Chapter 13 (Friday of the Second Week of Advent)

And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads; and on its horns were ten diadems, and on its heads were blasphemous names. And the beast that I saw was like a leopard, its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. And the dragon gave it his power and his throne and great authority. One of its heads seemed to have received a death-blow, but its mortal wound had been healed. In amazement the whole earth followed the beast. They worshipped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshipped the beast, saying, ‘Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?’

The beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. Also, it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. It was given authority over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all the inhabitants of the earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb that was slaughtered.

Let anyone who has an ear listen:
If you are to be taken captive,
   into captivity you go;
if you kill with the sword,
   with the sword you must be killed.
Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.

Then I saw another beast that rose out of the earth; it had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. It exercises all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and it makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound had been healed. It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in the sight of all; and by the signs that it is allowed to perform on behalf of the beast, it deceives the inhabitants of earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that had been wounded by the sword and yet lived; and it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast could even speak and cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell who does not have the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. This calls for wisdom: let anyone with understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a person. Its number is six hundred and sixty-six.

Commentary

When the Antichrist comes and concentrates in his own person the apostasy, he shall accomplish his deeds according to his own will and choice, sitting in the Temple of God so that those he has deceived may adore him as the Christ. Thus shall he deservedly be cast into the lake of fire. John described his coming in these words in the Apocalypse: And the beast that I saw was like a leopard, its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth; and to it the dragon gave his own power and his throne and great authority. After this he likewise describes his armour-bearer, whom he also terms a false prophet: He spoke like a dragon, and exercised all the power of the first beast in his presence, and caused the earth and those that dwell therein, to adore the first beast. Let no one imagine that he performs these wonders by divine power. He performs them by the working of magic for, since the demons and apostate spirits are at his service, it is through them that he performs the wonders by which he deceives the inhabitants of the earth.  The number of the beast is six hundred and sixty-six, that is, six times a hundred, six times ten, and six units, as a summing up of the whole of that apostasy which has taken place during six thousand years. For in as many days as this world was made, in so many thousand years shall it be concluded. For the day of the Lord is as a thousand years; and in six days created things were completed: it is evident, therefore, that they will come to an end at the six thousandth year....When the Beast comes, he shall make a recapitulation of all sorts of iniquity so that all apostate power, flowing into and being shut up in him, may be sent into the furnace of fire. Fittingly, therefore, shall his name possess the number six hundred and sixty-six, since he sums up in his own person all the wickedness, due to the apostasy of the angels, performed previous to the deluge. It is therefore less hazardous to await the fulfilment of the prophecy than to be making conjectures about names of men who may possess the number of the coming Antichrist. (St. Irenaeus of Lyons)

Antichrist, who pertains to the heads of the earthly kingdom, by imitation of our true Head, dares to exhibit himself as one who has been slain, and has risen again, and who is to be accepted as Christ, Who truly accomplished this. (St. Bede the Venerable)

Happy the soul that can fight against that beast of the Apocalypse, which has seven heads, set over against the seven steps of love, and which makes war therewith against each one, and strives therewith against the soul in each of these mansions, wherein the soul is being exercised and is mounting step by step in the love of God. And undoubtedly if it strive faithfully against each of these heads, and gain the victory, it will deserve to pass from one step to another, and from one mansion to another, even unto the last, leaving the beast vanquished after destroying its seven heads, wherewith it made so furious a war upon it. So furious is this war that Saint John says in that place that it was given unto the beast to make war against the saints and to be able to overcome them upon each one of these steps of love, arraying against each one many weapons and munitions of war. And it is therefore greatly to be lamented that many who engage in this spiritual battle against the beast do not even destroy its first head by denying themselves the sensual things of the world. And, though some destroy and cut off this head, they destroy not the second head, which is that of the visions of sense whereof we are speaking. But what is most to be lamented is that some, having destroyed not only the first and the second but even the third, which is that of the interior senses, pass out of the state of meditation, and travel still farther onward, and are overcome by this spiritual beast at the moment of their entering into purity of spirit, for he rises up against them once more, and even his first head comes to life again, and the last state of those souls is worse than the first, since, when they fall back, the beast brings with him seven other spirits worse than himself. (St. John of the Cross)

Musical Selections

SANCTE Michael Archangele, defende nos in proelio, contra nequitiam et insidias diaboli esto praesidium. Imperet illi Deus, supplices deprecamur: tuque, Princeps militiae caelestis, Satanam aliosque spiritus malignos, qui ad perditionem animarum pervagantur in mundo, divina virtute, in infernum detrude. Amen.

SAINT Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle; be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray. And do thou, O prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God thrust into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl about the world for the ruin of souls. Amen.

Christ in me arise and dispel all the darkness.
Christ in me arise with your power and your strength.
Christ in me pour out your blessing and healing.
Christ in me arise and I shall rise with you.

Showing me all that I must see.
Onward to the kingdom, you are the way.
Arise in me and I shall rise with you.

Taking me where I must go.
Onward to the kingdom, you are the way.
Arise in me and I shall rise with you.
Bridge You know my heart and you know my ways,
You who formed me in my mother's womb.
I live and move in you, my whole being thrives in you.
...Final Refrain

Christ in me arise and dispel all the darkness.
Christ in me arise with your power and your strength.
Christ in me pour out your blessing and healing.
Christ in me arise and I shall rise with you.
Christ in me arise, Christ in me arise,
Christ in me arise and I shall rise with you.

You are my hiding place, O Lord
You saved me in my distress
You are my hiding place
You save me from distress
You surround my soul
With cries of deliverance

Let every good man pray to you
In his hour of need
Flood waters may reach high
But him they shall not reach
Let every good man pray
In his hour of need

You are my hiding place, O Lord
You gaze into the secrets of my soul

A hidden secret wastes my frame

I groan through the night and cry
Through the day
I will confess my sin
My guilt I will not hide
I will confess my pride
And God will forgive

You are my Hiding place, O Lord
You gaze into the secrets of my soul

You are my Hiding place, O Lord (John Michael Talbot)

COLLECT
Grant that your people, we pray, almighty God,
may be ever watchful
for the coming of your Only Begotten Son,
that, as the author of our salvation himself has taught us,
we may hasten, alert and with lighted lamps,
to meet him when he comes.
Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. Amen.