Wednesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
As the liturgical year comes to a close our readings continue the theme of the end times. At this moment, many people have been focusing on the literal end times. Thousands of people have been contacting NASA and visiting the NASA website to find out if the winter solstice will be the true end of the world. Many already understand that we can look at the end of the Mayan calendar in a similar way we look at the end of our yearly liturgical or secular calendars. The end is a way to ritualize that a period of time has passed. In the Catholic Church this emphasis has a liturgical focus on the end times. These end times metaphorically remind us of our own literal endings.
Today’s readings focus not only on the fear and persecution of difficult times, but surprisingly the overwhelming theme of triumph. The battle has been won and the beast defeated! The vision described by John is one of complete awe. The vision describes a song: “Great and wonderful are your works, Lord God almighty.” (Rev. 15:3) As the song continues it asks, “Who will not fear you, Lord or glorify your name?” (Rev. 15:4) The word fear can also be translated awe. Either way, it is a question we need to answer for ourselves?
Whom do we fear? How do we glorify the Lord with our lives? If the battle has been won for us, how come the battle seems to still be ongoing? The battle seems unending as we witness it in our politics, in our workplaces, and yes sometimes even in our churches. Yet, the readings for today speak of how the power of testimony to the Lord will carry us beyond the fears and persecutions that plague us. The gospel reminds us that our testimony must be based in belief and this belief will have consequences. This belief calls on us to share our faith with others. This faith is not something given to us for ourselves. It is given to us for the good of the whole community. Indeed, the whole world ought to be able to look at the way we live our lives, or the things we say, and know that our life is dedicated completely to Christ.
Lord, help us to be at peace this day. Guide our hearts to through endings we must grieve so that our whole being can be renewed again to find a joy that will allow us to glorify the Lord with our lives.
- -Michael Montgomery