The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today remind us that the political regimes in our history have fallen in succession as we move as the Body of Christ in pursuit of truth, beauty, and goodness in achieving the common good.
 |
| Temporary Empires |
The reading from the Book of Daniel tells of the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.
* [2:36–45] The four successive kingdoms in this apocalyptic perspective are the Babylonian (gold), the Median (silver), the Persian (bronze), and the Hellenistic (iron). The last, after Alexander’s death, was divided among his generals (vv. 41–42). Of the kingdoms which emerged from this partitioning, the two that most affected the Jews were the dynasties of the Ptolemies in Egypt and the Seleucids in Syria. They tried in vain, by war and through intermarriage, to restore the unity of Alexander’s empire (v. 43). The stone hewn from the mountain is the kingdom of God awaited by the Jews (vv. 44–45). Compare the image of the stone applied to Jesus in Luke 20:17–18.1
Another passage from the Book of Daniel is a response in the words of the prayer of Azariah in the fiery furnace.
* [3:24–90] These verses are additions to the Aramaic text of Daniel, translated from the Greek form of the book. They were probably first composed in Hebrew or Aramaic, but are no longer extant in the original language. The Roman Catholic Church has always regarded them as part of the canonical Scriptures.2
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus foretells the destruction of the Temple and describes signs and persecutions to come.
* [21:8] The time has come: in Luke, the proclamation of the imminent end of the age has itself become a false teaching.3
Thomas Quinn observes we all have witnessed, if not in person, in the news media, the end of nations, plagues, wars, famine, and earthquakes.
I believe that the most important phrase that Jesus tells us in today’s gospel is, “many will come in my name, saying ‘I am he’ and ‘the time has come.” He implies by this that he, in fact, is the chosen one. The time had come. God would, and does, replace the temporal powers, and continues to fill the world with His power and majesty.4
Don Schwager quotes “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)5
The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 21:5-11 notes as Jesus predicted, the Temple was destroyed. It happened in AD 70 when the Roman army moved in to put down a Jewish uprising. It was seen as a complete catastrophe—an undeniable triumph of the forces of evil over the will of God. But true to form, God was able to take this tragedy and bring great good out of it. With the Temple gone, the early Christians could grasp even more deeply the central truth that God now lived in them by the power of the Holy Spirit.
It’s just as true today as it was in AD 70: Christ dwells in you, always. He also dwells in a special way in every tabernacle around the world. And he dwells in every one of your brothers and sisters in Christ.
Are you struggling to understand a tragedy? It could be something deeply personal or something profoundly upsetting on the news. By all means, grieve and mourn the loss. Cry out to God for healing and strength. But at the same time, hold on to your faith. Believe, even against all hope, that God still has you in the palm of his hand. Believe, despite your fears and sadness, that he is already at work to bring good out of evil.6
Friar Jude Winkler fleshes out the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. Is Jesus language about an apocalyptic event or our personal end? Friar Jude reminds us of the message to be ready.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that authors and scholars Peter Block, John McKnight, and Walter Brueggemann partnered to write “An Other Kingdom: Departing the Consumer Culture,” which describes the shifts in thinking that could create a post-consumer economy. It sounds a lot like the Gospel.
Luckily, the exodus from a consumer, globalized culture into a neighborly, localized communal and cooperative culture has begun. We join the chorus of other agents of the alternative economy: food hubs, cooperative and social enterprises, the climate change activists, health activists, [etc.]. . . .
Neighborliness means that our well-being and what really matters is close at hand and can be locally constructed or produced. In this modern time, neighborliness is considered quaint and nostalgic. To make neighborliness the center of our social order requires an act of imagination. It is counter-cultural. It is also a form of social interaction that is built on a covenant that serves the common good. . . .7
Serving the common good is a theme discussed in the video series "Understanding Laudato Si," hosted by Fr. Daniel P. Horan, OFM who explores Chapter Four of Pope Francis encyclical “Laudato Si”, including the theme of the principle of the common good.
The sum of those conditions of social life which allow social groups and their individual members relatively thorough and ready access to their own fulfillment (LS156/GS26)8
The long march of history has seen some human progress in dealing with persecution and inequity among the children of God.
 |
| Understanding Laudato Si |
We are called in this time to renew our mission to realize the common good.
References
No comments:
Post a Comment