Daily Readings - Fri Nov 27 2020
Revelation
1And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.2And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,3And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.4And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.11And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.12And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.13And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.15And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Luke
29And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;30When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.31So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.32Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.33Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the ultimate triumph of God’s plan and the hope that sustains us in the face of uncertainty. In the first reading from Revelation, we are given a vision of the end times: Satan is bound, the martyrs reign with Christ, and the final judgment unfolds. This apocalyptic imagery is not meant to frighten but to reassure us that God’s justice and mercy will prevail. The vision of the new heaven and the new earth reminds us that our ultimate destiny is not this broken world but a world transformed by God’s love. The Book of Life, in which the names of the faithful are written, is a powerful reminder that our lives are not judged by earthly standards but by our fidelity to God’s Word.
In the Gospel, Jesus uses the parable of the fig tree to teach us about vigilance and trust in God’s timing. Just as the changing of the seasons is a natural and predictable process, so too are the signs of God’s kingdom unfolding in the world. Jesus assures us that while heaven and earth may pass away, His words will endure forever. This is a call to live with hope and confidence, knowing that God’s plan is being fulfilled, even when we cannot see it clearly.
These readings challenge us to live with our eyes fixed on eternity while being faithful in the present. They remind us that our struggles and uncertainties are not the final word. In a world that often seems dominated by darkness and division, we are called to trust in God’s promise of a new heaven and a new earth. Let us strive to live in such a way that our names are written in the Book of Life, and let us remain vigilant, knowing that the kingdom of God is near. May we find strength in the assurance that God’s Word endures forever, guiding us through every trial and leading us to eternal life.