Apocalypse 18:1-2, 21-23; 19:1-3, 9 / Luke 21:20-28
Rome was known as the Eternal City even among the ancient Romans
themselves. It was so called because the Roman people thought that no
matter what happened to the world, no matter how many other empires
might rise and fall, Rome would go on forever.
In the 1st reading, the city of "Babylon" does not refer to the city of Babylon which was an Akkadian city-state of ancient Mesopotamia.
The "Babylon" in the 1st reading was a symbolic name for the city of Rome, which in the first century was the center of the Roman empire.
It was during that time of the first century that Christians were persecuted throughout the Roman empire and it was in Rome that St. Peter and St. Paul and many other Christians met their martyrdom.
Yet the 1st reading predicted that Rome will fall, and indeed it fell together with the crumbling Roman empire in the later centuries.
Yet now Rome is still known as the Eternal City and the Vatican city is within Rome, and hence Rome is somewhat considered as the center of Roman Catholicism.
So what about the prophesies of the 1st reading concerning Rome? Are they not true or are they not fulfilled?
With regards to Rome, we can say that out of a sinful chaos, a new creation came forth, one that is used for the service of God.
And that is what Jesus is saying in the gospel - when terrible things begin to take place, we must trust and believe and stand erect and hold our heads up high.
Because God is doing something wonderfully marvellous - out of chaos, He is recreating something new and it will be for His glory.