Monday of Week 33 of Ordinary Time – First Reading

Commentary on Revelation 1:1-4; 2:1-5

As we come to the end of the liturgical year, these two weeks will be devoted to readings from the Book of Revelation (also called Apocalypse). This is probably the book of the New Testament which causes the most puzzlement to many Christians. Its strange, obscure language seems outrageous and difficult to make sense of. For Christians of some denominations, it is an endlessly fertile ground for all kinds of speculation and interpretation about what is going in our world today.

Although it claims to be written by someone called “John”, it is not now believed that this is John the son of Zebedee and one of the 12 Apostles. Nor is the author necessarily to be identified with the writer(s) of John’s Gospel and the three Letters of John. Most probably he was a Palestine-born Jew who had fled into exile, a prophetic figure known to the churches in the Asia Minor region of what is today western Turkey.

There is conflicting internal evidence about the date of writing of the Book of Revelation. Many have come to the conclusion that it was composed in stages over a considerable length of time. The early section on the letters to the churches is also thought originally to have been a separate document. In any case, it is believed that the book was written during a period of persecution for the Church. Whether that was a systematic persecution by the Roman authorities (e.g. over insistence on worship of the emperor as a sign of loyalty), or simply the result of harassment by Jewish and non-Christian neighbours, is not clear. But the purpose of the book is to boost morale and hope in God for a brighter future that will certainly come.

What causes most difficulty is the apocalyptic style, also found in parts of the Old Testament, most notably in the book of Daniel, but also in the prophecy of Ezekiel (and, not surprisingly, these books are regularly quoted in Revelation). This style uses a great deal of symbolism, some of it rather bizarre to our way of thinking, as it promises the punishment of enemies and a glorious future for God’s people.

There is no way a contemporary reader can make any sense of this book without the help of a good commentary. Even then, some of the symbolism is still lost to us. At the same time, we should not be put off nor concentrate our attention too much on the difficulties of the symbolism. Some of the most beautiful spiritual passages in the whole New Testament can be found in this book, and some of them will appear in our readings. Unfortunately, they remain hidden to many people who are put off by the general language of the book.

Today’s reading consists of two parts: part of the prologue to the book, and part of the first of seven letters to churches in the region.

Prologue
The book begins by stating its purpose and intent. It is a “revelation”. This is a translation of the Greek word apokalypsis from which we get the other English title of the book ‘Apocalypse’. It is a revelation coming from Jesus Christ and directed to his “servants” concerning events which are going to take place among God’s people. These servants may be fellow-prophets of the author, or may include evangelists and martyrs, or simply all the baptised in the community.

The receiver of the revelation calls himself John, and the message, whose veracity the author guarantees, comes from an “angel”. The word ‘angel’ means ‘messenger’ (from the Greek angelos), so it may indicate someone sent by Jesus, or the Messiah himself sent by God the Father. The word ‘angel’ appears more than 70 times in Revelation.

Blessed is the one who reads the words of the prophecy, and blessed are those who hear and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.

In essence, this is the first of seven beatitudes which are spread through the text of Revelation.*

The word ‘blessed’ is also translated as ‘happy’, or ‘fortunate’, but means much more than being in a good mood. The Greek adjective makarios includes also the idea of being blessed with good fortune. Not only the present, but a future, enduring happiness is also implied.

Fortunate are those, then, who listen to the author’s “prophecy”. ‘Prophecy’ is less a matter of forecasting future events than of communicating a message or teaching from God. That teaching may include a warning about the way God’s people are misbehaving, but it can also be a message of hope for a brighter and happier future—one much needed by those hearing this message. The reason for the hope is that the “time is near”—that is, the day of Jesus’ return.

Let us, too, listen to what this book has to say. Although it was written at a particular place and time in the history of the Church, it continues to have a message valid for every age.

Letters to the seven churches
The author (‘John’) now addresses seven churches or communities in seven different cities in the Roman Province of Asia (present-day western Turkey). These churches were located about 80 km (50 miles) apart from each other, and formed roughly a circle around the city of Ephesus on the coast. The cities which gave their names to these churches are: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. We will just read sections from the letters to Ephesus, Sardis and Laodicea. It seems the whole text of Revelation was sent to each of these churches (see Rev 1:11). But it also seems that this section of Revelation began life as a separate piece of writing because, unlike the rest of the book, it is not apocalyptic in style.

John begins with an address and a greeting which makes use of many Old Testament allusions suggesting the glorious return of the King-Messiah and his future reign over God’s people in fulfilment of the promise made to David. This is essentially what the whole book is about. Only part of this greeting is included in our reading.

He opens with a traditional form of greeting, wishing the churches:

Grace to you and peace…

He only uses the word “grace” (charis) twice in the book, while Paul uses it more than 100 times in his letters. ‘Grace’ is that gratuitously-given love of God as experienced in our lives.

The greeting comes from:

…from him who is and who was and who is to come…

This is a common title in Jewish literature developed from the words spoken by Yahweh to Moses from the burning bush: “I AM WHO I AM” (Exod 3:14-15).

The letters are more like proclamations from a Persian king or Roman emperor in that each follows the same pattern and, unlike the rest of the book, are highly didactic.

Each proclamation consists of seven common characteristics:

1. destination;
2. the command to write;
3. the archaic “thus says” formula (“these are the words of”);
4. titles of Christ (largely based on the vision in Rev 1:9-20);
5. the “I know” narrative;
6. the proclamation formula (“let anyone who has an ear listen”); and
7. the victory formula (“everyone who conquers” and similar phrases).

Moral exhortation, usually absent from apocalypses, permeates these proclamations. The general pattern in the letters is commendation, complaint and correction.

Although the letters are clearly addressed to specific churches in Asia Minor, some see in the seven letters a preview of church history in its downward course towards the tepidity of the church at Laodicea. Others interpret them as characteristic of various kinds of Christian congregations that have existed from John’s day until the present time. And certainly, each local church today could do well to see whether what is said here applies to them.

What is significant in these letters is that they reveal churches which have both their strengths and their weaknesses, quite similar to the situation in our own day. The Church has never, at any stage in its history, been anything but flawed. And it will never be otherwise.

Letter to the church at Ephesus
Our reading now jumps to chapter 2 and takes up the letter to the Christian community at Ephesus. It is presented, not as a personal message from John, but as a message from God, which John is simply handing on. It is addressed “to the angel of the church in Ephesus.” Here the word angel may mean the personification of the prevailing spirit of the church.

Ephesus was the biggest of the seven cities and capital of the province. The message comes from:

…him who holds the seven stars in his right hand [the Son of Man], who walks among the seven golden lampstands [the seven churches]…

The phrase reminds us of Jesus’ admonition that the Christian community be like a lamp on a lampstand (and not hidden away) to give light to those around it (see Matt 5:14-16).

Following a pattern found in all the letters, John begins by praising the Ephesians. He commends the way they have endured hardships in living their faith and praises their exposing of false teachers posing as apostles. This could refer to a group known as Nicolaitans. They belonged to a now unknown Christian sect in Ephesus and Pergamum. They may also be connected with a ‘Jezebel’ and her followers mentioned in the letter to the church at Thyatira (see Rev 2:18-28).

However, John also regrets that the Ephesians now show less love than before. This includes both their love for Christ and their love for each other. He concludes by exhorting them to go back to their first fervour:

Remember, then, from where you have fallen; repent and do the works you did at first.

They should remember the earlier sinful state from which they had come, and return to the high standards they had set themselves at the time of the first conversion.

John tells them:

I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.

Their “lampstand” here refers to their status as a Christian community. If they continue as they are now, they are no longer shining the light of Christ to the world around them.

We, too, can point to the heroism of our predecessors in maintaining the faith through many trials and sufferings. It is because of them that we have the faith today. But in these easier times, our commitment to Christ and the Gospel can weaken. It is not difficult to drop out, and no one will be very shocked. People do not care very much whether we are “religious” or not.

We have lost much of that vision which inspired our predecessors, but it can be recovered. It needs to be recovered if our church is to be truly a lampstand giving light to its surroundings.

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*For convenience, the complete list of seven Beatitudes are given here. However, only one of them, the 6th, appears in our liturgy readings.

The seven beatitudes in Revelation are:

1. Blessed is the one who reads the words of the prophecy, and blessed are those who hear and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. (Rev 1:3)
2. Blessed are the dead who from now on die in the Lord. (Rev 14:13)
3. Blessed is the one who stays awake and is clothed [with the teaching of the Gospel], not going about naked and exposed to shame. (Rev 16:15)
4. Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. (Rev 19:9)
5. Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. (Rev 20:6)
6. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book. (Rev 22:7)
7. Blessed are those who wash their robes [keep his commandments] so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by the gates. (Rev 22:14)

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Monday of Week 33 of Ordinary Time – Gospel

Commentary on Luke 18:35-43

Here we have Luke’s version of the story of the blind man, called by Mark, Bar-Timaeus—the son of Timaeus.

In Mark, the story is strategically placed at the end of a long teaching section where Jesus’ disciples are slowly deepening their understanding of Jesus and his mission. The story, full of symbols, sums up all that has gone before. It is like a mini-gospel (see the commentary for Thursday of Week 8 in Ordinary Time).

In Luke, the story has also a very significant positioning. It falls between two other stories, both about rich people. One was a highly religious man who was not able to accept Jesus’ condition that he share his wealth with the poor before becoming a disciple. The other is about a man who supposedly was anything but religious and yet, after meeting Jesus, gives away a large proportion of his wealth to the poor. Which of these was really blind?

In addition, the first story of a rich man is followed by the third prediction of Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection, after which, says Luke, the disciples did not understand what Jesus was talking about:

But they understood nothing about all these things; in fact, what he said was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said. (Luke 18:34)

His Apostles—they too are blind.

As the story opens, we are told that Jesus was approaching Jericho. Jericho was already a very ancient city, located about 8 km west of the River Jordan and about 25 km north-east of Jerusalem. In Jesus’ time, the Jericho of the Old Testament was largely abandoned, but a new city, south of the old one, had been built by Herod the Great. It was the last main stop for Jesus before arriving in Jerusalem.

In Mark’s version, Jesus is leaving Jericho, but here Luke has Jesus approaching the city. Mark has Jesus leaving Jericho on the way to Jerusalem and his passion, and the blind man becomes his follower. Luke has Jesus going into and through Jericho on the way to Jerusalem because he wants to bring in Zacchaeus (a rich man whose eyes are opened by Jesus), a story not mentioned by either Mark or Matthew.

Luke’s story begins with a blind man sitting beside the road begging (in Matthew’s account, there are actually two blind men; see Matt 20:29-34). As we have mentioned before, the ‘road’ is the Way to Jerusalem on which all of Jesus’ disciples must walk together with him. When the beggar hears that Jesus is passing by he begins to call out in a loud voice:

Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!

By addressing Jesus as ‘Son of David’, he implies Jesus’ role as Messiah-King.

The people tell him to keep quiet. A useless beggar like him has no right disturbing the Master. But the man ignores them and keeps crying out (in this he reminds us of the persistent widow we read about the other day). Then, Jesus stops. If the man had not kept calling out, Jesus might not have heard him and might have passed forever out of his life. How often does that happen to us?

Jesus orders the man to be brought to him. Again, it is always through other people that we come to know Jesus—and sometimes it will be through me, and only through me, that others will come to know him. I may be the only link that a person has with Jesus—something to think about. On the other hand, I may be the one person who blocks someone approaching Jesus and his Way. We saw earlier what happens to those who are a ‘scandal’, a stumbling block to Jesus.

Jesus asks:

What do you want me to do for you?

It is a question that he keeps asking me. How do I answer? Have my answers changed over the years? Today let me reflect on what I really want from him. And ask him for it.

Now listen to this man’s response to Jesus’ question:

Lord, let me see again.

Of course, one might think, it was a natural response from a person who was blind. But in a wider sense, so is each one of us. We all need to see. It is our poor sight that prevents us from knowing Jesus and seeing where he wants us to go. We could hardly make a better request.

Jesus immediately responds:

Receive your sight; your faith has saved you.

If only we too had the faith that would help us to see clearly!

And what did the man do when he could see? He became a follower of Jesus and gave glory to God. No longer blind, no longer a beggar, no longer by the road, but on the road with Jesus. On the road—and Jesus is the Road, the Way—to Jerusalem and all that it means. That is the natural response for those who can really see.

Just before this (not part of our readings), the rich man who wanted “eternal life” was not able to “see” and so could not accept Jesus’ invitation. In contrast, tomorrow we will meet someone who did have his eyes opened and responded generously.

The story also applies to Jesus’ disciples who gradually will have their eyes opened too, and then they will understand why Jesus had to suffer and die on his way to glory. They will understand that it was the uttermost proof of God’s love for each one of us.

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