund’s brilliance, as were a few of her dignitaries, that she bid him to ask
for anything that he wished. The exaltation and praise of so many fed his
vanity and eventually led him away from his Catholic faith. He took the
Oath of Supremacy and acknowledged the Queen as head of the church. He also
became an Anglican deacon.
However, his brilliant intellect and his conscience would not
allow him to be reconciled to the idea of Anglicanism for too long.
After staying a period of time in Dublin, he turned back to his
Catholic faith and returned to England. At this point, he was suspected
of being too Catholic, and was shaken when he witnessed the trial of a soon to
be martyr. It carried him to the conviction that his vocation was to minister
to the Catholic faithful in England who were being persecuted. He also felt the
call to convert Protestants.
He set off to Rome barefoot, and in 1573, he entered the
Society of Jesus. He was ordained in 1578 and had a vision in which the Virgin
Mary foretold him of his martyrdom. When he returned to England he made an
immediate impression, winning many converts.
On July 17, 1581, he was betrayed by one of the faithful who
knew his whereabouts, and was thrown into prison. The queen offered him all
manner of riches if he would forsake his loyalty to the Pope, but he refused.
After spending some time in the Tower of London, he was
sentenced to death by hanging, drawing and quartering. His martyrom in Tyburn
on December 1, 1581 sparked off a wave of conversions to Catholicism. He was
canonized by Pope Paul VI in 1970.
LECTIO DIVINA: LUKE 21,29-33
Lectio Divina:
Friday, December 1, 2017
Ordinary
Time
1)
Opening prayer
Lord,
increase our eagerness to do your will
and help us to know the saving power of your love.
You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel reading - Luke 21,29-33
Jesus told to his disciples a parable,
'Look at the fig tree and indeed every tree. As soon as you see them bud, you
can see for yourselves that summer is now near. So with you when you see these
things happening: know that the kingdom of God is near.
In truth I tell you, before this generation
has passed away all will have taken place. Sky and earth will pass away, but my
words will never pass away.
3) Reflection
• The Gospel today presents the final
recommendations of the Apocalyptic Discourse. Jesus insists on two points: (a)
on the attention which should be given to the signs of the times (Lk 21, 29-31)
and (b) on hope founded on the firmness of the word of God which drives away
fear to despair (Lk 21, 32-33)..
• Luke 21, 29-31: Look at the fig tree
and indeed every tree. Jesus orders to look at nature: “Look at the fig tree
and indeed every tree; as soon as you see them bud, you can see for yourselves
that summer is now near. So with you when you see these things happening know
that the kingdom of God is near”. Jesus asks to contemplate the phenomena of
nature to learn how to read and interpret the things which are happening in the
world. The buds or sprouts on the fig tree are an evident sign that summer is
near. In the same way when the seven signs appear they are a proof that “the Kingdom
of God is close at hand!” To make this discernment is not easy. A person who is
alone does not become aware of this. By reflecting together in community, the
light appears. And the light is this: to experience in everything that happens
the call not to close ourselves in the present, but rather to keep the horizon
open and to perceive in everything that happens an arrow directed toward the
future. But nobody knows the exact hour of the coming of the Kingdom, nobody.
In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus says: “But as for that day or hour, nobody knows it,
neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, no one but the Father!” (Mk 13, 32).
• Luke 21, 32-33: “In truth I tell you,
before this generation has passed away all will have taken place. Sky and earth
will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” This word of Jesus recalls
the prophecy of Isaiah which says: “All humanity is grass and all its beauty
like the wild flowers. The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of
Yahweh blows on them. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our
God remains for ever”. (Is 40, 7-8). The word of Jesus is the source of our
hope. What he says will arrive!
• The coming of the Messiah and the end
of the world. Today, many people live worried concerning the end of the world.
Some, basing themselves on a mistaken and fundamentalist reading of the
Apocalypse of John, even arrive at calculating the exact date of the end of the
world. In the past, beginning at “one thousand years” quoted in the Apocalypse
(Rv 20, 7), it was usually repeated: “The year one thousand has gone by but the
year two-thousand will not pass!” And because of this, as the year two thousand
approached, many were worried. There were some people who anguished because of
the coming of the end of the world, committed suicide! But the year 2000
arrived and nothing happened. The end of the world did not arrive! In the
Christian communities of the first centuries, they faced the same problems.
They lived in the expectation of the imminent coming of Jesus. Jesus was coming
to carry out the Final Judgment so as to finish with the unjust history of the
world here on earth and to inaugurate the new phase of history, the definitive
phase of the New Heavens and of the New Earth. They thought that this would take
place between one or two generations. Many people would still be alive when
Jesus would appear glorious in Heaven (1Th 4, 16-17; Mk 9, 1). There were some
persons who no longer worked, because they thought that the end would arrive
within a few days or weeks (2Th 2, 1-3; 3, 11). This is what they thought. But
even today, the coming of Jesus has not arrived as yet! How can this delay be
interpreted? On the streets of the cities people see writings on the walls
which say Jesus will return! Is he coming or not? And how will his coming be?
Many times, the affirmation “Jesus will return” is used to frighten persons and
to oblige them to go to a determinate church.
In the New Testament the return of Jesus
is always a reason for joy and peace! For those who are exploited and
oppressed, the coming of Jesus is Good News! When will this coming take place?
Among the Jews, there were various opinions. The Sadducees and the Herodians
said: “The Messianic times will come!” They thought that their well being
during the government of Herod was the expression of the Kingdom of God. And
for this reason, they did not accept any changes and they fought against the
preaching of Jesus who invited people to change and to convert themselves. The
Pharisees said: “The coming of the Kingdom will depend on our effort in
observing the law!” The Essens said: The promised Kingdom will arrive only when
we will have purified the country from all its impurity”. Among the Christians
there was the same variety of opinions. Some of the community of Thessalonica
the Greeks, basing themselves on Paul’s preaching, said: “Jesus will return!”
(1 Th 4, 13-18; 2 Th 2, 2). Paul responds that it was not that simple as they
imagined. And to those who did not work he said: “Anyone who does not work has
no right to eat!” (2 Th 3, 10). Probably, it was a question of persons who at
meal time they would go to beg for food to the neighbour’s hose. Other
Christians thought that Jesus would return only after the Gospel had been
announced to the whole world (Ac 1, 6-11). And they thought that, the greater
their effort would be to evangelize, the more rapidly would the end of the
world arrive. Others, tired of waiting, said: “He will never come back!” (2 P
3, 4). Others basing themselves on the word of Jesus justly said: “He is
already among us!” (Mt 25, 40).
The same thing happens today. There are
people who say: “The way things are in the Church and in society, it is
alright”. They want no changes. Others are waiting for the immediate coming of
Jesus. Others think that Jesus will return only through our work and
announcement. For us, Jesus is already among us (Mt 28, 20).He is already at
our side in the struggle for justice, for peace and for life. But the fullness
has not as yet been attained. For this reason, we wait with perseverance the
liberation of humanity and of nature (Rm 8, 22-25).
4) Personal questions
• Jesus asks to look at the fig tree to
contemplate the phenomena of nature. In my life have I already learnt something
contemplating nature?
• Jesus says: “The sky and earth will
pass, but my words will not pass”. How do I embody in my life these words of
Jesus?
5) Concluding prayer
Lord, how blessed are those who live in
your house;
they shall praise you continually.
Blessed those who find their strength in you,
whose hearts are set on pilgrimage. (Ps 84,4-5)
