Some readings at the end of the liturgical year and the beginning of Advent are from "apocalyptic" books such as Daniel and the "little apocalypses" in the Synoptic Gospels. These passages refer to cosmic disturbances (sun and mood falling out of the sky), wars, and terror-stricken people, giving the impression of punishment by an angry God. The impression is completely false. Apocalyptic literature was written to encourage people and enliven their hope in God's rule of history.

Here are three rules of thumb for interpreting apocalyptic literature, which may assist preachers. (1) The literature originated among ancient royal scribes. Employees of the king, they naturally interpreted the course of history as the successive rise and fall of empires, e.g., the Assyrian kingdom followed by the Babylonian kingdom followed by the Persian kingdom. Moreover, taking the rule of the gods seriously, they assumed that the succession of empires reflected the rise and fall of an empire's patron deity. (2) Destruction and war customarily accompanied change of empire, and the destruction was sometimes expressed metaphorically as the disruption of natural processes such as heavenly luminaries and earthquakes. (3) Biblical authors used this ancient way of speaking to express their conviction that the succession of empires, "the course of history," would eventually end and yield to the empire or kingdom of God (e.g., Daniel). New Testament writers adopted the Old Testament perspective and taught further that the definitive kingdom of God had arrived in Jesus, though it co-exists for the time being with other kingdoms. Christians had to learn to live in this kingdom, which had not yet arrived in its completeness. They thus rejoiced in this kingdom even as they waited for its full realization.

Richard Clifford, S.J.

21st Sunday, Ordinary Time

Isa 66:18-21 is the conclusion of the book of Isaiah that began with God's condemnation of Zion (a sacred name for Jerusalem) as utterly corrupt (1:21-28), and his promise of a purifying visitation or judgment that would make it righteous. This threatening passage, however, is immediately followed by the well known promise that a purified Zion will be a magnet for the nations (2:2-4): "In days to come, the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established as the highest mountain and raised above the hills. All nations shall stream toward it" (v. 2). Isaiah 65 records the purification-judgment of Zion predicted in 1:21-28, and Isaiah 66 describes the nations' pilgrimage to the purified city predicted in 2:1-4. Isa 66:18-21 (Sunday's reading) tells how the divine Glory again resides in the city and the purified residents of the city go forth "to proclaim my glory among the nations." (Unfortunately, the Lectionary rendering [NAB] mistranslates as "fugitives" a Hebrew word that here means "survivors," i.e., those that survived the purifying judgment of Zion. Virtually all modern translations have "survivors.") The "survivors" or messengers will bring back from exiled Israelites ("your brothers and sisters") as well as the nations to make offerings on the holy mountain of Zion. Thus the book of Isaiah ends in triumph, describing how the Lord rectifies what humans have corrupted and dwells again in the midst of the holy people with the nations.

Luke 13:22-30 similarly is concerned with the salvation of the nations as well as the holy people of God. The tone is somber as Jesus strides inexorably toward Jerusalem to meet his fate. Refusing to answer the question about how many will be saved, he cautions his audience that simply associating with him ("We ate and drank in your company") is not enough to enter the kingdom. Rather, conversion to Jesus is necessary, the kind of conversion shown by the great ancestors of Israel (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets) and by nameless multitudes from the four corners of the earth. Just as Isaiah taught that it is not enough simply to live in Jerusalem without embracing the Lord's purifying visitation, so it is not enough simply to be in Jesus' company without embracing his way of life and heeding his words.

The preacher can choose several paths: to emphasize the need of openness to the purifying word and work of God and not be content with passively going through the motions of religious observance; to show that God's grace triumphs over corruption or indifference and brings outsiders to the center; to draw a parallel between God's process of purifying the holy city of Jerusalem and Jesus's journey to purify Jerusalem.

Richard Clifford, S.J.

Wisdom of Solomon (also known as the Book of Wisdom) offers a perspective on Luke 12. An extended essay in elegant Greek, Wisdom of Solomon was written for Egyptian Jews around the first century B.C. Like some of the literature produced in this period, it retells biblical traditions in an elaborate and often allusive style.

Today's excerpt retells Exodus 11–12, the death of the Egyptian firstborn and the sparing, through the smearing of the paschal lambs' blood, of the Hebrews firstborn. The lectionary excerpt emphasizes two things: (1) the exodus generation, "our fathers," knew ahead of time that the divine intervention would uphold them and punish their enemies; (2) the same act would both uphold them and put down their enemies. Why? Because God's just interventions or "judgments" establish justice, that is, to rectify the kind of injustice that the enslaved Hebrews were suffering. Trusting in the covenantal promises made to their ancestors ("the oaths"), the Hebrews waited expectantly for God's arrival. (A couple of clarifications regarding the translation: "in secret" may refer to the Hebrews' worshiping unbeknownst to the Egyptians; "the divine institution" refers to the ritual laws in Exodus 12-13.)

Looking at Luke 12 through the lens of Wisdom of Solomon helps us understand the phrase "for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom." The disciples can relay on God to intervene. To rely on God's help is not easy, however. It means knowing how to wait and to remain alert until that intervention. It is all too easy for servants and those holding responsibility in the community to forget about God's "arrival" and adopt self-regarding behavior such as mistreatment of co-workers.

Hebrews 11 also underlines this future orientation of faith. Today's English Version (TEV) of 11:1 brings out that aspect of faith: "Faith makes us sure of what we hope for and gives us proof of what we cannot see."

Richard Clifford, S.J.