Restoration of the Glorious Day

 Reflection on Today's Readings, Saturday, 34th Week in Ordinary Time Year II, November 28th, 2020

Texts: Rev. 22:1-7; ps.95:1-7; Luke 21:34-36

Today's first reading recalls the garden of Eden. In the garden there is a river and tree of life (Gen. 2:8-10). This means God shall restore us to our lost paradise. However, the reading describes a state of more glory than that of the garden of Eden. This is to imprint in our consciousness that God shall not only restore us to our lost state but to a better one. In God's plan, the latter glory always surpasses the former (Hag. 2:9). 

The river of water of life reminds us of the Holy Spirit (John 7:37-39), the giver of life. Holy Spirit shall enliven us and illuminate our beings; it is the enlivening and illumination of the Holy Spirit that shall make us spiritual and immortal.

River is also an expression of joy, peace and richness, for Psalm 46:4 says, "There is a river whose streams bring joy to God's city, it sanctifies the dwelling of the Most High." The river expresses the kind of joy and peace that will flood the souls of the saints eternally. It also shows the richness of the life we await.

The tree of life is the tree that gives eternal life; we are banned from eating from it since the disobedience of our first parents. It is said, "Then Yahweh God said, 'Now that man has become like one of us in knowing good from evil, he must not be allowed to reach out his hand and pick from the tree of life too, and eat and live for ever'" (Gen. 3:22). The tree of life is a representation of eternal life; it reminds us that we shall live for ever in the age to come. God shall restore to us what we are denied of as result of the sin of our first parents. The leaves of the tree give health to the people. The health, here, is immunity against sin. 

The reading also says there shall be no curse. The curse inherited as a result of the disobedience of our first parents shall be removed and forgotten for ever. The curse cotains sorrow and pain in childbirth, futile labour, friction between sexes, bearing of thorns for the earth, and death. The curse will be removed for ever.

Today's gospel reading calls us to prepare for the coming age. Jesus Christ warns us to avoid wayward life and cares of this life, but to focus on the age to come. He tells us to pray that we may have strength to escape the challenges of this present life and to stand before the Son of man. We are to live to partake in the coming age. We are to take prayer seriously and also keep the words of God. In the first reading, it is said, "And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book."

Lord our God, we beg you, grant us the grace to partake in the coming age. Amen.

Rev. Fr. Andrew Olowomuke