White Rider

In the old black and white cowboy movies that I loved when I was a kid, the good guy wore a white hat and we cheered as he came riding to the rescue with his team on horseback behind him.  I find this appearance of Jesus in Revelation 19:11-21 thrilling.  After all the book's outlandish descriptions of beasts and evil, it is so satisfying to see the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, all in white with his enormous army all in white riding to our rescue.

The Lamb

The second image of Jesus in the Book of Revelation (5:1-14) is that of a Lamb.  This is the first time that title appears in the book, but it will appear 30 times more as the visions continue.  He bears the wounds of his passion, but has triumphed and therefore stands erect.  The sacrifice of this Lamb never has to be repeated.

Alive Forever

I recently finished studying the Book of Revelation with a small group.  This morning I meditated on the first appearance of Jesus (1:12-20.)  The description ravishes  our senses,  a majestic, other-worldly figure.  He says, "I am the living one.  I was dead, and see, I am alive forever and ever; and I have the keys of Death."  He has conquered death and unlocks his wondrous new life for us.

Truth

Truth seems to be in short supply these days.  In last Sunday's Gospel Jesus offers himself to Pilate and to us as Truth Incarnate.  Pilate can't bring himself to take a stand.  Truth is crucial for the ordinary functioning of life.  We can let Jesus the Truth show us the way.

Love Who love us, thank You

"Always be thankful.

 With gratitude in your hearts

 sing psalms and hymns and inspired songs to God;

 and whatever you say or do,

 Let it be in the name of the Lord Jesus

 in thanksgiving to God the Father through him."

                                  --St. Paul, Colossians 3:16-17

Relentless

This morning's gifts: a picture and a prayer:  God of mercy, you pursue us with relentless love.

Horizon of Hope

This Sunday's first reading and Gospel are apocalyptic passages.  Maybe the closest our culture comes to apocalyptic literary form is science fiction movies.  No matter how terrible the outlandish creatures and the fierce battles, we are confident that the movie will have a happy ending.  Apocalyptic writing in the Bible assures us that no matter how hopeless our situation seems we will not be destroyed.  In Jesus God has already won the battle with evil. 

Afterlife

Yeh, that's the moon up there playing in a very gentle sunrise.
We Christians are so comforted reading about life after death in the New Testament that we take for granted that it's like that in the Old Testament.  In the Hebrew Bible the only certain reference to life after death is Daniel 12:2-3: "Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to eternal life, others to reproaches, to everlasting abhorrence.  And the knowledgeable will be radiant like the bright expanse of sky, and those who lead the many to righteousness will be like the stars forever and ever."

Joy, Joy, Joy

One of two "Armistice Day" cacti that set buds within a day or two of being brought inside.
A parishioner pointed out to me that Psalm 16 scheduled for next Sunday is very upbeat, contrasting with the apocalyptic first reading and Gospel.  The last verse is:
"You will show me the path to life,
  fullness of joys in your presence,
  the delights at your right hand forever."
Robert Alter in his book on the Psalms says that the literal sense of the Hebrew of  the second line is "a satiety of joys in your presence."  Sated with joy!  A surfeit of joy!  More joy than we can enjoy!

A Penny

When I was little I liked to watch my aunt's country store.  A little girl came in and looked for a long time at the penny candy display.  In her fist she had three pennies.  I asked if I could help her.  "What would you buy," she said, "if you had the money?"
Jesus sat watching people put money in the temple treasury.  A poor widow came and put in two copper coins worth a penny.  Jesus said, "She put in more than all the others." (Mark 12:41-44)

The Evening of the Year

"Dusk has fallen once again, and we are in the evening of the year.

 In the thinning of the forests, in the lengthening of shadows, 

 our life is seen as fleeting, our end as drawing near.

 Trees no longer set a limit to our vision,

 while through bare and nervous branches

 our gaze is lifted to the clouds.

 The sky seems incredibly higher and we appear as we truly are,

 less than our imaginings, more the creature.

 In this season of falling leaves, of coldness and of want,

 we think of death.

 In this season of harvest, of gathering into barns

 or into bundles to be burned,

 we think of life to come."

                                                  --Laurence Brett

Jesus the Jew

It might help to remind ourselves frequently that Jesus was a real Jew.  Perhaps no place better than this Sunday's Gospel shows us his Jewishness.   When asked what the greatest commandment is, he immediately begins his reply the way he began his morning prayer, "Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one"(Mark 12:29.)  This is still how Jews begin their morning and evening prayer.

All Saints

We are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses.

Hebrews 12:1

These clouds witness to Beauty, whom we sometimes call God.  The saints are a great cloud of witnesses to the Holy One.  We see God in the clouds and in the saints.

Rare Glory

What a glorious greeting from our God.  

In every direction this morning 

there were clouds colored by the coming sun.