Tuesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in
Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 504
Lectionary: 504
Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar:
"In your vision, O king, you saw a statue,
very large and exceedingly bright,
terrifying in appearance as it stood before you.
The head of the statue was pure gold,
its chest and arms were silver,
its belly and thighs bronze, the legs iron,
its feet partly iron and partly tile.
While you looked at the statue,
a stone which was hewn from a mountain
without a hand being put to it,
struck its iron and tile feet, breaking them in pieces.
The iron, tile, bronze, silver, and gold all crumbled at once,
fine as the chaff on the threshing floor in summer,
and the wind blew them away without leaving a trace.
But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain
and filled the whole earth.
"This was the dream;
the interpretation we shall also give in the king's presence.
You, O king, are the king of kings;
to you the God of heaven
has given dominion and strength, power and glory;
men, wild beasts, and birds of the air, wherever they may dwell,
he has handed over to you, making you ruler over them all;
you are the head of gold.
Another kingdom shall take your place, inferior to yours,
then a third kingdom, of bronze,
which shall rule over the whole earth.
There shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron;
it shall break in pieces and subdue all these others,
just as iron breaks in pieces and crushes everything else.
The feet and toes you saw, partly of potter's tile and partly of iron,
mean that it shall be a divided kingdom,
but yet have some of the hardness of iron.
As you saw the iron mixed with clay tile,
and the toes partly iron and partly tile,
the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile.
The iron mixed with clay tile
means that they shall seal their alliances by intermarriage,
but they shall not stay united, any more than iron mixes with clay.
In the lifetime of those kings
the God of heaven will set up a kingdom
that shall never be destroyed or delivered up to another people;
rather, it shall break in pieces all these kingdoms
and put an end to them, and it shall stand forever.
That is the meaning of the stone you saw hewn from the mountain
without a hand being put to it,
which broke in pieces the tile, iron, bronze, silver, and gold.
The great God has revealed to the king what shall be in the future;
this is exactly what you dreamed, and its meaning is sure."
"In your vision, O king, you saw a statue,
very large and exceedingly bright,
terrifying in appearance as it stood before you.
The head of the statue was pure gold,
its chest and arms were silver,
its belly and thighs bronze, the legs iron,
its feet partly iron and partly tile.
While you looked at the statue,
a stone which was hewn from a mountain
without a hand being put to it,
struck its iron and tile feet, breaking them in pieces.
The iron, tile, bronze, silver, and gold all crumbled at once,
fine as the chaff on the threshing floor in summer,
and the wind blew them away without leaving a trace.
But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain
and filled the whole earth.
"This was the dream;
the interpretation we shall also give in the king's presence.
You, O king, are the king of kings;
to you the God of heaven
has given dominion and strength, power and glory;
men, wild beasts, and birds of the air, wherever they may dwell,
he has handed over to you, making you ruler over them all;
you are the head of gold.
Another kingdom shall take your place, inferior to yours,
then a third kingdom, of bronze,
which shall rule over the whole earth.
There shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron;
it shall break in pieces and subdue all these others,
just as iron breaks in pieces and crushes everything else.
The feet and toes you saw, partly of potter's tile and partly of iron,
mean that it shall be a divided kingdom,
but yet have some of the hardness of iron.
As you saw the iron mixed with clay tile,
and the toes partly iron and partly tile,
the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile.
The iron mixed with clay tile
means that they shall seal their alliances by intermarriage,
but they shall not stay united, any more than iron mixes with clay.
In the lifetime of those kings
the God of heaven will set up a kingdom
that shall never be destroyed or delivered up to another people;
rather, it shall break in pieces all these kingdoms
and put an end to them, and it shall stand forever.
That is the meaning of the stone you saw hewn from the mountain
without a hand being put to it,
which broke in pieces the tile, iron, bronze, silver, and gold.
The great God has revealed to the king what shall be in the future;
this is exactly what you dreamed, and its meaning is sure."
Responsorial
PsalmDANIEL 3:57, 58, 59, 60,
61
R. (59b) Give
glory and eternal praise to him.
"Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
"Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
"You heavens, bless the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
"All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
"All you hosts of the Lord, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
"Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
"Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
"You heavens, bless the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
"All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord,
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
"All you hosts of the Lord, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
AlleluiaRV 2:10C
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
Remain faithful until death,
and I will give you the crown of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Remain faithful until death,
and I will give you the crown of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelLK 21:5-11
While some people were speaking about
how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings,
Jesus said, "All that you see here–
the days will come when there will not be left
a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down."
Then they asked him,
"Teacher, when will this happen?
And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?"
He answered,
"See that you not be deceived,
for many will come in my name, saying,
'I am he,' and 'The time has come.'
Do not follow them!
When you hear of wars and insurrections,
do not be terrified; for such things must happen first,
but it will not immediately be the end."
Then he said to them,
"Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues
from place to place;
and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky."
how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings,
Jesus said, "All that you see here–
the days will come when there will not be left
a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down."
Then they asked him,
"Teacher, when will this happen?
And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?"
He answered,
"See that you not be deceived,
for many will come in my name, saying,
'I am he,' and 'The time has come.'
Do not follow them!
When you hear of wars and insurrections,
do not be terrified; for such things must happen first,
but it will not immediately be the end."
Then he said to them,
"Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues
from place to place;
and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky."
Meditation: "Take
heed that you are not led astray"
How
would you respond if someone prophesied that your home, land, or place of
worship would be destroyed? Jesus foretold many signs that would shake peoples
and nations. The signs which God uses are meant to point us to a higher
spiritual truth and reality of his kingdom which does not perish or fade away,
but endures for all eternity. God works through many events and signs to purify
and renew us in hope and to help us set our hearts more firmly on him and him
alone.
First
signs of the end times
To the great consternation of the Jews, Jesus prophesied the destruction of their great temple at Jerusalem. The Jewish people took great pride in their temple, a marvel of the ancient world. The foretelling of this destruction was a dire warning of spiritual judgment in itself. They asked Jesus for a sign that would indicate when this disastrous event would occur. Jesus admonished them to not look for signs that would indicate the exact timing of impending destruction, but rather to pray for God's intervention of grace and mercy.
To the great consternation of the Jews, Jesus prophesied the destruction of their great temple at Jerusalem. The Jewish people took great pride in their temple, a marvel of the ancient world. The foretelling of this destruction was a dire warning of spiritual judgment in itself. They asked Jesus for a sign that would indicate when this disastrous event would occur. Jesus admonished them to not look for signs that would indicate the exact timing of impending destruction, but rather to pray for God's intervention of grace and mercy.
Jesus
said there would be many signs of impending conflicts and disasters - such as
wars, famines, diseases, tidal waves, and earthquakes - which would precede the
struggles of the last days when God's anointed King would return to usher in
the full reign of God over the earth. In that day when the Lord returns there
will be a final judgement of the living and the dead when the secrets of every
heart will be brought to light (Luke 12:2-3; Romans 2:16).
Jesus
foretells the destruction of the Temple at Jerusalem
Jesus' prophecy of the destruction of the temple at Jerusalem was a two-edged sword, because it pointed not only to God's judgment, but also to his saving action and mercy. Jesus foretold the destruction of Jerusalem and the dire consequences for all who would reject him and his saving message. While the destruction of Jerusalem's temple was determined (it was razed by the Romans in 70 A.D.), there remained for its inhabitants a narrow open door leading to deliverance. Jesus said: "I am the door; whoever enters by me will be saved" (John 10:9). Jesus willingly set his face toward Jerusalem, knowing that he would meet betrayal, rejection, and death on a cross. His death on the cross, however, brought about true freedom, peace, and victory over the powers of sin, evil, and death - not only for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, but for all - both Jew and Gentile alike - who would accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Do you know the peace and security of a life submitted to the lordship of Jesus Christ?
Jesus' prophecy of the destruction of the temple at Jerusalem was a two-edged sword, because it pointed not only to God's judgment, but also to his saving action and mercy. Jesus foretold the destruction of Jerusalem and the dire consequences for all who would reject him and his saving message. While the destruction of Jerusalem's temple was determined (it was razed by the Romans in 70 A.D.), there remained for its inhabitants a narrow open door leading to deliverance. Jesus said: "I am the door; whoever enters by me will be saved" (John 10:9). Jesus willingly set his face toward Jerusalem, knowing that he would meet betrayal, rejection, and death on a cross. His death on the cross, however, brought about true freedom, peace, and victory over the powers of sin, evil, and death - not only for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, but for all - both Jew and Gentile alike - who would accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Do you know the peace and security of a life submitted to the lordship of Jesus Christ?
We
need to recognize the signs of God's judgment, mercy, and grace to save us
Sometimes we don't recognize the moral crisis and spiritual conflict of the age in which we live, until something "shakes us up" to the reality of this present condition. God reminds us that a future judgment and outcome awaits every individual who has lived on this earth. The reward for doing what is right and pleasing to God and the penalty for sinful rebellion and rejection of God are not always experienced in this present life - but they are sure to come in the day of final judgment.
Sometimes we don't recognize the moral crisis and spiritual conflict of the age in which we live, until something "shakes us up" to the reality of this present condition. God reminds us that a future judgment and outcome awaits every individual who has lived on this earth. The reward for doing what is right and pleasing to God and the penalty for sinful rebellion and rejection of God are not always experienced in this present life - but they are sure to come in the day of final judgment.
The
Lord Jesus tells us that there will be trials, suffering, and persecution in
this present age until he comes again at the end of the world. God intends our
anticipation of his final judgment to be a powerful deterrent to unfaithfulness
and wrongdoing. God extends grace and mercy to all who will heed his call and
his warning. Do not pass up, even for one day, God's invitation of grace and
mercy to seek first his kingdom of righteousness and peace. This day may be
your only chance before that final day comes.
"Lord
Jesus, your grace and mercy abounds even in the midst of trials and
difficulties. Help me to seek your kingdom first and to reject whatever would
hinder me from pursuing your way of peace, righteousness, and holiness. Fill me
with the joy and hope of your everlasting kingdom."
Daily
Quote from the early church fathers: First signs of the end times, by
Maximus of Turin (died between 408-423 AD)
"Perhaps
you are anxious, brothers and sisters, at the fact that we hear constantly of
the tumult of wars and the onsets of battles. Perhaps your love is still more
anxious since these are taking place in our times. The reason is the closer we
are to the destruction of the world, the closer we are to the kingdom of the
Savior. The Lord himself says, 'In the last days nation will rise against
nation and kingdom against kingdom. When you see wars, earthquakes and famines,
know that the kingdom of God is at hand.'This nearness of wars shows us that
Christ is near." (excerpt from SERMON 85.1)
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, LUKE 21:5-11
Weekday
(Daniel 2:31-45; Psalm: Daniel 3)
Weekday
(Daniel 2:31-45; Psalm: Daniel 3)
KEY VERSE: "The days will come when there will not be left a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down" (v. 6).
TO KNOW: Luke wrote his gospel after the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple by the Romans in 70 CE. The temple was the center of Jewish religious life, and the Jews believed that as long as it stood they were secure. Like the prophet Jeremiah, Jesus warned against putting faith in an earthly edifice (Jer 7:4-7). Jesus told the people who were admiring the magnificent temple that one day it would be reduced to rubble. Many believed that the destruction of the temple would be a sign portending the end of the age. Jesus told his disciples that they must not be misled by false teaching, nor by those who pointed to wars and cosmic signs as proof that the final age had come. Jesus' followers were not to fear the end of time, but were to put their faith and trust in the one who has dominion over all time.
TO LOVE: Do I stand firm in faith despite the world's upheavals?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, give me confidence in God's plan in these stress-filled times.
Tuesday 26 November 2019
St John Berchmans
Daniel 2:31-45. Daniel 3:57-61. Luke 21:5-11.
Give glory and eternal praise to him! – Daniel 3:57-61
‘There will be … great signs from heaven’
Receiving any day’s news, we can be overwhelmed by the pain and
suffering of our world. The ongoing struggle for power leads to
misunderstanding, division, hatred and war. The pain and the suffering we see
around us can overwhelm us; we can feel helpless, unable to effect any change.
Yet our faith tells us that this is not God’s plan. Our faith
gives us hope. Today’s readings hold the promise of another way of being. The
words of the prophet Daniel and Luke’s gospel tell that the kingdom of God will
come. Oppressed communities across the world have heard this promise from the
depth of their pain. They have sung songs of freedom, they have stepped out
with courage to liberate their people.
Let us remember those who have stood with courage against
oppression and hatred, for they bring forth the kingdom of God in our midst.
Saint Columban
Saint of the Day for November 26
(543 – November 21, 615)
 |
| Saint Columba | photo by Lawrence | flickr |
Saint Columban’s Story
Columban was the greatest of the Irish missionaries who worked on
the European continent. As a young man who was greatly tormented by temptations
of the flesh, he sought the advice of a religious woman who had lived a
hermit’s life for years. He saw in her answer a call to leave the world. He
went first to a monk on an island in Lough Erne, then to the great monastic
seat of learning at Bangor.
After many years of seclusion and prayer, he traveled to Gaul
with 12 companion missionaries. They won wide respect for the rigor of their
discipline, their preaching, and their commitment to charity and religious life
in a time characterized by clerical laxity and civil strife. Columban
established several monasteries in Europe which became centers of religion and
culture.
Like all saints, he met opposition. Ultimately he had to appeal
to the pope against complaints of Frankish bishops, for vindication of his
orthodoxy and approval of Irish customs. He reproved the king for his
licentious life, insisting that he marry. Since this threatened the power of
the queen mother, Columban was deported back to Ireland. His ship ran aground
in a storm, and he continued his work in Europe, ultimately arriving in Italy,
where he found favor with the king of the Lombards. In his last years he
established the famous monastery of Bobbio, where he died. His writings include
a treatise on penance and against Arianism, sermons, poetry, and his monastic
rule. The Liturgical Feast of Saint Columban is November 23.
Reflection
Now that public sexual license is becoming extreme, we need the
Church’s memory of a young man as concerned about chastity as Columban. And now
that the comfort-captured Western world stands in tragic contrast to starving
millions, we need the challenge to austerity and discipline of a group of Irish
monks. They were too strict, we say; they went too far. How far shall we go?
Lectio Divina: Luke 21:5-11
Lectio Divina
Tuesday, November 26, 2019
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
Lord,
increase our eagerness to do your will
and help us to know the saving power of your love.
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.
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel reading - Luke 21:5-11
When some were talking about the temple, remarking how it was
adorned with fine stonework and votive offerings, Jesus said, “All these things
you are staring at now, the time will come when not a single stone will be left
on another; everything will be destroyed.”
And they put to Him this question, “Master,” they said, “when will this happen, and what sign will there be that it is about to take place?”
But He said, “Take care not to be deceived, because many will come using my name and saying, ‘I am the one’ and ‘The time is near at hand.’ Refuse to join them. And when you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be terrified, for this is something that must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end.” Then He said to them, “Nation will fight against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes and plagues and famines in various places; there will be terrifying events and great signs from heaven.”
And they put to Him this question, “Master,” they said, “when will this happen, and what sign will there be that it is about to take place?”
But He said, “Take care not to be deceived, because many will come using my name and saying, ‘I am the one’ and ‘The time is near at hand.’ Refuse to join them. And when you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be terrified, for this is something that must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end.” Then He said to them, “Nation will fight against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes and plagues and famines in various places; there will be terrifying events and great signs from heaven.”
3) Reflection
• The Gospel today begins with the discourse of Jesus called the
Apocalyptic Discourse. It is a long discourse which will be the theme of the
Gospels in the next days up to the last week of the liturgical year. For us of
the XXI century, the apocalyptic language is strange and confusing. But, for
the poor and persecuted people of the Christian communities of that time, these
were the words that everybody understood and the principal purpose was to
animate the faith and hope of the poor and oppressed. The apocalyptic language
is the fruit of the witness of faith by these poor people, who in spite of the
persecution, and against all contrary appearances, continued to believe that
God was with them and that He continued to be the Lord of history.
• Luke 21:5-7: Introduction to the Apocalyptic Discourse. In the days leading up to the Apocalyptic Discourse, Jesus had broken away from the temple (Lk 19:45-48), the priests and the elders (Lk 20:1-26), the Sadducees (Lk 20:27-40), and from the scribes who exploited the widows (Lk 20:41-47). Finally, as we read in yesterday’s Gospel, He ends by praising the widow who gave as alms all she possessed (Lk 21:1-4). Now, in today’s Gospel, “while some were talking about the temple, remarking how it was adorned with fine stonework and votive offerings, Jesus said: “The time will come when not a single stone will be left on another everything will be destroyed”. In listening to this comment of Jesus, the disciples asked: “Master, when will this happen, then, and what sign will there be that it is about to take place?” They ask for more information. The Apocalyptic Discourse which follows is the response of Jesus to this question from the disciples on when and how the destruction of the temple will take place. The Gospel of Mark tells us the following about the context of this discourse which Jesus pronounces. He says that Jesus had left the city and was now sitting on the Mount of Olives (Mk 13:2-4). There, from the top of the mountain He had a majestic view of the temple. Mark also says that there were only four disciples who listened to His last discourse. At the beginning of His preaching, three years before in Galilee, the crowds followed Jesus to listen to His words. Now, in the last discourse, there are only four who listen: Peter, James, John and Andrew (Mk 13:3).
• Luke 21:8: Objective of the discourse: "Take care not to be deceived!” The disciples had asked: “Master, when will this happen, then, and what sign will there be that it is about to take place?” Jesus begins His response with a warning: “Take care not to be deceived. Many will come using my name and saying, ‘I am the one’ and ‘the time is near at hand’; refuse to join them”. At a time of change and confusion there are always people who want to take advantage of the situation and deceive others. This happens today and it happened in the time of the 80’s, at the time when Luke wrote his Gospel. Many thought that the end of time was close at hand with the disasters and wars of those years, and the destruction of Jerusalem in the year 70 and the persecution of Christians by the Roman Empire. There were people who said: “God no longer controls the events! We are lost!” This is why the main concern of the Apocalyptic Discourses is always the same: to help the communities to better discern the signs of the times. They should not be deceived by the conversations of people concerning the end of the world: "Take care not to be deceived”. The discourse offers signs to help them discern and increases their hope.
• Luke 21:9-11: Signs to help them read the facts. After this brief introduction, the discourse begins: “When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be terrified, for this is something that must happen first, but the end will not come at once” Then He said to them: “Nation will fight against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes and plagues and famines in various places, there will be terrifying events and great signs from heaven”. To understand these words one has to understand that Jesus lives and speaks in the year 33. The readers of Luke live and listen in the year 85. Now, in the 5o years between the year 33 and the year 85, the majority of things mentioned by Jesus had already taken place and were known to everyone. For example, in diverse parts of the world there were wars, false prophets arose, there were sicknesses and plagues, and in Asia Minor, the earthquakes were frequent. According to the apocalyptic style, this discourse lists all these events, one after the other, as signs or stages of the project of God in the history of the People of God, from the time of Jesus down to our time:
1st sign: the false Messiahs (Lk 21:8);
2nd sign: war and revolutions (Lk 21:9);
3rd sign: nations which fight against other nations, one kingdom against another kingdom (Lk 21:10);
4th sign: earthquakes in different parts (Lk 21:11);
5th sign: hunger, plagues and signs in the sky (Lk 21:11).
Here ends the Gospel for today. That of tomorrow presents another sign: the persecution of the Christian communities (Lk 21:12). Thus, by means of these signs within the Apocalyptic Discourse, the communities of the 80’s, the time when Luke wrote his Gospel, could see God’s plan and discover that history had not escaped the hands of God. Everything happened according to what was foretold and announced by Jesus in the Apocalyptic Discourse.
• Luke 21:5-7: Introduction to the Apocalyptic Discourse. In the days leading up to the Apocalyptic Discourse, Jesus had broken away from the temple (Lk 19:45-48), the priests and the elders (Lk 20:1-26), the Sadducees (Lk 20:27-40), and from the scribes who exploited the widows (Lk 20:41-47). Finally, as we read in yesterday’s Gospel, He ends by praising the widow who gave as alms all she possessed (Lk 21:1-4). Now, in today’s Gospel, “while some were talking about the temple, remarking how it was adorned with fine stonework and votive offerings, Jesus said: “The time will come when not a single stone will be left on another everything will be destroyed”. In listening to this comment of Jesus, the disciples asked: “Master, when will this happen, then, and what sign will there be that it is about to take place?” They ask for more information. The Apocalyptic Discourse which follows is the response of Jesus to this question from the disciples on when and how the destruction of the temple will take place. The Gospel of Mark tells us the following about the context of this discourse which Jesus pronounces. He says that Jesus had left the city and was now sitting on the Mount of Olives (Mk 13:2-4). There, from the top of the mountain He had a majestic view of the temple. Mark also says that there were only four disciples who listened to His last discourse. At the beginning of His preaching, three years before in Galilee, the crowds followed Jesus to listen to His words. Now, in the last discourse, there are only four who listen: Peter, James, John and Andrew (Mk 13:3).
• Luke 21:8: Objective of the discourse: "Take care not to be deceived!” The disciples had asked: “Master, when will this happen, then, and what sign will there be that it is about to take place?” Jesus begins His response with a warning: “Take care not to be deceived. Many will come using my name and saying, ‘I am the one’ and ‘the time is near at hand’; refuse to join them”. At a time of change and confusion there are always people who want to take advantage of the situation and deceive others. This happens today and it happened in the time of the 80’s, at the time when Luke wrote his Gospel. Many thought that the end of time was close at hand with the disasters and wars of those years, and the destruction of Jerusalem in the year 70 and the persecution of Christians by the Roman Empire. There were people who said: “God no longer controls the events! We are lost!” This is why the main concern of the Apocalyptic Discourses is always the same: to help the communities to better discern the signs of the times. They should not be deceived by the conversations of people concerning the end of the world: "Take care not to be deceived”. The discourse offers signs to help them discern and increases their hope.
• Luke 21:9-11: Signs to help them read the facts. After this brief introduction, the discourse begins: “When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be terrified, for this is something that must happen first, but the end will not come at once” Then He said to them: “Nation will fight against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes and plagues and famines in various places, there will be terrifying events and great signs from heaven”. To understand these words one has to understand that Jesus lives and speaks in the year 33. The readers of Luke live and listen in the year 85. Now, in the 5o years between the year 33 and the year 85, the majority of things mentioned by Jesus had already taken place and were known to everyone. For example, in diverse parts of the world there were wars, false prophets arose, there were sicknesses and plagues, and in Asia Minor, the earthquakes were frequent. According to the apocalyptic style, this discourse lists all these events, one after the other, as signs or stages of the project of God in the history of the People of God, from the time of Jesus down to our time:
1st sign: the false Messiahs (Lk 21:8);
2nd sign: war and revolutions (Lk 21:9);
3rd sign: nations which fight against other nations, one kingdom against another kingdom (Lk 21:10);
4th sign: earthquakes in different parts (Lk 21:11);
5th sign: hunger, plagues and signs in the sky (Lk 21:11).
Here ends the Gospel for today. That of tomorrow presents another sign: the persecution of the Christian communities (Lk 21:12). Thus, by means of these signs within the Apocalyptic Discourse, the communities of the 80’s, the time when Luke wrote his Gospel, could see God’s plan and discover that history had not escaped the hands of God. Everything happened according to what was foretold and announced by Jesus in the Apocalyptic Discourse.
4) Personal questions
• What sentiment or feeling did you experience during the
reading of today’s Gospel? Peace or fear?
• Do you think that the end of the world is close at hand? What can we answer to those who say that the end of the world is close at hand? How can we encourage people today to resist and to have hope?
• Do you think that the end of the world is close at hand? What can we answer to those who say that the end of the world is close at hand? How can we encourage people today to resist and to have hope?
5) Concluding prayer
Let the countryside exult, and all that is in it,
and all the trees of the forest cry out for joy,
at Yahweh's approach, for He is coming,
coming to judge the earth;
He will judge the world with saving justice,
and the nations with constancy. (Ps 96:12-13)
and all the trees of the forest cry out for joy,
at Yahweh's approach, for He is coming,
coming to judge the earth;
He will judge the world with saving justice,
and the nations with constancy. (Ps 96:12-13)
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