Collapse of empire

The theme of destruction of the power structures in society comes from the texts today in the Roman Catholic Lectionary. The passage from the Book of Daniel is a prophesy of the destruction of the Seleucid Empire as God uses the Jewish people as a rock to smash the power of the conquerors. The IndependentCatholic News reports that Pope Francis had a private meeting in the Vatican with the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin. This was the fourth time the Russian leader has been to the Vatican. He met Pope John Paul II in 2000 and 2003 and had an audience with Pope Benedict in 2007. The Church today lives with political powers that have the ability to bring economic downturn, war and moral ambiguity to our societies. Friar Jude Winkler comments on the destruction of Jerusalem, as detailed by Jesus in the Gospel from Luke. He notes that the signs of the end (of Jerusalem or the world) are around us today. He advises that we live daily with “nothing left unsaid, nothing left undone”. The words of Harriet Beecher Stowe are similar “The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone".  These statements need to be balanced by an awareness of words to have hurtful consequences. The Vatican is a place where diplomatic efforts to dialogue with world leaders are practiced. The gifts of the children of the light in dealing with the princes and principalities are uncertain. The believer needs to speak truth to power. Jesus reminds us that the truth which sets us free may come at great cost.