This blog uses the Catholic daily bible readings as material for reflection

Reading 1, Daniel 7:2-14

2 Daniel said, ‘I have been seeing visions in the night. I saw that the four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea; 3 four great beasts emerged from the sea, each different from the others.

4 The first was like a lion with eagle’s wings and, as I looked, its wings were torn off, and it was lifted off the ground and set standing on its feet like a human; and it was given a human heart.

5 And there before me was a second beast, like a bear, rearing up on one side, with three ribs in its mouth, between its teeth. “Up!” came the command. “Eat quantities of flesh!”

6 After this I looked; and there before me was another beast, like a leopard, and with four bird’s wings on its flanks; it had four heads and was granted authority.

7 Next, in the visions of the night, I saw another vision: there before me was a fourth beast, fearful, terrifying, very strong; it had great iron teeth, and it ate its victims, crushed them, and trampled their remains underfoot. It was different from the previous beasts and had ten horns. 8 ‘While I was looking at these horns, I saw another horn sprouting among them, a little one; three of the original horns were pulled out by the roots to make way for it; and in this horn I saw eyes like human eyes, and a mouth full of boasting.

9 While I was watching, thrones were set in place and one most venerable took his seat. His robe was white as snow, the hair of his head as pure as wool. His throne was a blaze of flames, its wheels were a burning fire. 10 A stream of fire poured out, issuing from his presence. A thousand thousand waited on him, ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was in session and the books lay open.

11 ‘I went on watching: then, because of the noise made by the boastings of the horn, as I watched, the beast was put to death, and its body destroyed and committed to the flames. 12 The other beasts were deprived of their empire, but received a lease of life for a season and a time.

13 I was gazing into the visions of the night, when I saw, coming on the clouds of heaven, as it were a son of man. He came to the One most venerable and was led into his presence. 14 On him was conferred rule, honour and kingship, and all peoples, nations and languages became his servants. His rule is an everlasting rule which will never pass away, and his kingship will never come to an end.

  Gospel, Luke 21:29-33 29 And he told them a parable, ‘Look at the fig tree and indeed every tree. 30 As soon as you see them bud, you can see for yourselves that summer is now near. 31 So with you when you see these things happening: know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 In truth I tell you, before this generation has passed away all will have taken place.

33 Sky and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

 Both passages are apocalyptic discourse, that is, they reveal (Greek:apocaluptein) things that are otherwise hidden from human knowledge. Both also show the tenacity with which the Judaic tradition held on to a prophetic vision of justice to be established by God. The Daniel passage, which is composed in popular Hebrew, prefaces its announcement of God’s humane rule (the “son of man”) with a bizarre parade of busted empires in the form of animals. The first three are Babylon, Media, Persia, and the last is the contemporary Greek Seleucid kingdom, which included the author’s Judean homeland. The horns are ten successors of Alexander the Great, including Antiochus 4^th  the current ruler of the Jews, but he is also the little extra horn that grows by ripping out three others (Antiochus had battled with three of his fellow rulers). A tiny horn with a mouth full of boasting is a ludicrous caricature of Antiochus, even without taking into account the phallic nature of the image. Apocalyptic often uses such savage satire to demean the oppressor and to give comfort to the oppressed. This creative theology is nearer to Gerald Scarfe than Rowan Williams.

 The deeper theology of the “son of man” is evident here: the oppressive empires are savage animals but God’s kingdom is human. This insight is deepened in Jesus’ teaching, which depicts God as wanting the good of humanity: the Sabbath is made for Man, not Man for the Sabbath. This is a momentous doctrine. God has not ordered creation for His Good; He has ordered Himself for the good of His creation.

 In Luke’s collection of Apocalyptic material ascribed to Jesus, he has foretold much that is frightening and painful, but no more than happens in the world  in any year. Then he asks his followers to see such calamities as the budding of the trees in spring. Summer is coming!

Let’s just run that one past the year 2009. Flood, tempest, war, global warming, don’t panic, it’s just the budding of the trees! Really? What did Jesus know that we don’t? The secret is Jesus’ thinking about the seed that falls into ground and dies. Those who suffer for others, become the seeds of new life, the budding trees, the flowering branches. But what about meaningless suffering or those who suffer in a stern hatred of their enemies? That is not revealed, but anyway the seed falls; anyway the tree buds; anyway the summer comes.

"Summer is near"