Friday November 26

THIRTY-FOURTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME  

THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS NEAR

Introduction

In the famous chapter 7 of Daniel, a mysterious “Son of Man” (a human being) is announced. Is he an individual or a community? He belongs to both earth and heaven and will inaugurate a kingdom that comes as a gift from God, not as an earthly conquest. Jesus will apply this title to himself and purify it. The empires built on power and godlessness are ridiculed: they are statues with feet of clay, or like monstrous animals. God will judge them, so they will disappear.

The faithful should keep hope in patience: God’s kingdom is near. There are not only tensions and conflicts inside God’s people and from outside: there are also signs of hope, and we should see these signs.

Opening Prayer

God of the ages and of eternity,
you have entrusted to us, your people,
your project about people and the world.
Do not allow us to delay your plans
by our own limitations.
Make us aware that all we can do is
being a leaven, and a sign
that the seed you have sown will grow.
Keep us hoping in patience,
that integrity, love and justice
will come in your own good time
as a gift from you,
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Reading: 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.

Responsorial Psalm: DN 3:75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81

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!

Alleluia: LK 21:28

Alleluia, alleluia.
Stand erect and raise your hands
Because your redemption is at hand.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

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.”

Intercessions

– That we may always look for signs of hope when life is difficult and our faith is tested, we pray:

– That we may always keep trusting the Lord Jesus, that he is with us until the end of time, we pray:

– That we may accept that it is difficult for the kingdom of God to break through and to bring justice and love to all, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

God of the promises,
to destroy the powers of evil
your Son came not as a triumphant king
but as the suffering Son of Man.
In this bread and this wine,
we join our destiny to his.
May we learn from him
whose apparent failure led to victory
to accept the tensions of our time
and the slow growth of your kingdom
in patience and hope.
For we know that you keep your promises
of unending life and love and happiness
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Prayer after Communion

Lord God of hope,
you have given us a beautiful dream
of your unending reign of love and joy,
but we are torn between discouragement and hope
because it is beyond our powers.
Thank you for reviving our expectations
through the body and blood of your Son.
Help us to grow into new people
through our tensions and struggles
by the strength of him to whom you have given
sovereignty and glory and kingship,
Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Blessing

It is sometimes said by non-believers that Christians look up to heaven because they cannot deal with the world. Christ tells us that we have to deal with the world and to change it, to work towards “a new heaven and a new earth.” Let us try to do so with the blessing of Almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Commentary

In every crisis is an opportunity. Every cloud has a silver lining. Death ushers in birth. Amidst tragedies new hope is born. We often hear heartwarming stories of babies being born right in the midst of a devouring tsunami or a shattering earthquake. Something seems to end, but something else is just beginning. There is hope beyond hopelessness. After the darkest hour, the light of dawn breaks. 

Jesus uses the image of the fig tree to teach the disciples that amidst all violence, wars, natural disasters, and manmade calamities, when everything is thought to end forever, there will be signs of new life—God will triumph and His Kingdom will come. The image of the fig tree is significant for the Jews of Jesus’s times. Fig was part of their food. It bore fruit twice a year, in the autumn and in the early spring. When buds sprouted on the figs, they knew the season was beginning. And they were filled with anticipation and preparation. 

When all seems to end, do not lose heart. It’s all just beginning. Read the signs of the times, the signs of the Spirit.