Second Sunday of Easter---Liturgical Cycle C

Lectionary Readings

Homily

Today, and for the next five Sundays, the church presents to us readings from the Book of Revelation, or Apocalypse. This book of the bible is seldom used in our Liturgical services of the Word and is not often read or preached about within the Catholic community.

However, it is very popular among evangelistic church communions and is used by many preachers to predict the future. The language is very symbolic and lends itself to all kinds of interpretations, which is probably why many find the book the most difficult to understand in all of the bible.

Apocalyptic writing is a literary device, a way of writing that was very popular in antiquity—the Book of Daniel is such a form of writing. The word itself, apocalypse, means a revelation, an uncovering, a decoding. The work is fashioned in such a manner that only the “insiders” will catch the message. Much of the composition (estimated as well over 80%) is taken from phrases out of the Old Testament, especially the language and thought patterns of the books of Ezekiel and Zechariah. For an outsider, one not familiar with the Old Testament and the Christian teachings, the work would have made no sense at all—it would have been written in coded language which the casual reader would be unable to uncover, to decode, to have the message revealed.

Symbolic descriptions are not to be taken literally. For example, Christ the Lord is described as the Lamb—with seven eyes and seven horns. Seven is the number of perfection in this code and so the Lamb has perfect power (the horns) and perfect knowledge (the eyes). In the bible, as well as other writings of antiquity, numbers are used as symbolic codes:
• four is the world;
• six symbolizes imperfection,
• twelve stands for the apostles, the nations of Israel (12 tribes);
• a thousand means immensity, infinity.

For example, the “144,000 saved” (from the familiar reading on All Saints Day) becomes 12 X 12 added to the symbol of the thousand and signifies an unlimited number, unable to be counted.

Another significant feature of apocalyptic writing is the use of symbolic colors, e.g. the colors of the famous four horses of the Apocalypse: White, Red, Black and Sickly Green. Or the yellow gold mentioned in today’s reading—of the lampstand and around the waist of the Lord.

Since what God is revealing to us in the scriptures is what the sacred author intended to say, it is of the utmost importance that we strive to uncover exactly what is meant by the author and do not read into it what we think it ought to say. In order to do this we must take into account the historical situation that the Book of Revelation reflects.

Catholic as well as Protestant biblical scholars now agree that the book was written between the years 81 and 96, and was a reflection of the crisis in which the early Christian communities found themselves. Emperor Domitian ruled over the Roman Empire and was a bigger despot then Nero. Realizing the vast kingdom was beginning to split, he sought to unite it not only by military force, but also by an oath of interior loyalty. Thus he had his image set up in the principle townships with an eternal flame burning in front of it and all suspected subjects were to offer a pinch of incense—for Domitian declared himself to be both lord and god, in Latin: Dominus et Deus, in Greek: Erios Theos! The writer of Revelation declares that’s going too far and counsels the young Christian communities to resist. And the first worldwide persecution begins, the blood of martyrs flows.

Some Christians accommodated the gospel. They are the Nicolaitans spoken of in the seven letters to the churches. The Lord says: “You must detest the practices of the Nicolaitans, just as I do.” The thrust of the book, and its value for us today, is the strong statement to remain faithful, not to accommodate the Gospel in the face of secularism—to be, as the writer of Apocalypse calls, a witness, a martyr for Jesus, who alone is the first and the last, who alone is Lord and God.

To the angel of the church in Ephesus, write this:

“The one who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks in the midst of the seven gold lampstands says this: “I know your works, your labor, and your endurance, and that you cannot tolerate the wicked; you have tested those who call themselves apostles but are not, and discovered that they are impostors. Moreover, you have endurance and have suffered for my name, and you have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: you have lost the love you had at first. Realize how far you have fallen. Repent, and do the works you did at first. Otherwise, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. But you have this in your favor: You hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

‘Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the victor I will give the right to eat from the tree of life that is in the garden of God.’”
Revelation 2:1-7


The seven lampstands symbolize the whole church, as well as the seven letters of encouragement addressed to the churches at:

Ephesus Smyrna
Pergamum Thyatira
Sardis Philadelphia
Laodicea

These letters end with this admonition:

Let those who have ears heed the Spirit’s word to the churches.

--Fr. Pat

Excerpt from "A Catholic's Companion: Liturgical Cycle C" (c)2000 C. Patrick Creed
Published by Watchmaker Press. Maggie Hettinger, editor