Daily Catholic Mass Readings for November 27, 2018
First Reading: Revelation 14.14-19
14And I saw, and behold, a white cloud. And upon the cloud was one sitting, resembling a son of man, having a crown of gold on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand15And another Angel went forth from the temple, crying out in a great voice to the one sitting upon the cloud: "Send out your sickle and reap! For the hour of reaping has arrived, because the harvest of the earth has ripened.16And the one who was sitting upon the cloud sent out his sickle to the earth, and the earth was reaped17And another Angel went forth from the temple that is in heaven; he also had a sharp sickle18And another Angel went forth from the altar, who held power over fire. And he cried out in a great voice to him who held the sharp sickle, saying: "Send out your sharp sickle, and harvest the clusters of grapes from the vineyard of the earth, because its grapes have matured.19And the Angel sent out his sharp sickle to the earth, and he harvested the vineyard of the earth, and he cast it into the great basin of the wrath of God
Psalm 96
1A Canticle of David himself, when the house was built after the captivity. Sing to the Lord a new song. Sing to the Lord, all the earth2Sing to the Lord and bless his name. Announce his salvation from day to day3Announce his glory among the Gentiles, his miracles among all peoples4For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised. He is terrible, beyond all gods5For all the gods of the Gentiles are demons, but the Lord made the heavens6Confession and beauty are in his sight. Sanctity and magnificence are in his sanctuary7Bring to the Lord, you natives of the nations, bring to the Lord glory and honor8Bring to the Lord glory for his name. Lift up sacrifices, and enter into his courts9Adore the Lord in his holy court. Let the entire earth be shaken before his face10Say among the Gentiles: The Lord has reigned. For he has even corrected the whole world, which will not be shaken. He will judge the peoples with fairness11Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth exult; let the sea and all its fullness be moved12The fields and all the things that are in them will be glad. Then all the trees of the forest will rejoic13before the face of the Lord: for he arrives. For he arrives to judge the earth. He will judge the whole world with fairness and the peoples with his truth
Gospel: Luke 21.5-11
5And when some of them were saying, about the temple, that it was adorned with excellent stones and gifts, he said6"These things that you see, the days will arrive when there will not be left behind stone upon stone, which is not thrown down.7Then they questioned him, saying: "Teacher, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when these things will happen?8And he said: "Be cautious, lest you be seduced. For many will come in my name, saying: ‘For I am he,’ and, ‘The time has drawn near.’ And so, do not choose to go after them9And when you will have heard of battles and seditions, do not be terrified. These things must happen first. But the end is not so soon.10Then he said to them: "People will rise up against people, and kingdom against kingdom11And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and pestilences, and famines, and terrors from heaven; and there will be great signs
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the ultimate triumph of God and the call to remain vigilant in our faith. In the first reading from Revelation, we see a vision of the Son of Man sitting on a cloud, wielding a sharp sickle. This image symbolizes the divine judgment and the harvest of the earth, where the ripe crops are gathered and the clusters of grapes are pressed in the winepress of God’s wrath. The passage reminds us that God’s justice will prevail, and all things will be brought to their fulfillment in His time.
In the Gospel, Jesus warns His disciples about the destruction of the temple and the chaos that will precede the end times. He cautions them against being deceived by false messiahs and the turmoil of wars, earthquakes, and famines. Jesus is not predicting a specific timeline but urging His followers to remain steadfast and trusting in God’s plan. The temple, once a symbol of God’s presence, will be reduced to rubble, but Jesus’ words remind us that true security lies not in earthly structures but in our relationship with the living God.
These readings challenge us to live with integrity and faith in the midst of uncertainty. Like the disciples, we may face trials and confusion, but Jesus calls us to stay vigilant and rooted in His teachings. The harvest imagery in Revelation reminds us that our actions have consequences and that God will ultimately separate the wheat from the chaff. Let us strive to live in a way that reflects our commitment to Christ, trusting that even in the darkest times, God’s plan will unfold. May we remain faithful and hopeful, knowing that the final victory belongs to Him.