The Lord Rules with Justice

November 27, 2012

Tuesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

By Beth DeCristofaro

(An angel) "Use your sickle and reap the harvest, for the time to reap has come,
because the earth's harvest is fully ripe."  So the one who was sitting on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.  (Revelations 14:15-16)

Before the LORD, for he comes; for he comes to rule the earth.  He shall rule the world with justice and the peoples with his constancy.  (Psalm 96:13)

(Jesus said) When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end." Then he said to them,
"Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.  There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place; and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky." (Luke 21:9-11)

Piety

10) Only for today, I will have no fears. In particular, I will not be afraid to enjoy what is beautiful and to believe in goodness. Indeed, for 12 hours I can certainly do what might cause me consternation were I to believe I had to do it all my life.

(from the Decalogue of Blessed Pope John XXIII) )

Study

Recently we saw the movie “Argo” and the footage from those years of the hostage-taking brought back very emotional memories for me.  Then watching “Lincoln” I was moved not by memories but as I realized that the bleakness of slave existence was once accepted as God-given. 

Humans have wreaked havoc upon one another to such depths that the awesome justice which the Psalmist speaks of, full of God’s mercy, is almost beyond our comprehension.  In Revelation, the imagery is fierce and swift.  God’s love for us is too. 

Action

Fear not, Jesus tells us.  What do I fear?  In what way can I emulate the justice and constancy that God offers to me?  Can I choose to do so instead of acting out of my fear?