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reading of the Book of Revelation of St
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John I John in my vision saw a white
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cloud and someone sitting on the cloud
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who looked like a son of
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man he had a Golden Crown on his head
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and in his hands a sharp sickle another
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angel came out of the temple shouting in
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a loud voice to the one sitting on the
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cloud throw in your sickle and reap the
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time of harvest has come the Harvest of
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the earth is ripe and he who sat on the
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cloud through in the sickle and the
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Earth was reaped then another angel came
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out of the temple in heaven he also had
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a sharp sickle in his hands and another
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angel came out from beside the altar the
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one who has power over fire he cried out
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in a loud voice to the one holding the
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sharp sickle throw down the sickle and
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gather the the clusters of the vine of
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the Earth for the grapes are ripe and
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the angel cast the sharp sickle into the
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Earth and gathered the grapes from the
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vine of the earth then he poured the
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grapes into the great wine press of
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God's Wrath word of the Lord thank
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God proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus
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Christ according to St Luke glory to you
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Lord at that time some people commented
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on the temple which was decorated with
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beautiful stones and votive offerings
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Jesus said do you Marvel at these things
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the days will come when not one stone
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will be left upon another everything
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will be destroyed but they asked Master
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when will this happen and what will be
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the sign that these things are about to
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happen Jesus replied take heed that you
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for many will come in my name saying it
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is I and again the time is near don't
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follow these people when you hear about
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wars and revolutions don't be terrified
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and Jesus continued people will rise up
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against people one country will attack
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another country there will be great
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earthquakes famines and pestilences in
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many places fearful things will happen
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and Great Signs will be seen in heaven
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word of Salvation Glory To You
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Lord dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ
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imagine yourself in a wheat field at
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Harvest time the sun is at its highest
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point the horizons stretch out in Golden
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waves and the sound of the wind among
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the ears creates an almost Heavenly
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Melody but this is not a time of simple
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agricultural Beauty it is a moment of
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decision of separation of judgment this
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image captures the Deep essence of our
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readings today a call to reflect on time
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history and the ultimate destination of
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our human Journey the book of Revelation
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presents us with a dramatic and intense
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Vision it is not a text for the faint of
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heart we see two Celestial figures with
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sickles harvesting instruments ready for
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a task that goes beyond simple
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agriculture a figure resembling a son of
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man sitting on a white cloud holds a
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sharp scthe ready to reap the Earth this
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image immediately takes us back to the
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parable of the wheat and the tears that
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Jesus tells elsewhere in the gospel in
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agriculture the Harvest is a time of
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Separation The Good wheat is gathered
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and the chaff is separated to be burned
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in the apocalyptic context this Harvest
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represents the final judgment the moment
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when the true value of Our Lives will be
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revealed but what does this harvest mean
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for us today it is not a message of fear
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but an invitation to deep reflection
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each of us is constantly planting seeds
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in our lives seeds of kindness or
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selfishness love or indifference Faith
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or doubt the final Harvest will be the
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time when these seeds will be revealed
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in their true nature Luke's gospel takes
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us to an equally tense moment in the
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temple in Jerusalem some disciples are
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admiring the architectural Beauty the
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precious stones the impressive monuments
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but Jesus sees beyond the surface the
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days will come he prophesies when not
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one stone will be left upon another that
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will not be destroyed what disturbing
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words the temple a symbol of religious
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and National stability will be
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completely demolished Jesus is speaking
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not just of a historical event the
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destruction of the temple by Rome in
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ad70 but of something deeper he is
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challenging the idea that our security
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lies in physical structures or human
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institutions how many stones in our
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lives need to be knocked down how many
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false Securities have we built
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professional success social status
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material wealth all of this can crumble
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in an instant Jesus invites us to build
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our lives on a foundation that cannot be
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destroyed his love his grace his truth
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Jesus continues prophesying about the
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signs of the times there will be great
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earthquakes there will be famines and
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pestilences in various places fearful
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things and Great Signs will appear in
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the sky these are not just predictions
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of Calamity but a call to be spiritually
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alert and prepared in our current
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culture of instantaneity and immediate
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gratification we are often caught off
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guard we live as if the present moment
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is all there is but both Revelation and
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the gospel invite us to a broader
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perspective a vision that transcends the
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here and now think about it with me if
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you knew you only had one day to live
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what would you change what forgiveness
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would they stop postponing what love
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would they stop expressing what dreams
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would they fulfill today's message is
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not to paralyze us with fear but to
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awaken us to what really matters the
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Harvest spoken of in Revelation is not
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about condemnation but about Revelation
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it is the time when the true character
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of our life will be manifested could it
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be that our actions were seeds of wheat
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nourishing sustaining bringing life or
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were they seeds of Tears destructive
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selfish empty St Paul gives us light on
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how to prepare this Harvest when he
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writes to the Galatians about the fruits
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love joy peace patience goodness
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kindness faithfulness gentleness
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Temperance these are the seeds that
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produce an abundant and significant
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Harvest but how do we plant these seeds
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in a world that seems to be constantly
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on the brink of chaos how do we maintain
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hope when everything around us seems to
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be falling apart the answer lies in
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keeping our eyes fixed not on the
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structures that can crumble but on the
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one who stands eternally Jesus does not
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promise us a life without challenges but
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he promises to be with us in all
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challenges he is our Rock our Fortress
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our safe haven every day is an
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opportunity to plant kingdom seeds each
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encounter is a chance to manifest the
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love of Christ every challenge is an
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opportunity for spiritual growth my dear
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ones today's message is not one of fear
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but of prepared hope we are not called
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to predict exactly when or how the final
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Harvest will be but to live each moment
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with intentionality love and faith be
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like wise Farmers planting carefully
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knowing that every seed matters do not
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worry about the outward appearance of
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things whether these are Temple stones
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or worldly successes focus on
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cultivating a life rooted in God be
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alert but not anxious prepared But Not
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Afraid aware that every moment is a gift
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every action a seed every day an
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opportunity to manifest the kingdom of
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God May when the time of harvest arrives
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we may hear those blessed words welcome
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good and Faithful Servants enter into
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the joy of your Lord amen
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St Michael the Archangel defend Us in
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battle be our protection against the
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wickedness and snares of the devil may
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God rebuke him we humbly pray and do
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thou o Prince of the Heavenly Host by
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the power of God cast into hell Satan
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and all the evil spirits who prowl
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throughout the world seeking the ruin of
