2nd Easter Sunday (year C)

(Rev 1:9-11a.12-13.17-19)

Revelation 1:9 I, John, your brother and companion in tribulation, kingdom, and constancy in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony given to Jesus.

The writer is John. Just as many Old Testament prophetic writings begin with the account of the call of their authors, so too John places at the beginning of his book the task that has been entrusted to him and that empowers him to write. It is he who receives God's revelation, and he takes the floor directly in the first person. John is "brother and companion in tribulation, kingdom and constancy in Jesus". He is "brother" because in Christ he is one with the other disciples. In Christ we are all children of the one God and therefore all brothers to one another. It is the body of Christ that makes us one in Him. This presents the context in which the message was born: Revelation is in essence a message about the tribulation, and it is a message of hope addressed to a persecuted community.

John is a "companion", i.e. he is in fellowship with them, "in the tribulation", because he too is persecuted like them, together with them. He does not write from outside the persecution, as a free man, he writes from inside the persecution. According to one tradition, John emerged safe and sound from a barrel full of boiling oil without the slightest burn, and so was banished into exile by the Emperor Domitian, Titus's successor and his germane brother.

He is a companion 'in the kingdom', the 'basileia', kingship. There is a pride, a dignity, a kingship that is structural in the Christian life. John too, like them, belongs to that kingdom of priests constituted by God. Tribulation and kingship seem to contradict each other. We are not triumphant and yet we recognise ourselves in being dignified, proud, free even in the most dramatic events. John points to the kingship of the Christian life as a way of standing in all the most desperate situations with kingship of life.

He is a companion 'in constancy in Jesus', because he wants to persevere to the end like Jesus. He is Jesus' beloved disciple. He accompanied Jesus to the cross. Now John is loving Jesus in persecution, in pain and suffering. He is loving him in constancy, that is, in perseverance to the end. Constancy is the ability to hold on, to bear the burdens, the ability to persevere even where the load becomes heavy. Awaiting the glorious event of the manifestation of the kingdom, patient endurance is the specific virtue of the persecuted. Incorporated into Christ through baptism, Christians become sharers in his passion while waiting to participate in his own glory.

John is in exile. The place of his exile is the island called Patmos. It is a rocky island of about 26 square kilometres, about 100 km south of Ephesus, part of the Sporades. On the island there is still a cave where the apostle is said to have received these revelations. Eusebius, the church historian, writes that after the death of Domitian, the Roman senate recalled all those who had been exiled, and John from Patmos went to Ephesus. He also says that John survived until the reign of Trajan. In fact, the use of the past tense, 'I was on the island' suggests that he was no longer on Patmos when he wrote down his visions. The island is a beautiful figure of the Church of Christ. Just as an island is continually buffeted by the waves of the sea, so the Church is plagued by persecution. The apostle is exiled to this place of punishment 'because of the word of God and the testimony given to Jesus'. John presents himself as a witness to Jesus. He is the witness of Jesus who imparts courage to all the other witnesses of Jesus, so that they may persevere in their testimony to the end.

The word 'witness' evokes the atmosphere of a trial or a public debate: one bears witness to something that has happened and something that one has personally experienced. Testimony by hearsay is not valid. Christian witnessing is also linked to suffering, to paying in person: witnessing means martyrdom. By deciding to take Christ's side, the witness must know that he will be involved in his rejection by the unbelieving world. This is the aspect that Revelation emphasises most. John knows that only those who have had the strength to go all the way, like Jesus Christ, will enter his kingdom. That is why he does not shy away from helping his brothers. The disciple of Jesus can only be persecuted for one reason: "because of the word of God and the testimony given to Jesus", that is, he can only be persecuted because he is a true, authentic, faithful disciple of Jesus. Whoever makes this choice will always be opposed by the world. This, however, is the choice of eternal life.

Argentino Quintavalle, author of the books

- Revelation - exegetical commentary

- The Apostle Paul and the Judaizers - Law or Gospel?

Jesus Christ true God and true Man in the Trinitarian mystery

The prophetic discourse of Jesus (Matthew 24-25)

All generations will call me blessed

Catholics and Protestants compared - In defence of the faith

The Church and Israel according to St Paul - Romans 9-11

(Buyable on Amazon)

100 Last modified on Monday, 21 April 2025 20:48

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Argentino Quintavalle

Argentino Quintavalle è studioso biblico ed esperto in Protestantesimo e Giudaismo. Autore del libro “Apocalisse - commento esegetico” (disponibile su Amazon) e specializzato in catechesi per protestanti che desiderano tornare nella Chiesa Cattolica.

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Divisions among Christians, while they wound the Church, wound Christ; and divided, we cause a wound to Christ: the Church is indeed the body of which Christ is the Head (Pope Francis)

Le divisioni tra i cristiani, mentre feriscono la Chiesa, feriscono Cristo, e noi divisi provochiamo una ferita a Cristo: la Chiesa infatti è il corpo di cui Cristo è capo (Papa Francesco)

The glorification that Jesus asks for himself as High Priest, is the entry into full obedience to the Father, an obedience that leads to his fullest filial condition [Pope Benedict]

La glorificazione che Gesù chiede per se stesso, quale Sommo Sacerdote, è l'ingresso nella piena obbedienza al Padre, un'obbedienza che lo conduce alla sua più piena condizione filiale [Papa Benedetto]

All this helps us not to let our guard down before the depths of iniquity, before the mockery of the wicked. In these situations of weariness, the Lord says to us: “Have courage! I have overcome the world!” (Jn 16:33). The word of God gives us strength [Pope Francis]

Tutto questo aiuta a non farsi cadere le braccia davanti allo spessore dell’iniquità, davanti allo scherno dei malvagi. La parola del Signore per queste situazioni di stanchezza è: «Abbiate coraggio, io ho vinto il mondo!» (Gv 16,33). E questa parola ci darà forza [Papa Francesco]

The Ascension does not point to Jesus’ absence, but tells us that he is alive in our midst in a new way. He is no longer in a specific place in the world as he was before the Ascension. He is now in the lordship of God, present in every space and time, close to each one of us. In our life we are never alone (Pope Francis)

L’Ascensione non indica l’assenza di Gesù, ma ci dice che Egli è vivo in mezzo a noi in modo nuovo; non è più in un preciso posto del mondo come lo era prima dell’Ascensione; ora è nella signoria di Dio, presente in ogni spazio e tempo, vicino ad ognuno di noi. Nella nostra vita non siamo mai soli (Papa Francesco)

The Magnificat is the hymn of praise which rises from humanity redeemed by divine mercy, it rises from all the People of God; at the same time, it is a hymn that denounces the illusion of those who think they are lords of history and masters of their own destiny (Pope Benedict)

Il Magnificat è il canto di lode che sale dall’umanità redenta dalla divina misericordia, sale da tutto il popolo di Dio; in pari tempo è l’inno che denuncia l’illusione di coloro che si credono signori della storia e arbitri del loro destino (Papa Benedetto)

This unknown “thing” is the true “hope” which drives us, and at the same time the fact that it is unknown is the cause of all forms of despair and also of all efforts, whether positive or destructive, directed towards worldly authenticity and human authenticity (Spe Salvi n.12)

Questa « cosa » ignota è la vera « speranza » che ci spinge e il suo essere ignota è, al contempo, la causa di tutte le disperazioni come pure di tutti gli slanci positivi o distruttivi verso il mondo autentico e l'autentico uomo (Spe Salvi n.12)

«When the servant of God is troubled, as it happens, by something, he must get up immediately to pray, and persevere before the Supreme Father until he restores to him the joy of his salvation. Because if it remains in sadness, that Babylonian evil will grow and, in the end, will generate in the heart an indelible rust, if it is not removed with tears» (St Francis of Assisi, FS 709)

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