Are you on the winning side?

 

Welcome to my blog. Peace be with you.

We are coming to the and of the liturgical year and the Catholic Church has us meditate on the purpose and end of human history. It is a lesson for us to get our priorities right.

Thursday 26 November 2020

Are you on the winning side?

 

First reading

Apocalypse 18:1-2,21-23,19:1-3,9

Babylon the Great has fallen

I, John, saw an angel come down from heaven, with great authority given to him; the earth was lit up with his glory. At the top of his voice he shouted, ‘Babylon has fallen, Babylon the Great has fallen, and has become the haunt of devils and a lodging for every foul spirit and dirty, loathsome bird.’ Then a powerful angel picked up a boulder like a great millstone, and as he hurled it into the sea, he said, ‘That is how the great city of Babylon is going to be hurled down, never to be seen again.

Never again in you, Babylon,

will be heard the song of harpists and minstrels,

the music of flute and trumpet;

never again will craftsmen of every skill be found

or the sound of the mill be heard;

never again will shine the light of the lamp,

never again will be heard

the voices of bridegroom and bride.

Your traders were the princes of the earth,

all the nations were under your spell.

After this I seemed to hear the great sound of a huge crowd in heaven, singing, ‘Alleluia! Victory and glory and power to our God! He judges fairly, he punishes justly, and he has condemned the famous prostitute who corrupted the earth with her fornication; he has avenged his servants that she killed.’ They sang again, ‘Alleluia! The smoke of her will go up for ever and ever.’ The angel said, ‘Write this: Happy are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb’, and he added, ‘All the things you have written are true messages from God.’

 

Prayerful reflection

God is ultimately the master of the universe, though he has entrusted it to human beings to care for it and develop it. He will judge and give the just reward for the actions of men and nations. Babylon is a name for Rome. It has persecuted believers in Jesus and encourage all to practice idolatry including the worship of the Emperor as a god. God will overthrow it and it will be lost to history. Ultimately, God through Jesus will triumph and rule. The wise will always be on the side of Christ. Even to lose one’s life in this world for him is no loss, but a great blessing. The Christian hymn is Alleluia – praise be to God.  

 

Gospel

Luke 21:20-28

There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars

Jesus said to his disciples, ‘When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, you must realise that she will soon be laid desolate. Then those in Judaea must escape to the mountains, those inside the city must leave it, and those in country districts must not take refuge in it. For this is the time of vengeance when all that scripture says must be fulfilled. Alas for those with child, or with babies at the breast, when those days come!

‘For great misery will descend on the land and wrath on this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive to every pagan country; and Jerusalem will be trampled down by the pagans until the age of the pagans is completely over.

‘There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars; on earth nations in agony, bewildered by the clamour of the ocean and its waves; men dying of fear as they await what menaces the world, for the powers of heaven will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand erect, hold your heads high, because your liberation is near at hand.’

 

Prayerful reflection

The destruction of Jerusalem and the massive and beautiful Temple was inconceivable to the Jews. So when it happened under the Romans, it was like the end of the world. It was a foretaste of how things would be at the end. Everything human beings treasured will disappear. Retribution for all injustice and sin will be meted out. No one will escape God’s judgement. So Jesus uses the destruction of Jerusalem as a lesson for us regarding the coming of Jesus as Lord of the universe.

For unbelievers, and all who practice evil and injustice it will be a time of fear and trepidation but for those who have followed Jesus their ‘liberation is now at hand.’

Whose side are you on?