{"id":25444,"date":"2016-12-13T14:19:26","date_gmt":"2016-12-13T20:19:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/?p=25444"},"modified":"2017-04-17T21:57:35","modified_gmt":"2017-04-18T01:57:35","slug":"the-great-deliverance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/the-great-deliverance\/","title":{"rendered":"The Great Deliverance","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"<p align=\"CENTER\">THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS<br \/>\n for Tuesday, December 13th, 2016<br \/>\n Opt. Memorial of St. Lucy<\/p>\n<p align=\"CENTER\">Liturgical texts <em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.usccb.org\/bible\/readings\/121316.cfm\">here<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p align=\"CENTER\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-25448\" src=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/calm-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"470\" height=\"312\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/calm-1.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/calm-1-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/calm-1-272x182.jpg 272w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 470px) 100vw, 470px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>AMONG<\/strong> the Old Testament\u00a0prophets who foretell a great purification of the\u00a0world followed by an era of peace is Zephaniah. He echoes what Isaiah, Ezekiel and others foresee: that a Messiah will come and judge the nations and establish His reign on earth. What they did not realize is that His reign would be <em>spiritual<\/em> in nature\u00a0in order to fulfil the words that the Messiah would one day teach God&#8217;s people to pray:<em> Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><!--more--><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, mono; font-size: small;\">For then I will change and purify the lips of the peoples, That they all may call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one accord; from beyond the rivers of Ethiopia and as far as the recesses of the North, they shall bring me offerings. (Today&#8217;s first reading)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The &#8220;offerings&#8221; they would bring would not be cattle or grain, but their very selves\u2014their <em>free will<\/em>, in fact.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, mono; font-size: small;\">I urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship. Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect. (Rom 12:1-2)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>But even St. Paul said, &#8220;we know partially and we prophesy partially&#8230;&#8221; <span class=\"footnote_referrer\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToReference_25444_1('footnote_plugin_reference_25444_1_1');\" onkeypress=\"footnote_moveToReference_25444_1('footnote_plugin_reference_25444_1_1');\" ><sup id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_25444_1_1\" class=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text\">[1]<\/sup><\/a><span id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_25444_1_1\" class=\"footnote_tooltip\">1 Cor 13:9<\/span><\/span><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_25444_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_25444_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top right', relative: true, offset: [10, 10], });<\/script> The expectation of the early Church was that the words of the prophets would find their <em>definitive<\/em> fulfillment within their lifetimes. This was not to be the case. It was the Vicar of Christ, the first pope, who would eventually temper expectations indicating that,<em> &#8220;with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day.&#8221;<\/em> <span class=\"footnote_referrer\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToReference_25444_1('footnote_plugin_reference_25444_1_2');\" onkeypress=\"footnote_moveToReference_25444_1('footnote_plugin_reference_25444_1_2');\" ><sup id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_25444_1_2\" class=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text\">[2]<\/sup><\/a><span id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_25444_1_2\" class=\"footnote_tooltip\">2 Pet 3:8; cf. Ps 90:4<\/span><\/span><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_25444_1_2').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_25444_1_2', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top right', relative: true, offset: [10, 10], });<\/script> Indeed, the early Church Fathers of the first century would seize upon that &#8220;theology&#8221;\u00a0and, based on apostolic teaching, teach that the &#8220;day of the Lord&#8221; was not a 24 hour day at the very end of the world, but in fact, that <em>messianic age<\/em> of peace foretold by the prophets.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: small;\">I and every other orthodox Christian feel certain that there will be a resurrection of the flesh followed by a thousand years in a rebuilt, embellished, and enlarged city of Jerusalem, as was announced by the Prophets Ezekiel, Isaias and others\u2026 A man among us named John, one of Christ\u2019s Apostles, received and foretold that the followers of Christ would dwell in Jerusalem for a thousand years, and that afterwards the universal and, in short, everlasting resurrection and judgment would take place. <\/span><\/strong><span style=\"font-size: small;\">\u2014St. Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, Ch. 81,<em> The Fathers of the Church, <\/em>Christian Heritage<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Behold, the Day of the Lord shall be a thousand years. <\/span><\/strong><span style=\"font-size: small;\">\u2014Letter of Barnabas, <em>The Fathers of the Church<\/em>, Ch. 15<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Keep in mind, the early Church Fathers used the same allegorical language as the Old Testament prophets. For example, when the Scriptures prophesy the people of God entering a land flowing with &#8220;milk and honey&#8221;, that was not intended literally, but rather to indicate the abundant providence of God. And so, St. Justin\u00a0adds:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Now\u2026 we understand that a period of one thousand years is indicated in symbolic language.<\/span><\/strong><span style=\"font-size: small;\"> \u2014St. Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, Ch. 81, The Fathers of the Church, Christian Heritage<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>He is referring here, of course, to the &#8220;thousand years&#8221; spoken of in Revelation 19-20, when Jesus would manifest\u00a0His power and judgment upon the nations, which would be followed, not by the end of the world, but by a &#8220;thousand years&#8221;\u2014that &#8220;era of peace.&#8221;\u00a0Here we see the sequence clearly in Zephaniah in today&#8217;s first reading. I&#8217;ll quote Revelation after to show its New Testament counterpart.<\/p>\n<p>First, a <em>judgment of the living:<\/em><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, mono; font-size: small;\">Thus says the LORD: Woe to the city, rebellious and polluted, to the tyrannical city! She hears no voice, accepts no correction; In the LORD she has not trusted, to her God she has not drawn near. (Zeph 3:1-2)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, mono; font-size: small;\">Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great. She has become a haunt for demons. She is a cage for every unclean spirit. (Rev\u00a018:2)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>A purification from the world of those who have refused God&#8217;s mercy:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, mono; font-size: small;\">For then will I remove from your midst the proud braggarts, And you shall no longer exalt yourself on my holy mountain&#8230; The LORD confronts the evildoers,\u00a0to destroy remembrance of them from the earth. (Zeph 3:11; today&#8217;s Psalm 34:17))<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, mono; font-size: small;\">The beast was caught and with it the false prophet who had performed in its sight the signs by which he led astray those who had accepted the mark of the beast and those who had worshiped its image. (Rev 19:20)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>A purified\u00a0remnant remains\u2014those who\u00a0remained faithful to Jesus.<span class=\"footnote_referrer\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToReference_25444_1('footnote_plugin_reference_25444_1_3');\" onkeypress=\"footnote_moveToReference_25444_1('footnote_plugin_reference_25444_1_3');\" ><sup id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_25444_1_3\" class=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text\">[3]<\/sup><\/a><span id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_25444_1_3\" class=\"footnote_tooltip\">see Rev\u00a03:10<\/span><\/span><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_25444_1_3').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_25444_1_3', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top right', relative: true, offset: [10, 10], });<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, mono; font-size: small;\">I will leave as a remnant in your midst a people humble and lowly, who shall take refuge in the name of the LORD. (Zeph 3:12)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, mono; font-size: small;\">I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, and who had not worshiped the beast or its image nor had accepted its mark on their foreheads or hands. They came to life and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were over. (Rev 20:1-6)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>St. John writes that, during this period, Satan will be chained in the abyss. The long confrontation between the ancient serpent and the Church will find a reprieve, a &#8220;day of rest&#8221; from the persecution of the ancient adversary. It will be an Era of Peace:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: small;\">The Church will become small and will have to start afresh more or less from the beginning&#8230; But when the trial of this sifting is past, a great power will flow from a more spiritualized and simplified Church. Men in a totally planned world will find themselves unspeakably lonely&#8230; [the Church] will enjoy a fresh blossoming and be seen as man\u2019s home, where he will find life and hope beyond death. <\/span><\/strong><span style=\"font-size: small;\">\u2014Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (POPE BENEDICT XVI), <em>Faith and Future<\/em>, Ignatius Press, 2009<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, mono; font-size: small;\">They shall pasture and couch their flocks with none to disturb them. (Zeph 13:13)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>In closing, the idea of the Church living in a &#8220;rebuilt Jerusalem&#8221; can be understood as the restoration of\u00a0man\u00a0in Christ, that is, the restoration of that primordial unity in the Garden of Eden where Adam and Eve lived <em>in the Divine Will. <\/em><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: small;\"><strong>\u2026every day in the prayer of the Our Father we ask the Lord: \u201cThy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven\u201d (Matt 6:10)\u2026. we recognize that \u201cheaven\u201d is where the will of God is done, and that \u201cearth\u201d becomes \u201cheaven\u201d\u2014i.e., the place of the presence of love, of goodness, of truth and of divine beauty\u2014only if on earth the will of God is done.<\/strong> \u2014POPE BENEDICT XVI, General Audience, February 1st, 2012, Vatican City<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Thus, the Era of Peace to come should not be understood as the <em>definitive <\/em>coming of the Kingdom of God either, but the establishment of the Divine Will in the heart of man through a &#8220;new Pentecost&#8221;&#8230; that last stage before the end of the world.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: small;\">Christ\u2019s redemptive act did not of itself restore all things, it simply made the work of redemption possible, it began our redemption. Just as all men share in the disobedience of Adam, so all men must share in the obedience of Christ to the Father\u2019s will. Redemption will be complete only when all men share his obedience.<\/span><\/strong><span style=\"font-size: small;\"> \u2014Servant of God Fr. Walter Ciszek,<em> He Leadeth Me<\/em>, pg. 116-117<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-10993 alignleft\" style=\"margin: 2px 5px 2px 5px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/A_New_Dawn2.jpg\" width=\"253\" height=\"158\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/A_New_Dawn2.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/A_New_Dawn2-300x188.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/A_New_Dawn2-768x480.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/A_New_Dawn2-1024x640.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/04\/A_New_Dawn2-436x272.jpg 436w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 253px) 100vw, 253px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">\u2026so great are the needs and the perils of the present age,<\/strong><span style=\"font-size: small;\">\u00a0<\/span><strong style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">so vast the horizon of mankind drawn towards\u00a0<\/strong><strong style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">world coexistence and powerless to achieve it,<\/strong><span style=\"font-size: small;\">\u00a0<\/span><strong style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">that there is no salvation for it except in a <\/strong><strong style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">new outpouring of the gift of God.<\/strong>\u00a0<strong style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">Let Him then come, the Creating Spirit,<\/strong>\u00a0<span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong>to renew the face of the earth! \u00a0<\/strong>\u2014POPE PAUL VI,\u00a0<em>Gaudete in Domino,\u00a0<\/em>May 9th, 1975\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.vatican.va\/holy_father\/paul_vi\/apost_exhortations\/documents\/hf_p-vi_exh_19750509_gaudete-in-domino_en.html\">www.vatican.va<\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">RELATED READING<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left; padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/the-last-judgments\/\">The Last Judgments<\/a><\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left; padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/dear-holy-father-he-is-coming\/\">Dear Holy Father&#8230; He is Coming<\/a><\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left; padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/is-jesus-really-coming\/\">Is Jesus Really Coming?<\/a><\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left; padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/the-rising-morning-star\/\">Rising Morning Star<\/a><\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left; padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/the-coming-new-and-divine-holiness\/\">Coming New and Divine Holiness<\/a><\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left; padding-left: 30px;\"><strong><em><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/millenarianism-what-it-is-and-is-not\/\">Millenarianism\u2014What it is and is not<\/a><\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left; padding-left: 30px;\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>So grateful for\u00a0your Advent offerings&#8230; bless you!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/store.markmallett.com\/donate\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/Donateovalbtnonbeige.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"112\" height=\"48\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\">To journey with Mark this Advent in\u00a0the\u00a0<strong><em>The <\/em><\/strong><em><strong>Now Word<\/strong><\/em>,<em><br \/>\n <\/em>click on the banner below to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/subscribe\/\">subscribe<\/a>. <br \/>\n Your email will not be shared with anyone.<br \/>\n <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/subscribe\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12200 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/NowWord-Banner.png\" alt=\"NowWord Banner\" width=\"463\" height=\"148\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/NowWord-Banner.png 798w, https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/NowWord-Banner-300x97.png 300w, https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/NowWord-Banner-768x247.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 463px) 100vw, 463px\" \/><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"speaker-mute footnotes_reference_container\"> <div class=\"footnote_container_prepare\"><p><span role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" class=\"footnote_reference_container_label pointer\" onclick=\"footnote_expand_collapse_reference_container_25444_1();\"><h5>Footnotes<\/h5><\/span><span role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" class=\"footnote_reference_container_collapse_button\" style=\"display: none;\" onclick=\"footnote_expand_collapse_reference_container_25444_1();\">[<a id=\"footnote_reference_container_collapse_button_25444_1\">+<\/a>]<\/span><\/p><\/div> <div id=\"footnote_references_container_25444_1\" style=\"\"><table class=\"footnotes_table footnote-reference-container\"><caption class=\"accessibility\"><h5>Footnotes<\/h5><\/caption> <tbody> \r\n\r\n<tr class=\"footnotes_plugin_reference_row\"> <th scope=\"row\" id=\"footnote_plugin_reference_25444_1_1\" class=\"footnote_plugin_index pointer\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToAnchor_25444_1('footnote_plugin_tooltip_25444_1_1');\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" class=\"footnote_plugin_link\" ><span class=\"footnote_index_arrow\">&#8593;<\/span>1<\/a><\/th> <td class=\"footnote_plugin_text\">1 Cor 13:9<\/td><\/tr>\r\n\r\n<tr class=\"footnotes_plugin_reference_row\"> <th scope=\"row\" id=\"footnote_plugin_reference_25444_1_2\" class=\"footnote_plugin_index pointer\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToAnchor_25444_1('footnote_plugin_tooltip_25444_1_2');\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" class=\"footnote_plugin_link\" ><span class=\"footnote_index_arrow\">&#8593;<\/span>2<\/a><\/th> <td class=\"footnote_plugin_text\">2 Pet 3:8; cf. Ps 90:4<\/td><\/tr>\r\n\r\n<tr class=\"footnotes_plugin_reference_row\"> <th scope=\"row\" id=\"footnote_plugin_reference_25444_1_3\" class=\"footnote_plugin_index pointer\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToAnchor_25444_1('footnote_plugin_tooltip_25444_1_3');\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" class=\"footnote_plugin_link\" ><span class=\"footnote_index_arrow\">&#8593;<\/span>3<\/a><\/th> <td class=\"footnote_plugin_text\">see Rev\u00a03:10<\/td><\/tr>\r\n\r\n <\/tbody> <\/table> <\/div><\/div><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> function footnote_expand_reference_container_25444_1() { jQuery('#footnote_references_container_25444_1').show(); jQuery('#footnote_reference_container_collapse_button_25444_1').text('\u2212'); } function footnote_collapse_reference_container_25444_1() { jQuery('#footnote_references_container_25444_1').hide(); jQuery('#footnote_reference_container_collapse_button_25444_1').text('+'); } function footnote_expand_collapse_reference_container_25444_1() { if (jQuery('#footnote_references_container_25444_1').is(':hidden')) { footnote_expand_reference_container_25444_1(); } else { footnote_collapse_reference_container_25444_1(); } } function footnote_moveToReference_25444_1(p_str_TargetID) { footnote_expand_reference_container_25444_1(); var l_obj_Target = jQuery('#' + p_str_TargetID); if (l_obj_Target.length) { jQuery( 'html, body' ).delay( 0 ); jQuery('html, body').animate({ scrollTop: l_obj_Target.offset().top - window.innerHeight * 0.2 }, 380); } } function footnote_moveToAnchor_25444_1(p_str_TargetID) { footnote_expand_reference_container_25444_1(); var l_obj_Target = jQuery('#' + p_str_TargetID); if (l_obj_Target.length) { jQuery( 'html, body' ).delay( 0 ); jQuery('html, body').animate({ scrollTop: l_obj_Target.offset().top - window.innerHeight * 0.2 }, 380); } }<\/script>","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS for Tuesday, December 13th, 2016 Opt. Memorial of St. Lucy Liturgical texts here &nbsp; AMONG the Old Testament\u00a0prophets who foretell a great purification of the\u00a0world followed by an era of peace is Zephaniah. He echoes what Isaiah, Ezekiel and others foresee: that a Messiah will come and judge the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,873],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25444","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-daily-journal","category-mass-readings"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Great Deliverance - The Now Word<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.markmallett.com\/blog\/the-great-deliverance\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Great Deliverance - The Now Word\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"THE NOW WORD ON MASS READINGS for Tuesday, December 13th, 2016 Opt. Memorial of St. Lucy Liturgical texts here &nbsp; AMONG the Old Testament\u00a0prophets who foretell a great purification of the\u00a0world followed by an era of peace is Zephaniah. 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