Daily Readings - Tue Nov 22 2022
Revelation
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
Luke
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
In today's readings, we encounter vivid imagery from Revelation and Luke, both pointing us toward reflections on the end times and our preparedness. The first reading from Revelation presents a vision of the Son of Man reaping the earth's harvest with a sharp sickle, accompanied by angels who harvest grapes and cast them into God's wrath. This apocalyptic scene symbolizes God's judgment and the final reckoning, urging us to consider our spiritual readiness.
In the Gospel, Luke describes Jesus prophesying the destruction of the temple, a historical event that occurred in 70 AD. Jesus warns against false messiahs and impending disasters, emphasizing that the end is not immediate but will be preceded by turmoil. Both readings, while distinct, share a common theme of preparedness and faithfulness amidst uncertainty.
As we reflect on these passages, we are reminded to stay vigilant and rooted in our faith. In our daily lives, we should avoid complacency and false teachings, instead nurturing our relationship with God and living virtuously. The moral lesson here is clear: trust in God's plan, remain faithful, and be prepared for the unexpected. Let us focus on eternal life, looking beyond earthly concerns to the promise of everlasting peace with God.