Apocalyptic writing is meant to scare, or awaken us

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Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor.

Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor.

A reflection on the weekday readings, for Saturday of the 34th Week in Ordinary Time, by Father Perry.
By Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor
+ End Times!
Yikes!
And End Times!
Wonderful!
End Times!
Messy and Awful!
And End Times!
Beautiful and Fulfilling!
These apocalyptic writings take a good look, that is a strong and very direct look, at the beastly conditions wrought by evil and bloodthirsty kings.
Kingdoms rose and fell out of greed, and idolatrous and sinful conditions.
Kings rose up against one another. Peoples were brought into submission and had to do things against their own beliefs and desires so as to satisfy these beastly kings.
One could always ask, “Could it get worse?”
And of course, the answer was always, “Yes!”
But Daniel, the hero of this story, discovers the enduring truth that a Holy One was to come who would, “receive the kingship, to possess it forever and ever.”
And even better, “Then the kingship and dominion and majesty of all the kingdoms under the heavens shall be given to the holy people of the Most High, whose kingdom shall be everlasting.”
For Daniel, hope springs eternal!
Oh, the human suffering in this world of ours, so much at the hands of and because of humans; or maybe more aptly, in and inhuman leaders, and people of power.
One could say, beastly.
And one would think that humanity would learn from its mistakes and beastly ways.
But that is precisely why such apocalyptic writings have been written.
In the end, we need that hope so promised here.
Jesus, for his part, warns and encourages all to, “Be vigilant at all times and pray that you have the strength to escape the tribulations that are imminent and to stand before the Son of Man.”
Scary language, indeed!
But that is the stuff of apocalyptic writing.
It is meant to scare or awaken us to the kind of awareness that will help us to continue to have Hope, and to Believe in our God of Love who wants Kingdom-Goodness and Kingdom-Grace to always be available to us and always to bring Blessing to us.
The choice is ours: We can either stand before God, filled with fear; or stand before God, filled with gratefulness and ready for the Blessings.
In the end, hopefully our song will be the song of the psalm we prayed or sang all of this week, “Give glory and eternal praise to Him.”
For he gives his glory and eternal love to and for us!
Father Perry Dean Leiker is the 13th pastor of St. Bernard Catholic Church. Reach him at (323) 255-6142. Email Father Perry at pleiker@stbernard-church.com.
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