I saw 144,000 people (Revelation 14:1-3, 4-5)

Teachers  of high school freshmen tell you that one of the first things a new freshman does is to get something with the school name on it, for example, a jacket or a t-shirt.

Wearing something with the school name on it is a statement of allegiance. It means the students’ loyalties belong to the school whose name they bear on their person.

This is the point behind the 144,000 people in today’s reading, who bear the name of the Lamb on their foreheads. It’s a statement of their allegiance.

But the 144,000 do more than bear the name of the Lamb. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They not only proclaim their allegiance but reflect it in their lives.

How clearly does our daily life reflect our allegiance to the Lamb?

“Wherever you go, I will go…Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.”

fr everett corvera, corvera everett, everet corvera

Jesus praises a widow’s gift (Luke 21:1-4)

  The parents of a small boy asked him to give blood for his critically ill brother. When the boy cried, his parents assured him that giving blood was quite painless. But the boy continued to cry. The parents were surprised because, normally, the boy was brave about such things. Finally the boy got himself together, managed a smile, and agreed.

After the transfusion the boy was quiet. His mother hugged him and said, “Now, that wasn’t so bad, was it?” The boy shook his head and said to his mother, “How soon will I die?” Only then did the mother realize that the boy thought that giving his blood meant that he’d die in place of his brother.

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This gospel reading invites us to ask ourselves: how generous are we in the giving of our resources, as the widow gave, and in the giving of ourselves, as the boy gave?

Today’s reading invites us to pray: Lord, help us give and not count the cost.

fr everett corvera, corvera everett, everet corvera

Jesus talks about the kingdom (Luke 21:29-33)

  Ancient Greek philosophers believed that history followed a cyclic pattern. In other words, they believed that history repeated itself. Every 3,000 years of so some great disaster wiped out the world. After the disaster, human history began all over again, repeating itself.

Christians believe just the opposite. They believe history follows a linear pattern.

In other words, history moves in a straight line. It has a definite direction, a definite goal.

History’s goal is the final coming of God’s kingdom, which Jesus set in motion but left to us to complete.

fr everett corvera, corvera everett, everet corvera

I saw the dead (Revelations 20:1-4, 11-21:2)

  In London’s Westminster Abbey, there’s a tiny chapel called St George’s Chapel. It was built as a memorial to Londoners who lost their lives during the air raids of World War II.

Inside the chapel are four large books. These books contain the names of over 60,000 air-raid victims. One book lies open and on it shines a light illuminating the page of names.

Each day the page is turned, revealing a new set of names. As you read them you have no way of knowing whether the person whose name you are reading was rich or poor, young or old, handsome of ugly, black, white or brown.

Nor dies it matter. All that matters is what each person became in the course of living his or her life on earth.

fr everett corvera

Daniel prophesies good news (Daniel 7:15-27)

  These words, on a plaque at Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts, describe the Pilgrims who came ashore there:

“Here, under cover of darkness, the fast dwindling company laid their dead, leveling the earth above them lest the Indians learn how many were the graves. History records no nobler venture for faith and freedom than this Pilgrim band.”

The same could be said of every member of that countless army of believers who have remained true to their faith during the many religious persecutions that have dyed the pages of history red.

St. Michael's Parish, North Melbourne

I saw the dead (Revelations 20:1-4, 11-21:2)

  In London’s Westminster Abbey, there’s a tiny chapel called St George’s Chapel. It was built as a memorial to Londoners who lost their lives during the air raids of World War II.

Inside the chapel are four large books. These books contain the names of over 60,000 air-raid victims. One book lies open and on it shines a light illuminating the page of names.

Each day the page is turned, revealing a new set of names. As you read them you have no way of knowing whether the person whose name you are reading was rich or poor, young or old, handsome of ugly, black, white or brown.

Nor dies it matter. All that matters is what each person became in the course of living his or her life on earth.

st. michael's parish, remuera, auckland new zealand

Jesus talks about the kingdom (Luke 21:29-33)

  Ancient Greek philosophers believed that history followed a cyclic pattern. In other words, they believed that history repeated itself. Every 3,000 years of so some great disaster wiped out the world. After the disaster, human history began all over again, repeating itself.

Christians believe just the opposite. They believe history follows a linear pattern.

In other words, history moves in a straight line. It has a definite direction, a definite goal.

History’s goal is the final coming of God’s kingdom, which Jesus set in motion but left to us to complete.

st. michael's parish, remuera, auckland new zealand