Revelation -- 30
The Book of Revelation #30
Verses 11:15 through 12:2 are an antiphonal hymn that the congregation and the 24 elders sing: "The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of God." In this talk we examine these verses in detail, paying special attention to the following question: "Has the Kingdom of God been realized in the world?"
A purely eschatological reading of this text would suggest that the Kingdom of the world will become the Kingdom of God at the end times. While this may seem a mere theological discussion, the implications are formidable. If it is true that the kingdom of the world becomes the kingdom of God at the end times only, then the only logical thing to do for Christians is to hold fast to what they were given and to pray for the end of the world.
If on the other hand, the kingdom of the world became the Kingdom of God during the life-time of St. John, then the only logical thing to do for a Christian is to evangelize the world and make that kingdom know.
In the former case, we are led to a form of quietism that says, the world will go from bad to worse and then the end will come. In the latter, we say, to the extent that the world is faithful to Christ, the world will be blessed, and, to the extent that it is faithless, it will be cursed. There will be plenty of ups and downs but since the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of God, there will be more ups than downs and we must engage the world fully at every age.
This is why the Book of Revelation is highly relevant to our own time: it tells us that the kingdom of God -- that is the Catholic Church -- will engage the world at every age and will bring souls to Christ for the greater glory of God.
What is the significance of the heavenly battle between Michael the Archangel and the devil and his followers?
Does this scene depict the primordial battle between the angels who stood the test that God gave them and those who rebelled or is it a much more recent battle that draws its strength from the Cross of Christ? And if it is the latter, then how could it be said that the dragon was in heaven?
In this talk, we explore these themes and discover a surprising fact, namely that this battle between St. Michael and the Devil is an essential element for the expansion of the Church and for the participation of many in the Liturgy.
