The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary, at the end of the liturgical year, invite us to worship God as we live in awareness that the world we know will come to an end.
The passage from the Book of Revelation shares a vision of the River of Life in the transformation of the world at the end time
* [22:1, 17] Life-giving water: see note on Rev 7:17.
* [22:2] The tree of life: cf. Rev 22:14; see note on Rev 2:7. Fruit,medicine: cf. Ez 47:12.
* [22:4] Look upon his face: cf. Mt 5:8; 1 Cor 13:12; 1 Jn 3:2. (Revelation, CHAPTER 22, n.d.)
Psalm 95 is a Call to Worship and Obedience.
* [Psalm 95] Twice the Psalm calls the people to praise and worship God (Ps 95:1–2, 6), the king of all creatures (Ps 95:3–5) and shepherd of the flock (Ps 95:7a, 7b). The last strophe warns the people to be more faithful than were their ancestors in the journey to the promised land (Ps 95:7c–11). This invitation to praise God regularly opens the Church’s official prayer, the Liturgy of the Hours. (Psalms, PSALM 95, n.d.)
The Gospel of Luke presents an exhortation to Watch and Be Vigilant.
* [21:5–36] Jesus’ eschatological discourse in Luke is inspired by Mk 13 but Luke has made some significant alterations to the words of Jesus found there. Luke maintains, though in a modified form, the belief in the early expectation of the end of the age (see Lk 21:27, 28, 31, 32, 36), but, by focusing attention throughout the gospel on the importance of the day-to-day following of Jesus and by reinterpreting the meaning of some of the signs of the end from Mk 13 he has come to terms with what seemed to the early Christian community to be a delay of the parousia. Mark, for example, described the desecration of the Jerusalem temple by the Romans (Mk 13:14) as the apocalyptic symbol (see Dn 9:27; 12:11) accompanying the end of the age and the coming of the Son of Man. Luke (Lk 21:20–24), however, removes the apocalyptic setting and separates the historical destruction of Jerusalem from the signs of the coming of the Son of Man by a period that he refers to as “the times of the Gentiles” (Lk 21:24). See also notes on Mt 24:1–36 and Mk 13:1–37. (Luke, CHAPTER 21, n.d.)
Molly Mattingly doesn't think Jesus’ admonition to “be vigilant at all times” means he wants us to be constantly on edge or to operate out of fear. He’s talking about keeping our priorities straight, our hearts fixed on the Kingdom, our feet following him as “the people he shepherds.” It’s about being ready to meet him at any time: “Behold, I am coming soon.” It’s about living in a discerning way, towards John’s vision of life-giving waters and the fruitful, healing tree of life.
The antiphon for the responsorial psalm today uses one of the oldest expressions in Christian tradition. “Marana tha!” means “Our Lord-come!” or “Our Lord is coming!” in Aramaic. It is both a plea for the Lord to come and an exclamation that the Lord is on his way. Both senses look towards the end-times with hope. There is also a third way to express this phrase: “maran atha” means “our Lord is come,” affirming Christ’s presence already with us. Thus, the expression captures the timeless and paradoxical essence of Advent. Christ is coming, and Christ is already here. We are a people waiting for the Lord and abiding in the Lord’s continued presence with us. We long for the fullness of the Kingdom of justice and peace, and we rejoice that Christ has already saved us and proclaimed the Kingdom present in our midst. Maranatha: already, not yet, abiding in faith. Advent. How will you prepare, abide, and rejoice this season? (Mattingly, 2022)
Don Schwager quotes “Drunkenness weakens both soul and body,” by Origen of Alexandria (185-254 AD).
"'But take heed to yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a snare.' You heard the proclamation of the eternal King. You learned the deplorable end of 'drunkenness' or 'intoxication'. Imagine a skilled and wise physician who would say, 'Beware, no one should drink too much from this or that herb. If he does, he will suddenly be destroyed.' I do not doubt that everyone would keep the prescriptions of the physician's warning concerning his own health. Now the Lord, who is both the physician of souls and bodies, orders them to avoid as a deadly drink the herb 'of drunkenness' and the vice 'of intoxication' and also the care of worldly matters. I do not know if any one can say that he is not wounded, because these things consume him.
"Drunkenness is therefore destructive in all things. It is the only thing that weakens the soul together with the body. According to the apostle, it can happen that when the body 'is weak,' then the spirit is 'much stronger' (2 Corinthians 12:10), and when 'the exterior person is destroyed, the interior person is renewed' (2 Corinthians 4:16). In the illness of drunkenness, the body and the soul are destroyed at the same time. The spirit is corrupted equally with the flesh. All the members are weakened: the feet and the hands. The tongue is loosened. Darkness covers the eyes. Forgetfulness covers the mind so that one does not know himself nor does he perceive he is a person. Drunkenness of the body has that shamefulness." (excerpt from HOMILIES ON LEVITICUS 7.5-6) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Revelation 22:1-7 comments that John’s vision in Revelation 21 and 22 describes the heavenly Jerusalem, where God dwells with mankind. It’s where we all want to be one day, that place where every tear is wiped away and all things are made new (21:4-5). It’s where life-giving water flows, bringing everlasting fruitfulness (22:1-2). Best of all, it’s where we will look upon the face of God and worship him (22:3-4)! This is not just a hopeful promise for the end of time. Tomorrow, with the start of Advent, we celebrate the coming of Jesus, who brought heaven to earth. In his coming as a man, we really do see the face of God.
So how can we wrap up this liturgical year and prepare for Advent? By taking every opportunity to “look upon his face” each day (Revelation 22:4). Yes, we can see Jesus in our prayer time, at Mass, or in Eucharistic Adoration. But we can also see his face in the poor and needy. Or in our loved ones. Even in our enemies. In any of those ways, we can meet Jesus and let him lift up our hearts—as long as we’re not too wrapped up in our own concerns to look. Even if it’s just for a moment, we can glimpse God’s perspective on our lives and feel our hope rekindled.
So let John’s vision help you. Take some time in prayer to reread Revelation 21 and 22 today. Let it encourage you to persevere. Let it fan into flame your hope for heaven. But let it also inspire your longing for Jesus, whose birth on Christmas Day gives you a glimpse of the face of God.
“Jesus, I long to see your face!” (Meditation on Revelation 22:1-7, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler is reminded of the passage in Ezekiel by the text from Revelation today. There is no time that we do not receive the benefit of God. God is our light. Follow the Truth and we are invited into the Kingdom of God. Friar Jude notes that tomorrow the Scripture will speak of Jesus' two comings.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, reminds us of the simple yet powerful practice of “saying grace” or a prayer of gratitude at mealtime.
Many cultures and religions have a beautiful tradition of saying a prayer before or after a meal, expressing gratitude and asking for blessing. If we are accustomed to praying over our food, it may become a rote, almost thoughtless gesture. Yet it is another opportunity to intentionally open ourselves to receive and participate in Love. The food is already blessed simply by its existence. God doesn’t require our words of thanks. But it does us good to “say grace,” to verbally acknowledge the giving of life—plant and animal—for our sustenance. (Rohr, 2022)
We prepare for end times and watch with gratitude the transformation of our environment that is a result of our connection to Christ.
References
Luke, CHAPTER 21. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved November 26, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/21?34
Mattingly, M. (2022, November 25). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved November 26, 2022, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/112622.html
Meditation on Revelation 22:1-7. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved November 26, 2022, from https://wau.org/meditations/2022/11/26/543938/
Psalms, PSALM 95. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved November 26, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/95?1
Revelation, CHAPTER 22. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved November 26, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/revelation/22?1
Rohr, R. (2022, November 26). Gratefulness: Weekly Summary — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved November 26, 2022, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/gratefulness-weekly-summary-2022-11-26/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture ... Retrieved November 26, 2022, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2022&date=nov26
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