THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS NEAR
Introduction
The Book of Revelation gives us today a vision of hope: God will ultimately be victorious; the forces of evil will be chained for good, the just will reign with God, a new heaven and a new earth will come, God’s people (the new Jerusalem) will be pure. We must be aware that eternal life is already at work in the life of the baptized and people themselves help in giving birth to a new world. We must, as Jesus says, see these things happening now.
The faithful should keep hope in patience: God’s kingdom is near. There are not only tensions and conflicts inside God’s people and from outside: there are also signs of hope, and we should see these signs.
Opening Prayer
God of the ages and of eternity,
you have entrusted to us, your people,
your project about people and the world.
Do not allow us to delay your plans
by our own limitations.
Make us aware that all we can do is
being a leaven, and a sign
that the seed you have sown will grow.
Keep us hoping in patience,
that integrity, love and justice
will come in your own good time
as a gift from you,
through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen!
1 Reading REVELATION 20:1-4, 11—21:2
I, John, saw an angel come down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the abyss and a heavy chain. He seized the dragon, the ancient serpent, which is the Devil or Satan, and tied it up for a thousand years and threw it into the abyss, which he locked over it and sealed, so that it could no longer lead the nations astray until the thousand years are completed. After this, it is to be released for a short time. Then I saw thrones; those who sat on them were entrusted with judgment. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, and who had not worshiped the beast or its image nor had accepted its mark on their foreheads or hands. They came to life and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years. Next I saw a large white throne and the one who was sitting on it. The earth and the sky fled from his presence and there was no place for them. I saw the dead, the great and the lowly, standing before the throne, and scrolls were opened. Then another scroll was opened, the book of life. The dead were judged according to their deeds, by what was written in the scrolls. The sea gave up its dead; then Death and Hades gave up their dead. All the dead were judged according to their deeds. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the pool of fire. (This pool of fire is the second death.) Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the pool of fire. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Responsorial PSALM 84:3, 4, 5-6a and 8a
R. (Rev. 21:3b) Here God lives among his people.
My soul yearns and pines
for the courts of the LORD.
My heart and my flesh
cry out for the living God. R.
Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest
in which she puts her young–
Your altars, O LORD of hosts,
my king and my God! R.
Blessed they who dwell in your house!
continually they praise you.
Blessed the men whose strength you are!
They go from strength to strength. R.
Alleluia LUKE 21:28
Alleluia, alleluia.
Stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel LUKE 21:29-33
Jesus told his disciples a parable. “Consider the fig tree and all the other trees. When their buds burst open, you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near; in the same way, when you see these things happening, know that the Kingdom of God is near. Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”
Commentary
Enduring Words
Fareed Zakaria, a celebrated US journalist, was awarded ‘Padma Bhushan’, the third highest civilian award in India, his country of origin. Fareed, while expressing gratitude for the award, politely declined to be present in person to accept the same. His reason? The date of the award ceremony coincided with the dates for the vacation trip he had promised his children. If a human parent will honour the words given to his children, how much more will God do so! “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away,” says Jesus. Here’s an exercise to do: Identify some 7-9 gospel verses, a healthy mixture of re-assuring and challenging words of Jesus, write them out and carry them in your wallet. In apocalyptic times, take out and read the re-assuring words; in times of too much comfort, confront yourself with his challenging words. For, he is ever true to his words.
Intercessions
– That we may always look for signs of hope when life is difficult and our faith is tested, we pray:
– That we may always keep trusting the Lord Jesus, that he is with us until the end of time, we pray:
– That we may accept that it is difficult for the kingdom of God to break through and to bring justice and love to all, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
God of the promises,
to destroy the powers of evil
your Son came not as a triumphant king
but as the suffering Son of Man.
In this bread and this wine,
we join our destiny to his.
May we learn from him
whose apparent failure led to victory
to accept the tensions of our time
and the slow growth of your kingdom
in patience and hope.
For we know that you keep your promises
of unending life and love and happiness
through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen!
Prayer after Communion
Lord God of hope,
you have given us a beautiful dream
of your unending reign of love and joy,
but we are torn between discouragement and hope
because it is beyond our powers.
Thank you for reviving our expectations
through the body and blood of your Son.
Help us to grow into new people
through our tensions and struggles
by the strength of him to whom you have given
sovereignty and glory and kingship,
Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen!
Blessing
It is sometimes said by non-believers that Christians look up to heaven because they cannot deal with the world. Christ tells us that we have to deal with the world and to change it, to work towards “a new heaven and a new earth.” Let us try to do so with the blessing of Almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!