Do Not Be Misled – ‘Shine Your Eyes’
Introduction
Judgment is presented in the reading from Revelation as the reaping of the harvest.
Jesus speaks of times of trials, directly of the fall of Jerusalem, which is a symbol of the end time. We may not forget that for us here and now the time of judgment is now: we prepare it now, we undergo, or better, create it now, by the way we live individually and as a community. “Do not be misled,” says Christ. In other words, his message is meant to shake us, to wake us up to live the gospel now.
1 Reading Revelations 14:14-19
I, John, looked and there was a white cloud,
and sitting on the cloud one who looked like a son of man,
with a gold crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.
Another angel came out of the temple,
crying out in a loud voice to the one sitting on the cloud,
“Use your sickle and reap the harvest,
for the time to reap has come,
because the earth’s harvest is fully ripe.”
So the one who was sitting on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth,
and the earth was harvested.
Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven
who also had a sharp sickle.
Then another angel came from the altar, who was in charge of the fire,
and cried out in a loud voice
to the one who had the sharp sickle,
“Use your sharp sickle and cut the clusters from the earth’s vines,
for its grapes are ripe.”
So the angel swung his sickle over the earth and cut the earth’s vintage.
He threw it into the great wine press of God’s fury.
Responsorial Psalm 96:10, 11-12, 13
R. (13b) The Lord comes to judge the earth.
Say among the nations: The LORD is king.
He has made the world firm, not to be moved;
he governs the peoples with equity.
R. The Lord comes to judge the earth.
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;
let the sea and what fills it resound;
let the plains be joyful and all that is in them!
Then shall all the trees of the forest exult.
R. The Lord comes to judge the earth.
Before the LORD, for he comes;
for he comes to rule the earth.
He shall rule the world with justice
and the peoples with his constancy.
R. The Lord comes to judge the earth.
Alleluia Revelations 2:10c
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Remain faithful until death,
and I will give you the crown of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Luke 21:5-11
While some people were speaking about
how the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings,
Jesus said, “All that you see here–
the days will come when there will not be left
a stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down.”
Then they asked him,
“Teacher, when will this happen?
And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?”
He answered,
“See that you not be deceived,
for many will come in my name, saying,
‘I am he,’ and ‘The time has come.’
Do not follow them!
When you hear of wars and insurrections,
do not be terrified; for such things must happen first,
but it will not immediately be the end.”
Then he said to them,
“Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.
There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues
from place to place;
and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.”
Commentary
Sitting there beside the Trumpets (see yesterday’s commentary), probably exhausted after his debates with the official delegation, “the chief priests, the scribes and the elders” (Lk 20:1), and then seeing with his own eyes the exploitation of a widow, how could he think any other thought than that the Temple must be destroyed? “Not a single stone will be left on another,” he said. How extraordinary it is that we exempt the Church from this judgment! – as if everything in the gospels was about Jewish clergy only. “I am with you always; yes, to the end of time,” he promised (Mt 28:20). Does this mean that he always supports us as we are? Does it mean that we can behave any way we like? I dare say it does not. He is with us always, yes, to challenge us even more severely than he challenged the Temple; more severely, because we claim to speak in his name.
Blessing
We are people of hope. We shouldn’t bother about the question when the end of the world will come but live as people who know that they have to be responsible Christians every day. If we do this, there is no reason for fear. May almighty God keep you safe and bless you, the Father and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!