Throughout the Easter Season this year, our second reading at Sunday Mass has come from the Book of Revelation. Of all the books in the Bible, I think that Catholics struggle the most with Revelation in not knowing what to make of it. For some Christians, the Book of Revelation speaks of things yet to come. The Catholic interpretation is that, yes, Revelation does speak of future realities but not literally in specific details.
The description of Revelation from the US Bishops’ website states “this much, however, is certain: symbolic descriptions are not to be taken as literal descriptions, nor is the symbolism meant to be pictured realistically. One would find it difficult and repulsive to visualize a lamb with seven horns and seven eyes; yet Jesus Christ is described in precisely such words (Rev 5:6). The author used these images to suggest Christ’s universal (seven) power (horns) and knowledge (eyes). A significant feature of apocalyptic writing is the use of symbolic colors, metals, garments (Rev 1:13–16; 3:18; 4:4; 6:1–8; 17:4; 19:8), and numbers (four signifies the world, six imperfection, seven totality or perfection, twelve Israel’s tribes or the apostles, one thousand immensity). Finally the vindictive language in the book (Rev 6:9–10; 18:1–19:4) is also to be understood symbolically and not literally. The cries for vengeance on the lips of Christian martyrs that sound so harsh are in fact literary devices the author employed to evoke in the reader and hearer a feeling of horror for apostasy and rebellion that will be severely punished by God.”
The first part of Revelation seems to capture readers more than the second part; the first part being of doom and gloom, actually speaking symbolically of the early Church’s situation at the time that Revelation was written. This Sunday’s second reading comes from the second to the last chapter of the book and it is in these last chapters that I find the book’s true beauty as it invites us to hope in things yet to come.
This Sunday, the reading from Revelation invites us to hope in two wonderful aspects of the future. First, we hear John speak of his vision of a new heaven and a new earth, a clear reminder for us to hope in the fact that all of creation will be made new by our God. The second greater hope given to us is that, for the faithful, this life will give way to an eternity with God; an eternity free from darkness and sin, pain and death, and an eternity of divine intimacy with our Lord. As we continue through the Easter season, may the word of God given to us in the Book of Revelation remind us that this is what Easter is pointing us towards. Easter is a two-fold mystery. It remembers first the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead but it also points to the truth that we shall share in his Resurrection, that we will live in the eternal Easter. May that truth be a source of hope for us today and every day.
Bravo Frozen Jr.
Last weekend our school returned to the performance of a larger spring musical with Frozen Jr. and it was a triumph! Thank you and congratulations to our students who through their hard work put on three wonderful performances. Thank you also to the members of our school staff and the many volunteers who helped to make this year’s show happen.
Blessings to you and yours for the week ahead!
Father Chris House