Nov
Friday, 28 November – Revelation
28 Nov – Friday in the Thirty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
____________________
Revelation 20:1-4. 11 – 21:2
I, John, saw an angel come down from heaven with the key of the Abyss in his hand and an enormous chain. He overpowered the dragon, that primeval serpent which is the devil and Satan, and chained him up for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and shut the entrance and sealed it over him, to make sure he would not deceive the nations again until the thousand years had passed. At the end of that time he must be released, but only for a short while.
Then I saw some thrones, and I saw those who are given the power to be judges take their seats on them. I saw the souls of all who had been beheaded for having witnessed for Jesus and for having preached God’s word, and those who refused to worship the beast or his statue and would not have the brand-mark on their foreheads or hands; they came to life, and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. Then I saw a great white throne and the One who was sitting on it. In his presence, earth and sky vanished, leaving no trace. I saw the dead, both great and small, standing in front of his throne, while the book of life was opened, and other books opened which were the record of what they had done in their lives, by which the dead were judged.
The sea gave up all the dead who were in it; Death and Hades were emptied of the dead that were in them; and every one was judged according to the way in which he had lived. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the burning lake. This burning lake is the second death; and anybody whose name could not be found written in the book of life was thrown into the burning lake.
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; the first heaven and the first earth had disappeared now, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the holy city, and the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, as beautiful as a bride all dressed for her husband.
____________________
Luke 21:29-33
Jesus told his disciples a parable: ‘Think of the fig tree and indeed every tree. As soon as you see them bud, you know that summer is now near. So with you when you see these things happening: know that the kingdom of God is near. I tell you solemnly, before this generation has passed away all will have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.’
____________________
Before this generation has passed away all will have taken place
I recently saw a banner outside a church publicizing a talk by a guest speaker who claimed to be able to interpret current events as prophesied in the Book of Revelation. There are many books, movies, and comic books that attempt to use the Book of Revelation to depict end-of-world scenarios. But is the Book of Revelation actually revealing the future?
I ask this because of the last paragraph in today’s first reading, which refers to the wedding of the heavenly Bride and Groom, similar to the last line in yesterday’s first reading. This wedding is none other than the wedding between Christ and His Church, which was consummated at His crucifixion. Rather than revealing the future or the past, the Book of Revelation is actually revealing the spiritual truth of what has been hidden from humanity, but revealed through the coming of Christ.
If there is one thing for sure, the symbolic language used in today’s first reading, and indeed in much of the Book of Revelation, is… symbolic. It was never meant to be taken literally, so there’s no need to go around imagining fighter jets to look like 12-headed dragons or nuclear bombs to look like burning lakes. The bottom line in today’s reading, and indeed in any reading in the Bible, is revelation of God, and revelation of a relationship between God and us.
What is God revealing to you about Himself as you read the scriptures each day? What is God revealing to you about your relationship with Him, and His relationship with His people?
(Today’s OXYGEN by Daniel Tay)
____________________
Prayer: Dear Lord, help us never to forget that the purpose of scripture is to reveal You to us.
Thanksgiving: We give thanks to the Lord for speaking in ways that the learned cannot understand, but children can.
____________________
Upcoming Readings:
Sat 29 Nov – Revelation 22:1-7; Luke 21:34-36
Sun 30 Nov – Isaiah 63:16b-17; 64:2-7; 1 Corinthians 1:3-9; Mark 13:33-37; First Sunday of Advent
