November 23, 2012

Friday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 501

Reading 1 from St. John's Book of Revelations
Rv 10:8-11

I, John, heard a voice from heaven speak to me.Then the voice spoke to me and said:"Go, take the scroll that lies open in the hand of the angelwho is standing on the sea and on the land."

The revelation to St. John continues.  This time the voice of God tells him to take another scroll which is held in the hands of an angel standing on the sea and land.

I always pictured this angel to be a giant, but come to think of it, he could simply be standing on the beach

So I went up to the angel and told him to give me the small scroll.
He said to me, "Take and swallow it.
It will turn your stomach sour,
but in your mouth it will taste as sweet as honey."
I took the small scroll from the angel's hand and swallowed it.
In my mouth it was like sweet honey,
but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour.

A scroll is an old fashioned sort of book.  Instead of folding into pages, it rolls up.  St. John was instructed to swallow the scroll which is apparently small enough to put in his mouth.

The scroll tastes sweet in the mouth because it is the Word of God which is beneficial to those who obey it.

But it is sour in the stomach because many will not obey it and will receive the punishment of God.  This reminds me of another verse:

Ezekiel 3:3
King James Version (KJV)
3 And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness.

Then someone said to me, "You must prophesy again
about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings."

Then St. John was instructed to teach about the things he would see in his vision.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 119:14, 24, 72, 103, 111, 131

R. (103a) How sweet to my taste is your promise!

In the way of your decrees I rejoice,
as much as in all riches.

R. How sweet to my taste is your promise!

Yes, your decrees are my delight;
they are my counselors.

R. How sweet to my taste is your promise!

The law of your mouth is to me more precious
than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

R. How sweet to my taste is your promise!

How sweet to my palate are your promises,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!

R. How sweet to my taste is your promise!

Your decrees are my inheritance forever;
the joy of my heart they are.

R. How sweet to my taste is your promise!

I gasp with open mouth
in my yearning for your commands.

R. How sweet to my taste is your promise!

God is sweet to the palate.  

Psalm 34:8
O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. 

Of course, these are spiritually veiled references to the Holy Eucharist, the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ:

1 Corinthians 11:28-30
King James Version (KJV)
28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.  29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.  30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke
Lk 19:45-48

Jesus entered the temple area and proceeded to drive out
those who were selling things, saying to them,
"It is written, My house shall be a house of prayer,
but you have made it a den of thieves."

Jesus did not tolerate those who were using the Temple of our Lord to make a personal profit at the expense of the faithful.

And every day he was teaching in the temple area.
The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people, meanwhile,
were seeking to put him to death,

Meanwhile, the Jews were seeking to put Him to death:

John 11:49-51
King James Version (KJV)
49 And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,
50 Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.
51 And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation.

but they could find no way to accomplish their purpose
because all the people were hanging on his words.

But they couldn't find a way to succeed in their plans, because the people loved Jesus and were always with Him.

Sincerely,

De Maria