Desolation and Destruction

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today continue to invite us to contemplate the final victory of good over evil as we come to the end of the liturgical year.

Looking to the End of the Road

The text from the Book of Revelation is a vision of the Fall of Babylon.

* [18:1–19:4] A stirring dirge over the fall of Babylon-Rome. The perspective is prophetic, as if the fall of Rome had already taken place. The imagery here, as elsewhere in this book, is not to be taken literally. The vindictiveness of some of the language, borrowed from the scathing Old Testament prophecies against Babylon, Tyre, and Nineveh (Is 23; 24; 27; Jer 50–51; Ez 26–27), is meant to portray symbolically the inexorable demands of God’s holiness and justice; cf. Introduction. The section concludes with a joyous canticle on the future glory of heaven. (Revelation, CHAPTER 18, n.d.)

Psalm 100 declares that all Lands are summoned to Praise God.

* [Psalm 100] A hymn inviting the people to enter the Temple courts with thank offerings for the God who created them.

* [100:3] Although the people call on all the nations of the world to join in their hymn, they are conscious of being the chosen people of God. (Psalms, PSALM 100, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Luke the Destruction of Jerusalem is foretold.

* [21:24] The times of the Gentiles: a period of indeterminate length separating the destruction of Jerusalem from the cosmic signs accompanying the coming of the Son of Man.

* [21:26] The powers of the heavens: the heavenly bodies mentioned in Lk 21:25 and thought of as cosmic armies. (Luke, CHAPTER 21, n.d.)

The Living Space commentary on the readings today replaces the US Thanksgiving commentary from Creighton University.

Finally, Jesus speaks of various cataclysmic and apocalyptic signs to signal the end of time. They are typical biblical phenomena and not meant to be taken as exact foretelling of events. They conclude with Daniel’s vision of the Son of Man riding on a cloud coming with great power and glory. It is not intended to fill people with fear and trembling, except perhaps those who have lived wicked lives.

But for the disciples, the loyal followers of Jesus, it is a time to “stand up straight and raise your heads, for your redeeming is near at hand”. As we saw in yesterday’s Gospel, sufferings and tribulations are part and parcel of living the Christian life to the full. Our message and our vision is a ‘sign of contradiction’, a beacon of light to many and to others a threat to be radically uprooted.

But for those who have tried to live by the vision and values of the Gospel, for those who have tried to seek and find Jesus in all the people and events of their lives, who have spent hours with him in intimate dialogue, it is the time of their final liberation, a time when there will be no more sorrows, no more tears, no more hardships, no more disappointments. Rather, they will be entering an unbroken time of love and intimacy, of freedom and peace, of joy and consolation.

So, as we approach the end of another liturgical year, we do so on an upbeat note. (Living Space Thursday of Week 34 of Ordinary Time – Gospel | Sacred Space, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “The signs have been accomplished,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"The signs given in the Gospel and in prophecy and fulfilled in us show the coming of the Lord... We know that the coming is near by the fact that we see the fulfillment of certain signs of that coming that have been accomplished... The signs that Christ told them to look for are listed in the Gospel of Saint Luke: 'Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles until the times of the nations are fulfilled.' This has happened and no one doubts that it has happened... It is plain that there is no country or place in our time that is not harassed or humbled according to the words 'for fear and expectation of what will come on the whole world.' All the signs that the gospel describes in the earlier verses have mostly been accomplished." (excerpt from Letter 198) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Revelation 18:1-2, 21-23; 19:1-3, 9 comments that even though we are not living under Roman oppression, the same message can speak to us today. War, murder, immorality, and persecution: they are still with us. In our own lives, we still have to battle the lies of the devil and the temptations to sin. And yet no matter what evils we face, we can be certain that the end of the story is already written. By his death and resurrection, Jesus has conquered sin and death. As the author of Revelation wrote, “Salvation, glory, and might belong to our God” (19:1)! Sin will not have the last word.

Jesus tells us the same thing in today’s Gospel reading. When he comes again in power and glory, we will know that our redemption is at hand (Luke 21:28). In the meantime, let’s do what Jesus tells us: let’s stand erect and raise our heads (21:28). One day peace and justice will reign, and we will celebrate for all eternity with the angels and saints at the wedding feast of the Lamb (Revelation 19:9).

“Lord, help me to resist evil and hold fast to you until you come again.” (Meditation on Revelation 18:1-2, 21-23; 19:1-3, 9, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the texts for Thanksgiving from the USCCB. He expresses the value of gratitude in our lives and reminds us that God looks at people in a different way than we do.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, shares how the sacred ritual of the Eucharist participates in the flow of gratitude and generosity. The Eucharist, which means “thanksgiving,” has four main aspects. In our conscious participation, we become more like the one we follow.

First, we take our whole lives in our hands, as Jesus did. In very physical and scandalously incarnational language, table bread is daringly called “my body” and wine is called “my blood.”...

Second, we thank God (eucharisteo in Greek), who is the Origin of all that life and who allows and uses even death. We are making a choice for gratitude, abundance, and appreciation for Another, which has the power to radically de-center us….

Third, we break it. We allow our lives to be broken and given away. We don’t need to protect them. The sharing of the small self will be the discovery of the True Self in God…..

Finally, we chew on this mystery! This truth is known by participation and practice, not by more thinking or discussing. “Take this,” “eat and drink this”—not alone, but together, “until I return.” There we have the heart of the message, a “new covenant” of indwelling love that is not grounded in worthiness in any form, but merely in a willingness to participate and trust. Our drinking and eating are our agreement to “do what I can to make up in my own body all that still has to be undergone by Christ for the sake of his body the church” (see Colossians 1:24). Eucharist is a risky and demanding act of radical gratitude for, solidarity with, and responsibility to the work of God—much more than a reward for good behavior or any “prize for the perfect,” as Pope Francis says. (Rohr, 2022)

We consider the theme of gratitude as the celebration of Thanksgiving in the US joins our reflection on our preparation for the End Time.

References

Living Space Thursday of Week 34 of Ordinary Time – Gospel | Sacred Space. (n.d.). Living Space Sacred Space. Retrieved November 24, 2022, from https://livingspace.sacredspace.ie/o2345g/ 

Luke, CHAPTER 21. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved November 24, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/21 

Meditation on Revelation 18:1-2, 21-23; 19:1-3, 9. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved November 24, 2022, from https://wau.org/meditations/2022/11/24/542590/ 

Psalms, PSALM 100. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved November 24, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/100?0 

Revelation, CHAPTER 18. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved November 24, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/revelation/18?1 

Rohr, R. (2022, November 24). Take, Thank, Break, Give — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved November 24, 2022, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/take-thank-break-give-2022-11-24/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture ... Retrieved November 24, 2022, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2022&date=nov24 

Consequence of Poor Judgement

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today alert us to the role of forgiveness in achieving fullness of life.

Forgiveness and Life

The reading from the Prophet Ezekiel is a portrayal of Judah’s captivity.

* [12:3–10] An exile’s bag contains bare necessities, probably no more than a bowl, a mat, and a waterskin. The prophet’s action foreshadows the fate of ruler and people (vv. 11–14). (Ezekiel, CHAPTER 12, n.d.)

Psalm 78 praises God’s Goodness and Israel’s Ingratitude.

* [Psalm 78] A recital of history to show that past generations did not respond to God’s gracious deeds and were punished by God making the gift into a punishment. Will Israel fail to appreciate God’s act—the choosing of Zion and of David? The tripartite introduction invites Israel to learn the lessons hidden in its traditions (Ps 78:1–4, 5–7, 8–11); each section ends with the mention of God’s acts. (Psalms, PSALM 78, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus uses the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant to teach about forgiveness.

* [18:21–35] The final section of the discourse deals with the forgiveness that the disciples are to give to their fellow disciples who sin against them. To the question of Peter how often forgiveness is to be granted (Mt 18:21), Jesus answers that it is to be given without limit (Mt 18:22) and illustrates this with the parable of the unmerciful servant (Mt 18:23–34), warning that his heavenly Father will give those who do not forgive the same treatment as that given to the unmerciful servant (Mt 18:35). Mt 18:21–22 correspond to Lk 17:4; the parable and the final warning are peculiar to Matthew. That the parable did not originally belong to this context is suggested by the fact that it really does not deal with repeated forgiveness, which is the point of Peter’s question and Jesus’ reply. (Matthew, CHAPTER 18, n.d.)

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Living Space comments that King Zedekiah's eyes were put out before he was brought off to Babylon (see 2 Kings 25). The king’s blindness is a symbol of the blindness of the whole people.

In the Gospel Jesus frequently is seen healing the blind (those who cannot see) and the deaf (those who cannot hear) and the mute (those who cannot speak). These are afflictions all of us can suffer from and prevent us from knowing and carrying out what God wants in our lives.

Let us ask today for healing and docility to God’s will for us. “Lord, that I may see!” (Living Space Thursday of Week 19 of Ordinary Time – First Reading | Sacred Space, n.d.)

Living Space comments that we do not expect God to forgive us once or twice or any limited number of times but every time.

But, if that is true of our relationship with God, it also has to be true in our relationships with others. We can never refuse an offer of reconciliation. And, we might add, forgiveness is only complete when reconciliation takes place. (Living Space Thursday of Week 19 of Ordinary Time – Gospel | Sacred Space, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “How often shall I forgive?” by Hilary of Poitiers (315-367 AD).

"When Peter asked him whether he should forgive his brother sinning against him up to seven times, the Lord replied, 'Not up to seven times but up to seventy times seven times'" In every way he teaches us to be like him in humility and goodness. In weakening and breaking the impulses of our rampant passions he strengthens us by the example of his leniency, by granting us in faith pardon of all our sins. For the vices of our nature did not merit pardon. Therefore all pardon comes from him. In fact, he pardons even those sins that remain in one after confession. The penalty to be paid through Cain was established at sevenfold, but that sin was against a man, against his brother Abel, to the point of murder (Genesis 4:8). But in Lamech the penalty was established at seventy times seven times (Genesis 4:24), and, as we believe, the penalty was established on those responsible for the Lord's Passion. But the Lord through the confession of believers grants pardon for this crime. By the gift of baptism he grants the grace of salvation to his revilers and persecutors. How much more is it necessary, he shows, that pardon be returned by us without measure or number. And we should not think how many times we forgive, but we should cease to be angry with those who sin against us, as often as the occasion for anger exists. Pardon's frequency shows us that in our case there is never a time for anger, since God pardons us for all sins in their entirety by his gift rather than by our merit. Nor should we be excused from the requirement of giving pardon that number of times [i.e., seventy times seven], since through the grace of the gospel God has granted us pardon without measure." (excerpt from ON MATTHEW 18.10) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 18:21–19:1 comments that though the mind acknowledges, “I have to forgive,” the heart declares, “It’s too hard.” But Jesus assures us that it’s not impossible. He is not issuing an ultimatum—forgive or else; he’s extending an invitation. He is offering us a chance to exchange the weight of unforgiveness for the light mantle of our Father’s love, a chance to set our own heart free as we forgive.

And then, in the light of God’s merciful love, make the decision to cancel the debt. Ask the Spirit to help you, especially when it seems hard. Forgive. Seventy-seven times, if you have to. What starts as an act of the will can lead to an encounter with God. He will help you see the wounds you have endured from his perspective. He will also give you compassion for those who have hurt you, even those who have hurt you deeply.

Let Jesus heal you so that you can forgive from the heart. Let him help you replace the IOU in it with his love and mercy.

“Lord, you know where my heart is hard. Please help me want to forgive!” (Meditation on Matthew 18:21–19:1, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the symbolic act of Ezekiel prophesying the destruction of Jerusalem during the 587 BCE exile to Babylon. Seven as the “perfect number” suggests that forgiveness may be extended for an infinite number of times, yet Jesus multiplies “infinity” in His response. Friar Jude reminds us that harm we endure is a symptom of the brokenness of the offender that we need to try to heal.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that Cole Arthur Riley honors her own embodied reality more deeply.

I believe that the spiritual realm is so enmeshed with the physical that it is imperceptible. I believe in the mysterious nearness of my ancestors, but I believe they are located at the site of my own blood and bone.

The chasm between the spiritual and the physical is not greater than that between a thought and a word. They cannot be disconnected. And it is difficult to tell where one ends and the other begins, perhaps because there is no such place.

(Rohr, n.d.)

Scholar and activist Christena Cleveland studied Black Madonnas around the world and described how their diverse and inclusive bodies encouraged generous acceptance of her own body.

The four-hundred-fifty plus Black Madonnas around the world encompass a wide range of skin colors, hair textures, body sizes, and ages. Some are pregnant. Some are breastfeeding with proudly exposed breasts. Some are gender nonconforming. The one thing they all have in common is that they are Black and they are holy. Seeing these diverse liberating images of the Sacred Black Feminine helped me relax into my body because I was able to relax into Her diverse and inclusive body. [2] (Rohr, n.d.)

We are prompted by the Spirit to forgive offences even as we seek forgiveness for our trespasses against others.

References

Ezekiel, CHAPTER 12. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 11, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/ezekiel/12?1 

Living Space Thursday of week 19 of Ordinary Time – First Reading | Sacred Space. (n.d.). Living Space Sacred Space. Retrieved August 11, 2022, from https://livingspace.sacredspace.ie/o2195r/ 

Living Space Thursday of week 19 of Ordinary Time – Gospel | Sacred Space. (n.d.). Sacred Space: Living Space. Retrieved August 11, 2022, from https://livingspace.sacredspace.ie/o2195g/ 

Matthew, CHAPTER 18. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 11, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/18 

Meditation on Matthew 18:21–19:1. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved August 11, 2022, from https://wau.org/

Psalms, PSALM 78. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 11, 2022, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/78 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved August 11, 2022, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/sacred-bodies-2022-08-11/    

Schwager, D. (n.d.). How often shall I forgive? Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 11, 2022, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2022&date=aug11