Only One Kingdom is Forever
Dec. 2: Saturday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Today marks one liturgical year since I started this substack. I can’t believe you’re still here!
Reading 1
Dn 7:15-27
I, Daniel, found my spirit anguished within its covering of flesh, and I was terrified by the visions of my mind. I approached one of those present and asked him what all this meant in truth; in answer, he made known to me the meaning of the things: "These four great beasts stand for four kingdoms which shall arise on the earth. But the holy ones of the Most High shall receive the kingship, to possess it forever and ever."
But I wished to make certain about the fourth beast, so very terrible and different from the others, devouring and crushing with its iron teeth and bronze claws, and trampling with its feet what was left; about the ten horns on its head, and the other one that sprang up, before which three horns fell; about the horn with the eyes and the mouth that spoke arrogantly, which appeared greater than its fellows. For, as I watched, that horn made war against the holy ones and was victorious until the Ancient One arrived; judgment was pronounced in favor of the holy ones of the Most High, and the time came when the holy ones possessed the kingdom. He answered me thus:
"The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom on earth different from all the others; It shall devour the whole earth, beat it down, and crush it. The ten horns shall be ten kings rising out of that kingdom; another shall rise up after them, Different from those before him, who shall lay low three kings. He shall speak against the Most High and oppress the holy ones of the Most High, thinking to change the feast days and the law. They shall be handed over to him for a year, two years, and a half-year. But when the court is convened, and his power is taken away by final and absolute destruction, Then the kingship and dominion and majesty of all the kingdoms under the heavens shall be given to the holy people of the Most High, Whose Kingdom shall be everlasting: all dominions shall serve and obey him."
The beast “shall speak against the Most High and oppress the holy ones of the Most High, thinking to change the feast days and the law” refers to Antiochus IV, the king the Maccabees were rebelling against.
“A year, two years, and a half-year” is one of those Biblical numbers that’s not meant to be taken literally. It’s basically “for a long while.” It adds up to half of seven, which is a “perfect” number, and thus it represents a really bad period of time.
Interestingly, the temple was desecrated for three years, while the persecution (which led to the Maccabean revolt) started a little before that. So this time, the prophetic number may actually have been correct.
But it doesn’t matter whether the Greeks or the Persians or whoever rules for a time. Only one kingdom lasts forever. When the court is convened (i.e. when Jesus comes), God’s kingdom will be everlasting.
Responsorial Psalm
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
"You sons of men, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
"O Israel, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
"Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
"Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
"Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
"Holy men of humble heart, bless the Lord;
praise and exalt him above all forever."
R. Give glory and eternal praise to him.
The book of Daniel was one of the first to develop the doctrine of the resurrection. N. T. Wright calls it a “bridge” between the old testament and the Jews of Jesus’ time. The world was getting ready to hear the Good News—that God’s Kingdom is forever, and we get to be a part of it.
Alleluia
LK 21:36
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Be vigilant at all times and pray
that you may have the strength to stand before the Son of Man.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
This is just the last line of today’s Gospel reading. To a modern, literate congregation, these sorts of things can feel repetitive. But remember, the liturgy was formed in a pre-literate society. Repetition helped people remember the important lessons, since they couldn’t just glance down at the missalette and review.
Gospel
LK 21:34-36
Jesus said to his disciples: “Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap. For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth. Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.”
It's funny, when you talk to internet atheists, they often pull out arguments like, “Do you wear mixed fabric?” or “Is it a sin to eat shellfish?”
The answers to these questions are pretty easy, and not really worth dwelling on. There's not a lot of reason to debate someone who's deepest cut Bible verse comes from an old episode of The West Wing.1
Not to offer them any tips, but a much stronger case against Christianity could be made around the apocalyptic statements from Jesus himself. Take the above Gospel reading, where Jesus says the tribulations are “imminent.”
This is actually a question that’s been bugging Christians since the beginning. Many of Jesus’ followers thought he was coming back immediately. The Gospels weren’t even written until the apostles started dying off.
This part of Luke is similar to the 13th chapter of Mark (which was written first) and 24th chapter of Matthew (which came later). In those books, Jesus predicts the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple.
Luke was written last, after all the Romans destroyed everything. So, he changes the context of the prophesy, removing the implication that this was a sign of the end times. A few verses before this,2 Luke’s account says, “They will fall by the edge of the sword and be taken as captives to all the Gentiles; and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” [Emphasis mine.]
When is that? Who knows?
Hence, the point of this Gospel: be vigilant, don’t become “drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life.”
What’s interesting here is that Jesus refers to, I think, two different types of people. Someone who’s focused on daily chores isn’t someone who’s getting drunk. The latter is something we’re often concerned with as a society, but who ever complains that you’re getting your day-to-day work done?
It’s easy to focus on our earthly duties, and forget about higher things. This is why, a few chapters back,3 Jesus admonishes Martha, saying "Mary has chosen the better part," listening to him rather than serving.
It’s possible to pay too little attention to this world (drunkenness) and too much (anxiety), but you can never be too vigilant in praying.
Aaron Sorkin has done a lot of harm by writing witty characters who nevertheless are woefully uninformed, and misleading large chunks of his audience feeling like they actually learned something.