Daily Readings - Fri Nov 18 2022
Revelation
8And again, I heard a voice from heaven speaking with me and saying: "Go and receive the open book from the hand of the Angel who stands upon the sea and upon the land.9And I went to the Angel, saying to him that he should give the book to me. And he said to me: "Receive the book and consume it. And it shall cause bitterness in your stomach, but in your mouth it shall be sweet like honey.10And I received the book from the hand of the Angel, and I consumed it. And it was sweet like honey in my mouth. And when I had consumed it, my stomach was made bitter11And he said to me, "It is necessary for you to prophesy again about many nations and peoples and languages and kings.
Luke
45And entering into the temple, he began to cast out those who sold in it, and those who bought46saying to them: "It is written: ‘My house is a house of prayer.’ But you have made it into a den of robbers.47And he was teaching in the temple daily. And the leaders of the priests, and the scribes, and the leaders of the people were seeking to destroy him48But they could not find what to do to him. For all the people were listening to him attentively
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on the nature of God's message and our response to it. The first reading from Revelation presents John being instructed by an angel to eat a book, which is sweet in his mouth but bitter in his stomach. This act symbolizes the prophet's role: receiving God's word, which brings joy but also the burden of proclaiming truths that may be difficult to hear. The second reading from Luke depicts Jesus cleansing the temple, driving out merchants and money changers, and emphasizing that the temple should be a house of prayer. This act of cleansing is a prophetic stand against corruption and the misuse of sacred spaces.
Both readings highlight the dual nature of God's message. In Revelation, the sweetness of the book represents the comfort and grace of God's word, while its bitterness signifies the challenging truths it may carry. In Luke, Jesus' action is a call to integrity and reverence, showing that upholding what is sacred often requires confronting injustice. These readings are connected through the theme of prophetic witness—both John and Jesus are called to deliver God's message, even when it leads to discomfort or conflict.
In our daily lives, these readings invite us to embrace the fullness of God's truth. Just as John consumed the book and Jesus cleansed the temple, we are called to receive God's word with openness and to live it out courageously. This means standing against injustice, even when it is inconvenient, and being willing to endure the bitterness that may come with faithfully following God's will. Let us strive to be temples of prayer, living in harmony with God's truth and reflecting His love and justice in the world.