Tuesday of the
Thirty-third week in Ordinary Time
(Revelation 3:1-6.14-22; Luke 19:1-10)
The old woman listens to the news with a dose of chagrin. It may be fires in California or hurricanes
in Florida that sets her off. She
believes that these catastrophes are a message from God. She says, “God is trying to tell us
something, but no one is listening.” The
Book of Revelation has a similar theme.
The opening chapters of the book contain letters written
to the churches of Asia Minor. The seer
John is relaying God’s warning to Christians who are not living the faith they
profess. One letter, which is read today,
is addressed to the progressive community at Sardis. It accepted the Christian message with
enthusiasm a generation or two ago. Now,
as it wants to move on to something else, John calls it back to its original
commitment. Similarly the church of Laodicea
is not living up to the gospel. It is no
better or worse than other peoples. That
is scandalous for a people who claim to follow Christ. John will have no more to do with them that
he would with rotten a rotten apple.
The Book of Revelation is timely in every
generation. It certainly is so
today. We live in an age where
solidarity among people is regularly ignored.
We construct homes in gated communities.
And play games with ourselves on our personal telephones. These are not ways to prepare for Christ’s return.
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