Tuesday, November 7, 2006 -- Week of Proper 26 (Willibrord)
"Morning Reflections" is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.
Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer.
Evening Prayer begins on p. 117
An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at www.missionstclare.com
Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this location -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html
Today's Readings for the Daily Office (p. 991)
Psalm 61, 62 (morning) // 68:1-20(21-23)24-36 (evening)
Ecclesiasticus 43:1-22 (found in the Apocrypha; also called Sirach)
Revelation 14:14 - 15:8
Luke 13:1-9
As far as I can tell, there is never a culminating battle in the vision of John's revelation. The death of Jesus is the victory over evil. Today we read of the "wine press" that "was trodden outside the city, and blood flowed from the wine press, as high as a horse's bridle, for a distance of about 1,600 stadia." The latter number is symbolic of the whole world. Four is the number of the created order and ten is the number for wholeness or totality. 4x4 and 10x10 -- This bloody verse is a symbolic way of saying that it is the blood of Christ which covers the whole earth. It is a Eucharistic proclamation. The blood is Christ's, not some enemy's.
As bloody and violent as the images in Revelation are, it is Christ the Lamb who is the slain victor. The beast is fallen. Yet there is no battle. Yes, there are terrible consequences for evil and oppression, but these seem to be woven into the very fabric of the oppression itself. Great cities collapse. God doesn't have to do anything. They fall of their own greed and corruption. Truth eventually triumphs. The visionary prays, may today be the day of truth.
But Luke reminds us, that justice is not linear. The innocent sometimes suffer; the righteous sometimes are defeated and oppressed. Even terrible accidents that have no explanation happen to the good and the innocent. Sometimes justice is delayed. We hope for amendment of life. The gardener asks: Let the barren fig tree alone for one more year. Apply manure. "If it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down."
Justice may be delayed. It will not be eternally frustrated.
"The peace of God, it is no peace; but strife closed in the sod. Yet let us pray for but one thing. The marvelous peace of God." (William Alexander Percy)
Lowell
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TheRev. Lowell Grisham
St.
Fayetteville AR
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posted by Lowell @ 7:12 AM
1 comments
1 Comments:
For all the times I've read Revelation I don't before remember recognizing the scriptural origins of the line in the Battle Hymn of the Republic regarding trampling on the grapes of God's wrath (Rev. 14: 19-20). It makes sense, though, that some of the imagery in that song would come from the book of Revelation.
It is interesting because that song speaks of God's march in present tense terms, not in terms of end times future prophecy. Perhaps the 19th century songwriter understood John's Revelation as metaphor and inspiration better than many of today's theologians.
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