Destruction of Babylon
15 cent. Apocalypse ML

“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great.
She has become a haunt for demons.
She is a cage for every unclean spirit,
a cage for every unclean bird,
a cage for every unclean and disgusting beast.” (Revelation 18, 1-2)

It’s very clear from our first reading today that John, the author of Revelation, doesn’t think much of the world he’s living in or that it’s worth saving. Babylon is his code word for Rome, the Roman empire. His message to the churches in Asia Minor, Ephesus, Sardis and the others, is that this world is going to end soon and there’s no hope for it.

Commentators say that John, possibly a disciple of John the apostle, writes this letter, which alternates between grim descriptions of the end of this world and beatific descriptions of the world beyond, for Christians experiencing fierce persecution under the Emperor Domitian (81-91) . John wants them to know that paradise awaits them if they remain loyal. So hold on. There’s going to be a great day.

But some commentators question whether Roman persecution is behind this letter. They claim that the persecutions under Domitian have been exaggerated and Christians in Asia Minor did very well during his reign as emperor. It was a prosperous time in that part of the world.

Rather, they see this letter as a warning to the Christians of Asia Minor who have become too comfortable in Roman society. They’re living like everybody else. This is due to an approach encouraged by the Pastoral Epistles of Paul, which told Christians to be law abiding citizens, to be at peace with your neighbors. To John, the churches of Asia Minor have become too worldly and are losing their zeal for the gospel. (cf. Revelation, Wilfrid J. Harrington, OP, Sacra Pagina, Liturgical Press 1993)

So John’s concern is not how Christians can build up the world they live in or how they can accommodate to their society. For him, Christ is primarily savior who calls us to a life beyond this one, not the savior who helps us through the day and teaches us how to get along in life. Christ calls us to life beyond this one.

It’s interesting the way the scriptures are paired these last two weeks of the year. The Book of Revelation is paired with the Gospel of Luke, which is much more optimistic about life in this world and the mercy of God. As Jesus goes on his way to Jerusalem he keeps calling sinners, even as he dies on the cross. He never looks at the world as unredeemable. He calls the tax collector, Zachaeus, but he never tells him to give up his job. He warns against burying your talent in the ground. He also said not to search into the time and day the Son of Man will come. Our cross is a daily cross. He also told us Jesus was coming again.

The best commentators on scripture are the scriptures themselves, St. Augustine taught, and so we read the Book of Revelation and the Gospel of Luke together.

This afternoon at our evening prayer we will be reading from the Book of Revelations again, we actually read it frequently during the Liturgy of the Hours, but not grim passages about the fall of Babylon. We will be reading those beautiful promises John makes about life beyond this. At the end of the day, as we go into the night, John tells us to listen to the songs they sing in heaven. There’s going to be a great day.

NOVEMBER 25TH SUNDAY OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, KING OF THE UNIVERSE
Solemnity
Dn 7:13-14/Rv 1:5-8/Jn 18:33b-37 (161)

26 Monday (Thirty-Fourth or Last Week in Ordinary Time)
Rv 14:1-3, 4b-5/Lk 21:1-4 (503) Pss II

27 Tuesday
Rv 14:14-19/Lk 21:5-11 (504)

28 Wednesday
Rv 15:1-4/Lk 21:12-19 (505)

29 Thursday
Rv 18:1-2, 21-23; 19:1-3, 9a/Lk 21:20-28 (506)

30 Friday Saint Andrew, Apostle
Feast
Rom 10:9-18/Mt 4:18-22 (684)

For this week’s homily, please watch the video below.

by Orlando Hernandez

This Tuesday’s Gospel (Lk 19: 1-10) tells the wonderful story of Jesus and Zacchaeus. Jesus is passing by Jericho on His way to Jerusalem, and He is winding His way through the crowds that have come to see Him. Now, Zacchaeus, a chief tax-collector (probably a crook, scorned by his neighbors), was “seeking to see who Jesus was.” He is a short man and cannot see over the other people…

“So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus, who was about to pass that way. When He reached the place, Jesus looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.’ And he came down quickly and received Him with joy. When they all saw this, they began to grumble, saying, ‘He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner.’ But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, ‘Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house.’”

It seems that all that Zacchaeus had wanted was to get a glimpse of the much-talked-about prophet. Or was he really longing for something more? He got to see Jesus, but he never really expected Jesus to look BACK at him ! And call him by name ! Zacchaeus certainly got a lot more than he had bargained for. Now he has to entertain Jesus at his home, give away half of his
ill-earned fortune, and make retribution for his life. That was some look that Christ must have given him!
This is a great story of “metanoia”, life-change, conversion, in the powerful presence of Jesus. I am always especially touched by this Gospel, not only because I am a “shorty” like Zacchaeus, but also because I had what I believe was a supernatural experience similar to his.

I might have written a little about the story of my conversion ten years ago. Back then I had little faith, but deep inside I wanted so much to believe in a loving God. One of the things that kept me going in life was the love of my wife and family, particularly my son, his wife, and my four grandchildren. They gave me so much joy that I would tag along with them to Sunday Mass just to hold the kids, or see them crawl around under the pews. I was also intrigued by the faith that I saw in my son, his wife, and the people there. I just did not share it with them. I wished I did.

Finally, my son tricked me. He invited my wife and I to be Godparents for our beloved fourth grandchild. We were thrilled, but he told us , “You are going to have to prove you’re Catholics. You can only qualify to be ‘sponsors’ if you can get a letter from your local parish stating that you go to mass every Sunday. It’s the only way!”
I don’t know how it happened, but we found ourselves sitting in front of a Pastor, getting the weekly envelopes and promising to go to mass. We asked him if we could receive the Host, like everyone else, but he told us that we first had to go through RCIA, receive Confirmation, and get married by the Church. It was a long process, and I was not too happy about it, but O.K.. All I wanted was that little letter in a few months before my lovely granddaughter’s baptism.
We started going to Church, and I was especially intrigued by the Readings and by the homilies. Who exactly was this Jesus that they were all so crazy about? I bought a little Bible and read all four Gospels, and I liked the Guy. Was He real? I was especially intrigued by the Liturgy of the Eucharist. I watched respectfully week after week.
Then one blessed, luminous day, something miraculous happened to me. When the priest lifted up that round, bright Host, I was unexpectedly struck by the power of God. I believed. All the fullness of God seemed to be emanating from that shining Host, and there, like Zacchaeus behind the crowd, near the back of the church, I felt the Light of God focusing on me! It was like looking at the sun. I could not look at that brightness. I felt such shame and unworthiness. I had to close my eyes, but even then I could see Him, Jesus. He was looking right at me. I felt the message: “You are mine. I want you. I will never let you go!”

And He never has. It has been a long road, with much learning and growth, with ups and downs, but I know He has been always at my side, a guest in my house. Last night I was watching a religious TV show where the host, a priest, was answering questions about spiritual dryness, moments of desolation, even doubt. He gave this wonderful advice: Sit calmly and remember that moment of great consolation when you felt the Presence of God in your life, when your faith was on fire. Remember it fondly, taste it, re-live it. It can help you to see that He is still right there, in love with you.
I have always wanted to quote my own version of the Humphrey Bogart line from Casablanca. Whether on top of a high tree, or down in the lowest dumps, just remember: “He’s looking at you, kid!”

NOVEMBER 18 SUNDAY THIRTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Dn 12:1-3/Heb 10:11-14, 18/Mk 13:24-32 (158)

19 Monday
Rv 1:1-4; 2:1-5/Lk 18:35-43 (497)

20 Tuesday
Rv 3:1-6, 14-22/Lk 19:1-10 (498)

21 Wednesday The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Memorial
Rv 4:1-11/Lk 19:11-28 (499) 41

22 Thursday Saint Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr
Memorial
[USA: Thanksgiving Day]
Rv 5:1-10/Lk 19:41-44 (500) or, for Thanksgiving Day, any readings from the Lectionary

23 Friday
[Saint Clement I, Pope and Martyr; Saint Columban, Abbot; USA: Blessed Miguel Agustín Pro, Priest and Martyr]
Rv 10:8-11/Lk 19:45-48 (501)

24 Saturday Saint Andrew Dũng-Lạc, Priest, and Companions, Martyrs
Memorial
Rv 11:4-12/Lk 20:27-40 (502)

For this weeks homily, please play the video below:

Paul Imprisoned. Rembrandt

The letter to Philemon, read in today’s Mass, is quite different than Paul’s other letters. For one, Paul is asking a favor and this is a bit unusual because he has always protested as to how independent he was and how he supported himself by the labor of his own hands.

And Paul also begins this letter in a different way. He usually says Paul an Apostle…but not here. Here is says, Paul, a prisoner of Christ. He is not appealing to Philemon with the authority of an apostle, but rather appealing to sympathy and to love alone.

Philemon must have been a very remarkable man in that he had opened his house to the early Church and helped not only Paul but myriads of fellow Christians…”You have brought me much joy and encouragement because, my brother, the hearts of God’s people have been refreshed by you.”

Onesimus was Philemon’s slave. He surely knew and liked Paul when he was visiting at Philemon’s house. For whatever reason, something provoked him and he ran from Philemon’s house and sought out Paul and stayed with him for a while. Paul knows that Onesimus was wrong in running away and as much as he would have loved to keep him at his side he knew that he had to be returned. And so Paul appeals to Philemon’s Christ like heart, not to someone who might be wealthy or scholarly or even prayerful, but to one who can be generous to all in spite of circumstances.

Paul sends Onesimus back reluctantly because he has become very fond of him. Sending him back is like sending a piece of his own heart. Paul in doing so, is making it clear that Christianity is not trying to help people escape from their past. Rather, it is about helping people face their past and rise above it.

So if you regard me as a partner, welcome him as you would me. Paul is insisting that Christians must always welcome back those who have made a mistake. Easier said than done. Isn’t it true that when someone has taken a wrong turn we are never prepared to trust them again in the same way? We believe that God can forgive them but we ourselves might not be able to do the same as fully as God does. One of the greatest things about Jesus is that he trusts us on the very field of our defeat. To be another Christ is to learn to do the same.
JG

Yesterday morning
thick clouds of lightest gray
to darkest and threatening
hung low in the cold sky,
giving notice that pounding rain
was on its way, as predicted.

This morning
long scarves of thin white clouds
stream across a light blue sky
heading east, blown by the
insistent west wind’s fingers
that pluck gold from maple branches,
making leaves fly and swirl in a wild dance,
until exhausted, they fall,
and settle onto piles of gold that lie
beneath the almost bare trees.

It’s not surprising
that Autumn’s nickname
is Fall.

Gloria Ziemienski
November 10, 2018

November 11 SUNDAY THIRTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
1 Kgs 17:10-16/Heb 9:24-28/Mk 12:38-44 or 12:41-44 (155)

12 Monday Saint Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr
Memorial
Ti 1:1-9/Lk 17:1-6 (491)

13 Tuesday USA: Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin
Memorial
Ti 2:1-8, 11-14/Lk 17:7-10 (492)

14 Wednesday
Ti 3:1-7/Lk 17:11-19 (493)

15 Thursday
[Saint Albert the Great, Bishop and Doctor of the Church]
Phlm 7-20/Lk 17:20-25 (494)

16 Friday
[Saint Margaret of Scotland; Saint Gertrude, Virgin]
2 Jn 4-9/Lk 17:26-37 (495)

17 Saturday Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious
Memorial
3 Jn 5-8/Lk 18:1-8 (496)