Tuesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Take Care Not To Be Misled
Liturgical Cycle: A | Lectionary Cycle: II
Introduction
Year II. Judgment is presented in the reading from Revelation as the reaping of the harvest.
Gospel. Jesus speaks of times of trials, directly of the fall of Jerusalem, which is a symbol of the end time. We may not forget that for us here and now the time of judgment is now: we prepare it now, we undergo, or better, create it now, by the way we live individually and as a community. “Do not be misled,” says Christ. In other words, his message is meant to shake us, to wake us up to live the gospel now.
Opening Prayer
Lord our God,
our faith is not a quiet possession
of the truth and of rites
that may give us security.
Make us realize that it is tested
and that you call us
to be credible witnesses
in our time and our situation
of the passion and resurrection of your Son.
Give us your Holy Spirit
to guide us and to keep our hope alive
that Jesus is our Lord
and you our God for ever.
First Reading
Then I looked and saw a white cloud, and the one sitting on it like a son of man, wearing a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.
An angel came out of the Sanctuary calling loudly to the one sitting on the cloud, “Put in your sickle and reap, for harvest time has come, and the harvest of the earth is ripe.”
He, who was sitting on the cloud, swung his sickle at the earth and reaped the harvest.
Then, another angel, who also had a sharp sickle, came out of the heavenly sanctuary.
Still, another angel, the one who has charge of the altar fire, emerged and shouted to the first who held the sharp sickle, “Swing your sharp sickle, and reap the bunches of the vine of the earth, for they are fully ripe.”
So, the angel swung his sickle and gathered in the vintage, throwing all the grapes into the great winepress of the anger of God.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (13b) The Lord comes to judge the earth.
Say among the nations: The LORD is king.
He has made the world firm, not to be moved;
he governs the peoples with equity.
R. The Lord comes to judge the earth.
Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice;
let the sea and what fills it resound;
let the plains be joyful and all that is in them!
Then shall all the trees of the forest exult.
R. The Lord comes to judge the earth.
Before the LORD, for he comes;
for he comes to rule the earth.
He shall rule the world with justice
and the peoples with his constancy.
R. The Lord comes to judge the earth.
Alleluia Verse
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Remain faithful until death,
and I will give you the crown of life.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
While some people discussed the temple, remarking that it was decorated with fine stonework and abundant gifts, Jesus said to them:
“The days will come when not a single stone will be left on another of all that you now admire; everything will be torn down.”
And they asked him:
“Master, when will this happen, and what will be the sign that it is about to occur?”
Jesus said:
“Take care not to be deceived, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he; the time is near at hand!’ Do not follow them.
When you hear of wars and troubled times, don’t be frightened; for all these things must happen first, even though the end is not so soon.”
And Jesus said:
“Nations will fight against each other, and kingdoms will oppose kingdoms.
There will be great earthquakes, famines, and plagues; in many locations, strange and frightening signs from the sky will be seen.
Prayers of the Faithful
– For the Church of Jesus Christ, that its faith, trust and love may not waver in the difficulties and storms of our time, we pray:
– For those who doubt their faith or are afraid of the future, that God may give them courage and that we may refresh one another’s hope, we pray:
– For a world in the grip of war and violence, of dishonesty and abuse of power, that people of integrity and vision may draw inspiration from the gospel to lead the world back on the road of peace and love, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord our God,
as you will sanctify this bread and this wine
and change them into Jesus, your Son,
let the power of your Holy Spirit
change us into people
imbued with the mentality of Jesus Christ.
Make us more like him,
that we may live for one another
and have nothing to fear
when you call us to you,
our God for ever and ever.
Prayer after Communion
Lord our God,
in this eucharist you have given to us
the word and the body of your Son.
Do not allow us to be misled
by anyone who speaks an easy message.
Let our only sure guide be
he who is our way and truth and life,
our hope and our resurrection,
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Blessing
We are people of hope. We shouldn’t bother about the question when the end of the world will come but live as people who know that they have to be responsible Christians every day. If we do this, there is no reason for fear. May almighty God keep you safe and bless you, the Father and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
REFLECTIONS
The Lord has a plan for us, a plan of hope!
Luke 21:5-11
In this final week of this liturgical calendar, the Church invites us to reflect on the end of days and the end of the world. A previously unimaginable event had occurred by the time Luke wrote his Gospel. Over ten years had passed since the temple of Jerusalem was destroyed.
In Luke's view, Jesus foresees the destruction of the temple, both the physical building and, more importantly, the entire temple-based corrupt system that is embodied in the temple. In addition to the building being destroyed, the oppressive social and religious structure would also be destroyed.
The Lord warns us: "Beware of being led astray; for many will come in my name" (v. 8). We are constantly surrounded by false "saviours" who claim to replace Jesus - people who promise miraculous results if we follow their instructions. “Do not follow them!"
The Lord warns us today, "All that you see here will be thrown down in the days to come." We can be distracted by the glitter of our earthly existence, but Jesus' words remind us that something far more rewarding awaits us. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could live in this assurance? How many of our crosses would vanish if we could!
If we let illusory promises and exaggerated fears of wars, uprisings, strife, and disasters blind us to the truth, we become terrified and desperate - but then the Lord promises that he will be with us till the end of time. He is the Lord of life and history.
But our human tendencies lead us to be very anxious about the future. There are difficult times for all of us, including sickness, setbacks, and missed opportunities. Despite this, we should not worry because God, our heavenly Father, has been planning a future for us from the beginning, "Plans for your welfare and not for destruction, to give you a future of hope” (Jeremiah 29:11).