The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today resonate with our apprehension over action by people that results in the destruction of the natural world in the pursuit of personal gain.
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The reading from the Book of Revelation is a vision of the reaping of the Earth’s harvest at the end of time.
* [14:14–20] The reaping of the harvest symbolizes the gathering of the elect in the final judgment, while the reaping and treading of the grapes symbolizes the doom of the ungodly (cf. Jl 4:12–13; Is 63:1–6) that will come in Rev 19:11–21.1
Psalm 96 offers praise to God Who comes in judgement.
* [Psalm 96] A hymn inviting all humanity to praise the glories of Israel’s God (Ps 96:1–3), who is the sole God (Ps 96:4–6). To the just ruler of all belongs worship (Ps 96:7–10); even inanimate creation is to offer praise (Ps 96:11–13). This Psalm has numerous verbal and thematic contacts with Is 40–55, as does Ps 98. Another version of the Psalm is 1 Chr 16:23–33.2
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus foretells the destruction of the Temple and describes signs and persecutions that precede the Last Judgement.
* [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 13:1–37.3
Beth Samson comments that in the Gospel today, Jesus warns us against deception and fear.
There is so much in this world that causes fear, and this is where Jesus meets us - asking us not to be afraid, but to live in faith. Which is certainly easier said than done. So, when we look at the lives of St. Andrew Dung-Lac and the martyrs of Vietnam, how can we not have hope that we, too, can live in faith rather than fear - in faith that God still meets us in our daily lives, even if we have to look anew in these days for how and where.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 Psalm 96:10-13 notes that we don’t know how or when the day we will be welcomed into the new heaven and the new earth will happen. But God doesn’t want us to resign ourselves to the sad state of the world. Jesus inaugurated his kingdom when he came to earth, and he now asks us to work together to build a better world, in whatever area he is calling us to do that.
God doesn’t want us to live in fear. He wants us to remember that he is not only just but merciful as well. As long as we stay close to the Lord, we have no reason to be afraid. Instead, we should see Jesus’ coming as a sign of joy and the promise of our final, glorious rescue. In spite of the darkness around us, we can place our hope in him and look forward to the reign of God when all things will be put right. Just imagine what a glorious day that will be! “Lord Jesus, I trust in your mercy and wait with eager expectation for you to come again.”6
Friar Jude Winkler comments that the texts today remind us that we don’t live forever. The angel of wrath presents an image of recompense for selfish living. Friar Jude reminds us that grey hair is an important sign of the end times.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that Thomas Merton was the first writer he encountered who spoke so clearly about the connection between contemplation and action.
“We are already one. But we imagine that we are not. And what we have to recover is our original unity. What we have to be is what we are.” [1] He had finally recognized that the “programs for happiness” which he had pursued his whole life were never going to bring him the sense of worthiness he desired. Instead, he embraced this paradoxical statement: “In humility is the greatest freedom. As long as you have to defend the imaginary self that you think is important, you lose your peace of heart.” [2]7
The texts from Scripture about the end times invite contemplation of our practice of humility, compassion, mercy and love with those we encounter on our journey.
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