From: Revelation 18:1-2, 21-23; 19:1-3, 9a
The Fall of Babylon Proclaimed
[21] Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into
the sea, saying,
“So shall Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence,
and shall be found no more;
[22] and the sound of harpers and minstrels, of flute players and trumpeters,
shall be heard in thee no more;
and a craftsman of any craft shall be found in thee no more;
and the sound of the millstone shall be heard in thee” more;
[23] and the light of a lamp shall shine in thee no more; and the voice of bride-
groom and bride shall be heard in thee no more;
for thy merchants were the great men of the earth, and all nations were
deceived by thy sorcery.
Songs of Victory in Heaven
[9a] And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to
the marriage supper of the Lamb.”
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Commentary:
1-3. These verses describing the downfall of Rome follow the prophetical style of
foretelling a future event by reporting it as something that has already happened.
First the fall of the city is proclaimed (vv. 1-3). Then the people of God are exhor-
ted to leave the city and escape the terrible punishment soon to befall it (vv. 4-8).
This is followed by the lament of the kings who were allied to Rome (vv. 9-10), of
the merchants who prospered by trading with her (v. 11-17a) and of the sailors
(17b-19). Finally we are shown the joy of those who suffered under her yoke and
now see justice done.
In words reminiscent of Old Testament passages foretelling the destruction of
hostile cities (cf. Is 13:21-22; 21:9; Jer 50:30; Ezek 43:3-5), St John describes
the fate of Rome in the last days before its desolation. Among the sins which
have brought about its ruin is unbridled sexual indulgence (cf. also vv. 7 and 12-
14). Such behavior leads to the degradation and self-destruction of society, as
witness the history of civilization and contemporary experience. Consumerism,
self-indulgence and greed for possessions, clearly feature of our time, were de-
nounced by Pius XI when he said that “the disease of the modern age, and the
main source of the evils we all deplore, is that lack of reflection, that continuous
and quite feverish pursuit of external things, that immoderate desire for wealth
and pleasure, which gradually causes the heart to lose sight of its nobler ideals,
drowning them in a sea of impermanent, earthly things, and preventing them
from contemplating higher, eternal things” (”Mens Nostra”, 6).
20-24. In sharp contrast with the previous lamentation is this invitation to rejoice
— the reply to which comes in 19:1-8, where we are told that the elect joyfully in-
tone songs in praise of God almighty. The throwing of the millstone into the sea
is an instance of “prophetic action”; it comes from Jeremiah 51:60-64, which
uses this device to prophesy the total downfall of Babylon. The millstone also
appears is Luke 17:2 and par, as a symbol of disgrace and shame.
The sepulchral silence and darkness of the city are described in detail. The rea-
son for this terrible punishment was its opulence, its idolatry and the fact that it
was where the Christian martyrs were tortured and put to death. Like Jerusalem
it is called “city of blood” (cf, Ezek 24:6). and just as the ancient capital of Israel
was accused by Jesus of murdering the prophets and messengers of God and
was told that all the blood it had spilt would come back upon it (cf. Mt 23:35), so
will Rome be punished for martyring the saints.
1-4. The righteous rejoice to see their enemy overwhelmed; the praises they sing
of God end in three loud “Hallelujahs”. In the following passage (vv. 64), they wel-
come the establishment of the Kingdom of God and the imminent marriage of the
Lamb.
This is the first and only time the word “Hallelujah” appears in the New Testament.
It is a Hebrew term (”hallelu-yah”) meaning “Praise Yahweh” used especially in
the psalms (cf., e.g., Ps 111; 114; 115). The Church uses it, unchanged, usually
to express to God its joy and praise at the resurrection of Christ. It is used parti-
cularly at Eastertide and also on many other days, both in the divine office and in
the celebration of the Eucharist.
These shouts of praise are motivated by the salvation which comes from God and
by the rightness of his judgments as evidenced by the punishment inflicted on the
great harlot who is turned into a fire which burns forever.
9. On the instructions of the angel who is explaining the vision to him (cf. 17:1), St
John tells Christians to count themselves blessed (v.9); God guarantees the truth
of this assurance. At Mass the priest makes a similar proclamation just before dis-
tributing Holy Communion: “Happy are those who are called to his (the Lord’s] sup-
per.” This shows that the Eucharist truly is “a pledge of future glory”.
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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
From: Luke 21:20-28
Discourse on the Destruction of Jerusalem and the End of the World
[25] “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and upon the earth dis-
tress of nations in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, [26] men
fainting with fear and foreboding of what is coming on the world; for the powers of
the heavens will be shaken. [27] And then they will see the Son of Man coming
in a cloud with power and great glory. [28] Now when these things begin to take
place, look up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.
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Commentary:
20-24. Jesus gives quite a detailed prophecy of the destruction of the Holy City.
When the Christians living there saw the armies getting closer, they remembered
this prophecy and fled to Transjordan (cf. Eusebius, “Ecclesiastical History,” III,
5). Christ had advised them to flee as soon as possible because this is the time
when God would punish Jerusalem for its sins, as the Old Testament predicted
(Is 5:5-6).
Catholic tradition sees Israel as symbolizing the Church. In fact, in the Book of
Revelation the Church triumphant is called the heavenly Jerusalem (cf. Rev 21:2).
Therefore, by applying this passage to the Church, the sufferings the Holy City
experiences can symbolize the contradictions the pilgrim Church will experience
due to the sins of men, for “she herself takes her place among the creatures
which groan and travail yet and await the revelation of the children of God” Vati-
can II, “Lumen Gentium”, 48).
24. “The times of the Gentiles” means the period in which the Gentiles, who do
not belong to the Jewish people, will become members of the new people of God,
the Church, until the Jews themselves are converted at the end of the world (cf.
Rom 11:11-32).
25-26. Jesus refers to the dramatic changes in natural elements when the world
is coming to an end. “The powers of the heavens will be shaken”; that is to say,
the whole universe will tremble at the Lord’s coming in power and glory.
27-28. Applying to himself the prophecy of Daniel (7:13-14), our Lord speaks of
his coming in glory at the end of time. Mankind will see the power and glory of
the Son of man, coming to judge the living and the dead. Christ will deliver this
judgment in his human capacity. Sacred Scripture describes the solemnity of
this event, when the sentence passed on each person in the particular judgment
will be confirmed, and God’s justice and mercy to men throughout history will
shine out for all to see. “It was necessary not only that rewards should await the
just and punishments the wicked, in the life to come, but that they should be
awarded by a public and general judgment. Thus they will become better known
and will be rendered more conspicuous to all, and a tribute of praise will be of-
fered by all to the justice and providence of God” (”St Pius V Catechism”, I, 8,
4).
This coming of the Lord is, then, a day of terror for evildoers and of joy for those
who have remained faithful. The disciples should hold their heads high because
their redemption is at hand. It is the day they will receive their reward. The victo-
ry won by Christ on the cross — victory over sin, over the devil and over death —
will now be seen clearly, with all its implications. Therefore St Paul recommends
that we be “awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great
God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).
“He [Christ] ascended into heaven whence he will come again to judge the living
and the dead, each according to his merits. Those who have responded to the
love and compassion of God will go into eternal life. Those who have refused
them to the end will be consigned to the fire that is never extinguished” (Paul VI,
“Creed of the People of God”, 12).
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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.