The Time of Harvest

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Tuesday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time Memorial of Saint Andrew Dung-Lac, Priest, and Companions, Martyrs Revelation 14:14–19

Saint John sees one like a Son of Man

seated on a cloud.

He wears a crown.

He holds a sickle in His hand.

This is Jesus Christ,

glorified,

enthroned,

King and Judge.

Long before John,

the prophet Daniel had seen a similar vision.

One like a son of man came before God

and received dominion,

glory,

and kingship.

All peoples,

nations,

and languages

would serve Him.

Now John sees that same mystery unfolding.

The Son of Man has come

for the harvest.

In the Gospel,

John the Baptist announced that the Messiah would come

with a winnowing fork in His hand.

He would gather the wheat into the barn

and burn the chaff.

But when Jesus first came,

He did not come with visible wrath.

He came with mercy.

He healed the sick.

He forgave sinners.

He ate with the lost.

He prayed for His executioners:

Father, forgive them.

This is the time of mercy.

This is the open door.

But the Gospel also tells us

that Christ will come again.

And when He comes,

He will judge the living and the dead.

Today’s reading speaks about two harvests.

The first is the harvest of grain.

The righteous are gathered.

This reminds us of the wheat

that is brought into God’s barn.

It reminds us that God does not forget those who belong to Him.

Their patience,

their faithfulness,

their suffering,

their hidden love,

are not lost.

They are gathered into His kingdom.

The second harvest is the harvest of grapes.

The grapes are thrown into the great winepress of God’s judgment.

This image is frightening.

It speaks about sin,

evil,

violence,

and injustice

being brought before God.

We may not like to speak about judgment.

But without judgment,

evil would have the final word.

Without judgment,

the victims of history would remain unheard.

Without judgment,

the blood of martyrs would cry out forever with no answer.

The harvest belongs to God.

The sickle is in the hand of Christ.

The Judge is also the Savior.

The King is also the Lamb who was slain.

So today, while the door of mercy is still open,

let us return to Him.

Let us bear fruit for His kingdom.

Let us be ready

for the time of harvest.

Biblical Reflections on the Gospel of Mark

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New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993
the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of
Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Biblical Reflections on the Gospel of Mark

Scripture Attribution

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