Wed.Ordinary Time, November 29,2006

Scripture: Revelation 15:1-4. Psalm 98:1-9. Luke 21:12-19 The inspired author of Revelation gives us his name--John. He also tells us he is on the prisoner island of Patmos, exiled there by the Roman oppressors of the Jewish and Christian peoples. I like to identify him as John of Patmos. Exegetes tell us he is not the Evangelist of the Fourth Gospel, but someone who is a follower of the "school of John the Evangelist." In my own study of the book of Revelation I became very much aware of how dependent this person is on the prophetic, historical, and poetic works of the Hebrew Scriptures. In fact, one scholar friend of mine maintains that the author uses these Scriptures over 400 times! This commentator's name is David Barr from Wright State University. He has written a book on the Apocalypse and has taught it for many years; I agree with his statement as I look at the parallel passages as well as the texts themselves. In today's reading we see this verified in Psalm 98 and the responsorial verse which is exactly the same as the opening verse of the hymn that the seer John is telling us is the new hymn being sung in the heavens."Great and wonderful are your works, Lord, mighty God." This became my focus prayer for the day as I was greeted by the sun shining over the Santa Clara Valley and lighting up the Santa Cruz mountains in the distance. What a wonderful sight for making a private retreat! Our Gospel readings from St. Luke continue to speak of the persecutions, the endtimes, and the final judgment. Nevertheless, we are people of hope because of the victory spoken of through Christ's Resurrection. We know of this both from the Book of Revelation and the scene of the vision John of Patmos has as well as what we know from the Resurrection account of St.Luke. True, parts of the Gospel are apocalyptic and eschatological (endtime oriented) as we have noted about Mark chapter 13, but the victory of Jesus is our constant lifeline of hope. Both in the readings and through the Eucharist we are able to persevere and be patient as we wait for the coming of the Lord. It is not to be a threat to us but our hope and our welcoming of the Lord into the present moment. We continue to "worship God alone" as the Book of Revelation tells us to do throughout its pages. Amen.