Homily: Monday - 33rd Week in OT 2016 - You are not alone

What a fitting way to end the liturgical year! For the next two weeks, our daily readings are taken from the Book of Revelation, the last book of the New Testament. Revelation has certainly captured the imagination of our culture in books and movies—stories about the end times, the rapture, the second coming, the antichrist, the war between the angels and demons. 

One of the reasons I hosted a 10 week bible study this fall on the Book of Revelation was to set the record straight: our knowledge of God’s word shouldn’t come from Hollywood, but from the Word of God itself.

Back in 2006, Pope Benedict made some comments about this book, he said: “The apostle John’s objective in writing the book of Revelation is to unveil, from the death and resurrection of Christ, the meaning of human history”. Pope Benedict saw this book as a sort of key to understand humanity.

St. John, the author of Revelation was writing to the early church as they were experiencing great temptations to abandon the faith. They were experiencing great pressure from the surrounding pagan culture; they were being pressured by the government to practice the false religion of Rome with its emperor worship, its many immoralities, and its temptations of extravagant wealth.

Writing at the end of the 1st century, there were also already false religious teachers claiming to be teaching the Christian faith, but who the Apostle quite keenly recognizes to be twisting the truth of Christ, often for political purposes. For example, John condemns the Nikolatians, for their dangerously casual attitude toward the values of Rome.

And John relates to these persecuted Christians several visions that were given to Him by God: visions of the Dragon and the Devil’s ongoing war against God, a beast rising from the sea, the blood of the wicked being poured out like wine from a winepress.  Also visions of hope, the heavenly throne room, the eternal city, which will be the reward for all those who faithfully endure and keep the faith.

The very first vision John shares, as we heard today “‘The one who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks in the midst of the seven gold lampstands.” Jesus Christ, walking among the seven lampstands, symbolizing the seven churches of Asia Minor, and all the communities of the Catholic Church. A powerful vision, reminding the persecuted, suffering Christians, that they are not alone, that God is not only aware of their suffering , but he is with them in their suffering. This is the meaning of human history, as Pope Benedict said, this is the meaning of our lives; that suffering, persecution, being hated by the world, for Christians, this is unavoidable; but as we suffer, Jesus Christ is with us.

In all of the confusion, pain, and moral choices of the Christian life: we are not alone; Jesus is with us, through the compassion of spouses, family, and friends, through the preaching and advice of Church ministers, through our person meditation of Scripture. He is with the Church, of course, Sacramentally, offering grace, strength, and forgiveness. And he is leading and guiding us through the official teaching office of the Holy Catholic Church.

In our works and labors and sufferings, may we know his close presence, may we be strengthened in faith, and comforted in our afflictions for the glory of God and salvation of souls.