Roman Catholic The Word Among Us Daily Mass Reading & Daily Meditation for Friday, 28 November 2014

Roman Catholic The Word Among Us Daily Mass Reading & Daily Meditation for Friday, 28 November 2014
Meditation - Revelation 20: A Thousand Years
1-3 I saw an Angel descending out of Heaven. He carried the key to the Abyss and a chain—a huge chain. He grabbed the Dragon, that old Snake—the very Devil, Satan himself!—chained him up for a thousand years, dumped him into the Abyss, slammed it shut and sealed it tight. No more trouble out of him, deceiving the nations—until the thousand years are up. After that he has to be let loose briefly.
4-6 I saw thrones. Those put in charge of judgment sat on the thrones. I also saw the souls of those beheaded because of their witness to Jesus and the Word of God, who refused to worship either the Beast or his image, refused to take his mark on forehead or hand—they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years! The rest of the dead did not live until the thousand years were up. This is the first resurrection—and those involved most blessed, most holy. No second death for them! They’re priests of God and Christ; they’ll reign with him a thousand years.
Judgment
11-15 I saw a Great White Throne and the One Enthroned. Nothing could stand before or against the Presence, nothing in Heaven, nothing on earth. And then I saw all the dead, great and small, standing there—before the Throne! And books were opened. Then another book was opened: the Book of Life. The dead were judged by what was written in the books, by the way they had lived. Sea released its dead, Death and Hell turned in their dead. Each man and woman was judged by the way he or she had lived. Then Death and Hell were hurled into Lake Fire. This is the second death—Lake Fire. Anyone whose name was not found inscribed in the Book of Life was hurled into Lake Fire.
Everything New
21: I saw Heaven and earth new-created. Gone the first Heaven, gone the first earth, gone the sea.
2 I saw Holy Jerusalem, new-created, descending resplendent out of Heaven, as ready for God as a bride for her husband.
34th Week in Ordinary Time
I saw a new heaven and a new earth. (Revelation 21:1)
Heaven is hard to imagine, isn’t it? A gigantic throne, emerald rainbows, crystalline rivers, an enormous sea of glass, and streets of gold—these are some stunning images that both reveal and veil the glory that is God’s eternal home. That’s because something so awe inspiring can’t be described adequately in words. So what does John mean when he speaks of a “new heaven”?
The answer is that the heaven of John’s vision isn’t new, but it is improved—because of us! Every time heaven gets a new saint, a little more glory is added. And when the last saint arrives, heaven will be “new” because the spotless Church will finally be ready for her bridegroom. Can you imagine all those saints together? Such marvelous splendor, and all of it a reflection of the ultimate splendor coming from Jesus the King!
But back to us. We are “new” as well. As Paul wrote, in Christ we are a “new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Of course, we know we aren’t ready to meet the bridegroom yet. But the Holy Spirit, whom we have received, is the first installment on our heavenly dwelling. So while we are on earth, we may feel a bit like renters who have put a down payment on their first home. We can’t wait to get there!
With that in mind, try not to focus on the old in your prayer today, but on the new. No, you’re not perfect yet. But Jesus certainly is, and his Spirit lives in you! As you come before him in worship, let him give you a glimpse of your heavenly home. Let this glimpse move you out into the world with the good news that everyone can become a new creation. Remember: every person who enters the kingdom makes heaven that much more stunning!
“Father, thank you for the privilege of worshipping at your throne! In your presence I have the fullness of joy. Keep working in me so that I can draw more and more people into your new creation.” Amen!
Psalms 84:3-4 Birds find nooks and crannies in your house,
    sparrows and swallows make nests there.
They lay their eggs and raise their young,
    singing their songs in the place where we worship.
God-of-the-Angel-Armies! King! God!
    How blessed they are to live and sing there!
5-7 And how blessed all those in whom you live,
    whose lives become roads you travel;
They wind through lonesome valleys, come upon brooks,
    discover cool springs and pools brimming with rain!
God-traveled, these roads curve up the mountain, and
    at the last turn—Zion! God in full view!
8-9 God-of-the-Angel-Armies, listen:
    O God of Jacob, open your ears—I’m praying!
Look at our shields, glistening in the sun,
    our faces, shining with your gracious anointing.
Luke 21:29-33 He told them a story. “Look at a fig tree. Any tree for that matter. When the leaves begin to show, one look tells you that summer is right around the corner. The same here—when you see these things happen, you know God’s kingdom is about here. Don’t brush this off: I’m not just saying this for some future generation, but for this one, too—these things will happen. Sky and earth will wear out; my words won’t wear out.

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