Apocalypse Eventually
Dec. 1: Friday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Daniel is an apocalyptic book, as is the section of Luke we’re reading today. The end of the world isn’t something to look forward to, exactly, but it is something we’re meant to understand.
And even if the whole world doesn’t end soon, our world will end, sooner than we think. We all have to face our personal apocalypse, our individual judgement. It’s what the Church’s lectionary wants us thinking about as we approach the end of the liturgical year.
Reading 1
Dn 7:2-14
In a vision I, Daniel, saw during the night, the four winds of heaven stirred up the great sea, from which emerged four immense beasts, each different from the others. The first was like a lion, but with eagle's wings. While I watched, the wings were plucked; it was raised from the ground to stand on two feet like a man, and given a human mind. The second was like a bear; it was raised up on one side, and among the teeth in its mouth were three tusks. It was given the order, "Up, devour much flesh." After this I looked and saw another beast, like a leopard; on its back were four wings like those of a bird, and it had four heads. To this beast dominion was given. After this, in the visions of the night I saw the fourth beast, different from all the others, terrifying, horrible, and of extraordinary strength; it had great iron teeth with which it devoured and crushed, and what was left it trampled with its feet. I was considering the ten horns it had, when suddenly another, a little horn, sprang out of their midst, and three of the previous horns were torn away to make room for it. This horn had eyes like a man, and a mouth that spoke arrogantly. As I watched,
Thrones were set up and the Ancient One took his throne. His clothing was snow bright, and the hair on his head as white as wool; His throne was flames of fire, with wheels of burning fire. A surging stream of fire flowed out from where he sat; Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him, and myriads upon myriads attended him.
The court was convened, and the books were opened. I watched, then, from the first of the arrogant words which the horn spoke, until the beast was slain and its body thrown into the fire to be burnt up. The other beasts, which also lost their dominion, were granted a prolongation of life for a time and a season. As the visions during the night continued, I saw
One like a son of man coming, on the clouds of heaven; When he reached the Ancient One and was presented before him, He received dominion, glory, and kingship; nations and peoples of every language serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away, his kingship shall not be destroyed.
The kingdoms of man are seen as beasts—the Babylonian empire was commonly represented as a winged lion; a bear represents the Median empire, its three tusks symbolizing its destructive nature; a leopard is used to symbolize the swiftness with which Cyrus the Persian established his kingdom.
Alexander’s empire was different from the others, in that it was Western rather than Eastern, and far exceeded the others in power. So his beast was scary and kind of indefinable.
God sits in judgement of all of them, though, no matter how frightening or imposing they appear to us.
Jesus, the Son of Man, is the one who will ultimately have dominion over everything.
Responsorial Psalm
Dn 3:75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
"Mountains and hills, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
"Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever.
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
"You springs, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
"Seas and rivers, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
"You dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
"All you birds of the air, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
"All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!
Unlike the unnatural creatures describes in the first reading, who attempt to defy God with arrogant words, this song describes nature giving Him His due glory.
Alleluia
Lk 21:28
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
This is Jesus’ instructions to the Apostles, after telling them that, after a great tribulation, “the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” The similar phrasing one reason why we’re pretty sure they were reading the book of Daniel in the first century.
Gospel
Lk 21:29-33
Jesus told his disciples a parable. "Consider the fig tree and all the other trees. When their buds burst open, you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near; in the same way, when you see these things happening, know that the Kingdom of God is near. Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away."
“These things” Jesus refers to are the The Great Tribulation1—the destruction of the second temple by Rome. There will also be “the times of the Gentiles”— a period of indeterminate length separating the destruction of Jerusalem from the cosmic signs accompanying the coming of the Son of Man referred to above.
Jesus seems to be saying “you’ll know it when you see it,” the way you know when the seasons are changing, even without a calendar.
But no matter what disasters are going on around us, never forget: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away."
Whether it’s our Apocalypse or the final one, we will always have Jesus’ promise of salvation.