Saturday of the Thirty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Peter H. Davids

Ordinary Time • Sermon • Submitted 3 years ago

Luke 21:34–36

Luke 21:36

Daniel 7:15–27

Song of Three Youths 37

Song of Three Youths 60–65

Watchfulness

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Lack of watchfulness in Daniel and in Jesus is not about looking for specific events, but of not being lulled by evil or by everyday life so that we fail to do all we do in the light of the coming of the Son of Man, as if we were already standing before him.

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Title

Do Not Become Drowsy

Outline

I have finished That Hideous Strength and I notice that Mark Studdock becomes drowsy

He is unaware of the spiritual dimension of life

He is taken up with social theory that is not moral

He is obsessed with getting into the inner circle and getting ahead and therefore with the politics of his organization

Only far into the story does he become aware that he is a dispensable pawn in a far bigger story than he can imagine and because of that awareness come to repentance

That danger of drowsiness is what we see in Daniel

Daniel 7 is about the empires leading up to Antiochus Epiphanes

It would be easy to get focused on these empires and making one’s way as one became the other

It would be especially easy to look at Antiochus Epiphanes and his destruction of Judaism and decide to save one’s skin with a compromise - God seemed absent

It is only if the centuries and the affairs of this world had not lulled one into drowsiness that one could see all in the light of the ultimate vision: “Then the kingship and dominion and majesty of all the kingdoms under the heavens shall be given to the people of the holy ones of the Most High, Whose kingship shall be an everlasting kingship, whom all dominions shall serve and obey.”

And, of course, this collective is summed up in the rule of the Son of Man.

This parallels Rev 13 - 19, especially 13 and 17, which apply Daniel’s vision to the time of Domitian.

The church on earth sees the power of “the beast” and the natural disasters and wars; it can get drowsy and fail to read the chapters about the glory and sovereignty of heaven.

So Jesus says,

“Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise 35 like a trap. For that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth. 36 Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.”

It is not only overindulgence in pleasures and passions, carousing and drunkenness that make us drowsy, but also “the anxieties of daily life” - class assignments, and lesson plans, and maintaining the Priory, and issues in your families and that sort of thing.

We become drowsy and are surprised by “the tribulations that are imminent” - our Christian behavior and speech slip, we do forget that we should also live as “standing before the Son of Man.” Holiness, sainthood stops being our goal.

In That Hideous Strength drowsiness is what overcame many

Not just those directly involved with the evil side to one degree or another, but others whose minds were focused elsewhere than on the good side, often focused on themselves and their personal concerns. The results were not good.

May God give us alertness so that we stay awake during the long vigil and are found doing all we do as if we were indeed standing before the Lord, the Son of Man.

Readings

Catholic Daily Readings 11-27-2021: Saturday of the Thirty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

FIRST READING

Daniel 7:15–27

15 Because of this, my spirit was anguished and I, Daniel, was terrified by my visions. 16 I approached one of those present and asked him the truth of all this; in answer, he made known to me its meaning: 17 “These four great beasts stand for four kings which shall arise on the earth. 18 But the holy ones of the Most High shall receive the kingship, to possess it forever and ever.”

19 Then I wished to make certain about the fourth beast, so very terrible and different from the others, devouring and crushing with its iron teeth and bronze claws, and trampling with its feet what was left; 20 and about the ten horns on its head, and the other one that sprang up, before which three horns fell; and about the horn with the eyes and the mouth that spoke arrogantly, which appeared greater than its fellows. 21 For, as I watched, that horn made war against the holy ones and was victorious 22 until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was pronounced in favor of the holy ones of the Most High, and the time arrived for the holy ones to possess the kingship. 23 He answered me thus:

“The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom on earth,

different from all the others;

The whole earth it shall devour,

trample down and crush.

24 The ten horns shall be ten kings

rising out of that kingdom;

another shall rise up after them,

Different from those before him,

who shall lay low three kings.

25 He shall speak against the Most High

and wear down the holy ones of the Most High,

intending to change the feast days and the law.

They shall be handed over to him

for a time, two times, and half a time.

26 But when the court is convened,

and his dominion is taken away

to be abolished and completely destroyed,

27 Then the kingship and dominion and majesty

of all the kingdoms under the heavens

shall be given to the people of the holy ones of the Most High,

Whose kingship shall be an everlasting kingship,

whom all dominions shall serve and obey.”

Catholic Daily Readings 11-27-2021: Saturday of the Thirty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

RESPONSE

Daniel 3:59b

59 You heavens, bless the Lord,