Thursday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Faith In A Saving God
Liturgical Cycle: A | Lectionary Cycle: II
Introduction
Year II. In 539 B. C. King Darius had taken the great city of Babylon that had driven the Jews into exile. Likewise, the new Babylon, the city of Rome that was persecuting the young Church, will fall and Christians will openly sing the praise of God.
Gospel. The destruction of Jerusalem and the signs of disaster in nature are for us signs of the trials of the Christian life and of the difficult coming of God’s kingdom among people. But let us not forget that we ourselves too delay this kingdom, by our selfishness, our hunger for power, all the evil we cause one another. Yet our meager efforts will help to bring salvation nearer. With the help of Christ present among us, we can grow in love, forgiveness, compassion, and peace. We should keep our heads raised in hope.
Opening Prayer
Lord our God,
we are your people on the march
who try to carry out the task
of giving shape to your kingdom of love and peace.
When we are discouraged and afraid,
keep us going forward in hope.
Make us vigilant in prayer,
that we may see the signs of your Son’s coming.
Let Jesus walk with us already now
on the road he has shown us,
that he may lead us to you,
our living God for ever and ever.
First Reading
Revelation 18:1-2, 21-23; 19:1-3, 9a
Fall of Babylon
After this, I saw another angel descending from heaven. His authority was so great that the entire earth was illuminated with his glory.
He shouted with a loud voice: “Fallen is Babylon the great! Fallen! She has become a den of demons, a refuge for every unclean spirit, a nest for any filthy and disgusting bird.
A mighty angel picked up a boulder, the size of a large millstone, and threw it into the sea, saying:
“With such violence will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down, never again to be seen.
Never again will the tunes of harpists, minstrels, trumpeters, and flutists be heard in you. Never again will an artisan of any trade be found in you. Never again will the noise of the mill be heard.
Never again will the light of a lamp shine in you. The voice of the bridegroom and the bride will never again be heard in you. Because your traders were the world’s great, and you led the nations astray by your magic spell.
After this, I heard what sounded like the loud singing of a great assembly in heaven:
Alleluia! Salvation, glory, and might belong to our God,
for his judgments are true and just.
He has condemned the great harlot who corrupted the world with her adultery.
He has avenged his servants’ blood, shed by her hand, in harlotry.
Once more, they sang: Alleluia! The smoke from her goes up forever and ever!
Then, the angel told me, “Write: Blessed are those invited to the wedding of the Lamb.” And he went on, “These are true words of God.”
Responsorial Psalm
R. (Rev. 19: 9a) Blessed are they who are called to the wedding feast of the Lamb.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
serve the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful song.
R. Blessed are they who are called to the wedding feast of the Lamb.
Know that the LORD is God;
he made us, his we are;
his people, the flock he tends.
R. Blessed are they who are called to the wedding feast of the Lamb.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
his courts with praise;
Give thanks to him; bless his name.
R. Blessed are they who are called to the wedding feast of the Lamb.
For he is good:
the LORD, whose kindness endures forever,
and his faithfulness, to all generations.
R. Blessed are they who are called to the wedding feast of the Lamb.
Alleluia Verse
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Stand erect and raise your heads
because your redemption is at hand.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that the time has come when it will be destroyed wasteland.
If you are in Judea, flee to the mountains! If you are in Jerusalem, leave! If you are outside the city, don’t enter it!
For these will be the days of its punishment, and everything that was foretold in the Scriptures will be come true.
How difficult will it be for pregnant women and mothers nursing their babies! A great calamity will befall the land, and wrath will come upon these people.
They will be executed by the sword or taken as slaves to other nations.
Jerusalem will be trampled on by the pagans until the time of the pagans is fulfilled.
Then there will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars, and on the earth, nations will suffer anguish, confused when they hear the roaring of the sea and its waves.
People will faint with fear just thinking about what is coming upon the world, for the forces of the universe will be shaken.
Then, at that time, they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
So, when you see things start to happen, stand tall and lift up your heads, because your deliverance is near.”
Prayers of the Faithful
– Lord Jesus, when we are confused and discouraged, tell us: “Stand up and raise your heads, because your salvation is near,” we pray:
– Lord Jesus, make us people of hope, not of fear, we pray:
– Lord Jesus, we pray for people who despair of themselves and of the meaning of life; give them courage and hope, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord our God,
as a pledge of your promises
you give us your Son Jesus Christ
in these signs of bread and wine.
We do not ask you for a life
without problems and risks
but for your Son’s vision
of a world in which you are present
and for your Son’s courage
to answer with our own lives
your call to build up a new world
in Christ Jesus our Lord,
Prayer after Communion
Lord our God, merciful Father,
you have spoken to us your word of hope
and renewed our strength
with the bread of life of your Son.
Free our faith from banality and routine
and send us out with your Son
to restore integrity and love
and the trust that with him
we can give shape to a future
beyond all human expectations,
for the future belongs to you, our living God.
Grant us this through Christ our Lord.
Blessing
Keep your heads high in hope was the message of today. Keep hoping when there are wars and violence. Keep hoping when there is much injustice. Keep hoping when there is much hatred and discrimination. Keep hoping, for there is a future. Christ is with you, and with him we can do away with evil in us and in our world. Keep your heads high, and may God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
REFLECTIONS
Gospel: Luke 21:20–28
Lift Your Head; You Are Not Abandoned
Today’s Gospel contains painful images: a city surrounded, people fleeing, nations distressed and hearts overwhelmed by fear. Jesus does not speak from a distance from human suffering. He addresses people whose world can be shaken.
Then comes an unexpected invitation: stand upright and raise your heads. Their redemption is drawing near.
Reflecting on these words, Pope Francis urged believers to lift their gaze and trust the love of Christ, who draws close in every circumstance. Christian hope does not require us to ignore what is happening; it helps us see beyond the immediate pressure of fear.
For someone awaiting medical results, struggling with debt or worrying about family members in danger, “raise your head” must not become a careless instruction to cheer up. Sometimes hope begins with another person sitting beside us, helping us make a difficult telephone call, or reminding us that we do not have to face tomorrow alone.
We can become that reassuring presence for one another. We may not be able to remove the suffering, but we can refuse to leave someone isolated within it.
The Gospel invites us to face uncertainty with our eyes open—and with our hearts turned towards the Lord who comes to save.
To reflect on: Who needs me to help them lift their head today?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, draw near to all who are frightened or overwhelmed. Lift our eyes towards you, renew our hope, and make us gentle companions to those passing through dark times. Amen.