...Just Maybe

~~~ Revelation 14:1-3, 4B-5 ~~~ Psalm 24 ~~~ Luke 21:1-4 ~~~

One may ask why such a precise number of 144,000?
This number is  the square of twelve (the number of Israel’s tribes)
 multiplied by a thousand, symbolic of the new Israel
that embraces people from every nation, race, people, and tongue.

Just as believers surrounded Jesus while he was on Earth
so it is also found to be the case in Revelation.
The Lamb has surrounding him his beloved faithful believers.
The exact number is only symbolic in that it includes
 far more than ever before...
it is far reaching to all the ends of the world.
 The joy of those with the Lamb is evident
 through the hymns pouring forth from their spirit.
Any others present heard, but could not join in this hymn.

No one could learn this hymn 
except the hundred and forty-four thousand
who had been ransomed from the earth.

Those who had come to believe were allowed to learn the hymn.
It was the hymn of love for the Lamb who shed his blood.
It was the hymn for the unblemished Lamb of God.

No amount of money could help you learn this beautiful hymn.
The knowledge of this hymn was much deeper.
This hymn was placed into the heart
 of the believers by the one who first sang it.

This hymn was the melody of peace, joy, mercy,
forgiveness, and compassion.

This hymn could only be composed by the one
who had the greatest capacity for love.

The poor widow gave from her poverty and was
blessed with abundance of spirit.

The widow in today's gospel had no intention of trying
 to buy her way into the community;
she simply gave from her heart.

The martyrs we remember today gave their life for loving God.
They paid the ultimate price.
They have joined the group surrounding the Lamb.
They had been allowed to learn the hymn.

Perhaps this unique hymn is already within our souls.
Perhaps every time we act out of kindness...
every time we act from purity of heart...
the hymn rises closer to the surface of our heart.
Just maybe, when our last day comes,
we too will be allowed to join the others in singing
this hymn of praise and joy...just maybe.

He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,

a reward from God his savior.

Just maybe the reward from God is the grace to learn the hymn...
the Blessing to receive your heavenly voice.
This hymn is reserved for the ones who surround the Lamb.
It is different than the hymns sung by the choirs of angels.
The angels have always been filling the heavens
 with their songs of praise.

Our song is different...our song reveals just how grateful
 we are for being saved by the Blood of the Lamb.

Spend your earthly days preparing your soul
to learn the hymn.

Let the heavens be filled with our hymns of love.
~~~Peace~~~

"Starter Pack"

~~~ Revelation 4:1-11 ~~~ Psalm 150 ~~~ Luke 9:11-28 ~~~

If we did not know any better one would think that the author
of the book of Revelation was on some kind of hallucinating drug.

The descriptions of his visions are so rich with imagery that
 film makers continue to find vivid theatrical material.

If you want beautiful jewels, read Revelation.
If you want a royal environment covered in gold, read Revelation.
If you want scary winged creatures, read Revelation.
If you want thrones, elders, pomp and circumstance, read Revelation.
This book has it all including the highest words of praise.

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty,
who was, and who is, and who is to come.”

All creatures great and small
flock before the one who sits upon the throne.
For he is the Holy One...he alone is worthy.

Let everything that has breath
praise the LORD! Alleluia.

Jesus was rejected in so many ways during his time with us.
But in heaven there is no conflict...no hesitation.
In heaven nothing is too much to give to the Lord.
In heaven no creature feels unworthy
 to come forward with their songs of praise.

In heaven beauty, precious and dazzling, is presented to the Lord.
In heaven we will be made into a new creation...
one clothed in the purity of his love.

In heaven no one will need to be coaxed
 into singing their praises of God. 

In heaven the splendor of the One who sits
 upon the throne will be brighter than even the sun.

In heaven we join the others in giving him
praise day and night.

All that God has so generously given
to us we will return to him in thanksgiving.

Our life long task is to discover the gifts we have been given,
and then to use them to their fullest.
If we only partially use our gifts we are
 ignoring their full potential.

God gives each of us our starter pack of gifts;
he does intend for us to use them.

A started pack is only the beginning it is up to you to continue...
to do more...to multiply your gifts...to expand them...
to use them in creative ways.

When we approach the One who sits upon the throne
the question will be,
"What did you do with my 'starter pack' of gifts?

The gifts we have must be used in order to increase.
The more we make use of our gifts
the more abundantly they will be developed.

The is only One God...
He alone is worthy of our unceasing praise.
The 'starter pack'  is only to get you excited for the Lord.

Blessed to be called to join
 in the unending hymns of Praise. 

 Holy, holy, holy Lord, mighty God!

~~~Peace~~~

Is the Choice Clear?

~~~  Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious ~~~

~~~ Revelation 1:1-4; 2:1-5 ~~~ Psalm 1 ~~~ Luke 18:35-43 ~~~

Realize how far you have fallen.
Repent, and do the works you did at first.
Otherwise, I will come to you
and remove your lampstand from its place,
 unless you repent.

As the liturgical year is coming to a close we are reminded to repent.
As humans are prone to do; we have gotten off the path.
We are reminded to return to our initial good works.

This is of utmost importance lest our lampstand is removed.
Why is this important?
Would we not still have our light?

The lampstand is first mentioned in Exodus.
God gives detailed instructions about the
golden lampstand to be kept in the holy place of the tabernacle.
The lamps were to tended so as their light would always be burning.

The lampstand was to radiate the light both day and night.
This lampstand was the only source of light.
Jesus is known as the light of the world.
He gives light, he is the source of our light.

We have been given the light of Christ...
we are children of the light.
If you are to shine the light of Christ
 then it is necessary for you to live holy life.

God is warning us to repent lest he takes away
 the lampstand and our light will no longer shine brightly.

The lampstand holds up the vessel of oil burning brightly.
Jesus is the support...Jesus is the lampstand.
Without him we could not be complete;
our light would not be able to burn brightly.

Jesus is the one who led his chosen people
 out of darkness into the light.

Those who are victorious I will feed from the tree of life.

(Rev. 2:17)

The tree of life begins in the Garden of Eden
and continues into end times.
The tree of life given by God is life sustaining.
It bears fruit. It provides shelter. It is a safe place.
 It gives us hope.

God is the tree of life.
He takes care of all of our needs.
He waters the roots.
He prepares the soil. He prunes the dead branches.
He covers the branches with lush green leaves.
He ripens the fruit in the warmth of the sunshine.

He calls us to gather around this tree of life.
He is the Life.
This tree of life represents all that was, is and is to come.
This tree of life has no end...it continues to nourish
those who are faithful.

When we turn away from our sinful ways
 it is so much easier to access the tree of life.

If we want to be the light of Christ to others then
we must draw from the source, the tree of life.

Have sight; your faith has saved you.

Jesus is the light of the world high upon the lampstand
giving light to each of us.
Jesus is the life giving tree.

God is the giver of everything good
including eternal life.

The choice is clear; repent...
your light will continue to shine...
you will be fed from the tree of life.

He is waiting to feed us
 with his grace and Blessings.

~~~Peace~~~

Please RSVP

~~~ Revelation 18:1-2, 21-23; 19:1-3,9a ~~~ Psalm 100 ~~~ Luke 21: 20-18 ~~~

  

Blessed are they who are called to the wedding feast of the Lamb.

 

The time will come when all corruption and evil will end.

Babylon is no loner the great city it once was considered to be.

It has become a city where demons, disgusting beasts,

 and unclean spirits reside.

A city devoid of song, dance, and joyful celebrations.

No creative craftsmen, no illuminating light, and finally

no wedding ceremonies of love.

The corrupted city will rise up as smoke consumed by fire.

 

Then the angel of the Lord

 said to me, "Write this:

Blessed are those who have been called
to the wedding feast of the Lamb."

 

Through baptism we have been called to the wedding feast.

 

We will sing and serve and come before the Lord at the feast.

We will rejoice for he made us wonderfully.

We are his.

We will enter into his feast with thanksgiving for all he has done for us.

Blessed are we who have been called to the wedding feast of the Lamb.

His kindness endure forever.

His faithfulness passes from generation to generation.

 

In his goodness we are included in the wedding feast.

We are not only guests, but we are family.

We belong to him.

 

 

 

 Blessed are they who are called to the wedding feast of the Lamb.

 

There shall always be a place at the table for us.

Return your RSVP card...

there is a place card containing your name.

Let us rejoice and be glad.

Sing a New Song

~~~ Revelation 15:1-4 ~~~ Psalm 98 ~~~ Luke 21:12-19 ~~~

"...You will be hated by all because of my name,
but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.
By your perseverance you will secure your lives."

Because of perseverance we too will be with the Lamb.
Because we persevere we will learn the new song of the Lamb
that was previously only known by the chosen few.

We will join the others standing on the sea of glass.
We will be given our very own harps to play.

We will join in the God's song playing God's harps.

"Great and wonderful are your works,
Lord God almighty.
Just and true are your ways,
O king of the nations.
Who will not fear you, Lord,
or glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
All the nations will come
and worship before you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed."

 

 

We are in the middle of the final week of ordinary time.

Advent is about to begin.

The birth of Jesus is heralded by people of all nations.

The three wise men, representing all peoples, will come to pay him homage.

A child will be born unto us...our infant who is our King.

 

The words of the song will ring out across the heavens...

Great and wonderful are your works

Lord God Almighty...

For you alone are holy.

 

Every time we join with the community and sing the Holy Holy

during Mass we are also joining with the heavenly chorus.

 

Our voices lift up to heaven giving him glory and praise.

We are rehearsing here on earth, as best we can, for the day

when we will be singing his praises for ever.

 

This Sunday sing even if you think you cannot sing.

God does not judge the quality of your voice,

but only whether or not you desire to sing his song of praise.

It is said that singing is twice praying...now you know why.

 

Sing to the Lord a new song!

Reaping the Harvest

~~~ Revelation 14:14-19 ~~~ Psalm 96 ~~~ Luke 21:5-11 ~~~

 

 The picture painted in today's reading from Revelation
closely resembles something you might see on a horror movie.
A sickle weilding gold crowned man sitting on a white cloud
floating in the sky.
In the background the voice of an angel can be heard...
"Use your sickle and reap the harvest,
for the time to reap has come,
because the earth's harvest is fully ripe."

Angels come out of the temple with sharp sickles.
Another angel came out who was in charge of the fire crying
out to the one who had the sharp sickle...
"Use your sharp sickle and cut the clusters from the earth's vines,
for its grapes are ripe."

It seems to be a rather extreme measure to rid the earth of ripe grapes.
All that was harvested was thrown into the great wine press of God's fury.

The Lord will come to judge the earth including each of us.
Personally I think it will be more subtle when God
comes to reap the harvest.

The danger for us lies in having the ability to identify the one
actually sent from God.
Luke is warning us with the words of Jesus not to be deceived...

"See that you not be deceived,
for many will come in my name, saying,
'I am he,' and 'The time has come.'
Do not follow them!

 

 

Now I am reminded of the many who have been fooled into believing

a false prophet needlessly ending their lives.

 

When a false prophet entices others to buy in to their lies it is a sad time.

I pray for the wisdom to follow the one true God

no matter how attractive others might appear.

It is only by grace that we can remain faithful until our death.

 

When God is ready to end life on this planet as we know it

there will not be a stone left on top of another stone.

In the end life itself may just evaporate

leaving only the glory of God himself.

When this happens what we think of as an ending

may actually be the beginning.

In dying we become what God created us to be.

We return to him.

'Come Up Here'

~~~ Revelation 11: 4-12 ~~~ Psalm 144 ~~~ Luke 20: 27-40 ~~~

Even though we may endure severe trials and tribulations
if we keep the faith and believe
we will come into the presence of the Lord.
As believers in the promise of everlasting life
we will be raised up on the last day.

It is by the breath of life from God that we will stand up on our feet.
It is then that we hope to hear the sweet voice of God say...
"Come up here."

 

 "...But after the three and a half days,
a breath of life from God entered them.
When they stood on their feet, great fear fell on those who saw them.
Then they heard a loud voice from heaven say to them, "Come up here."
So they went up to heaven in a cloud as their enemies looked on."

Come up here seems so easy, but until he speaks
 those words to us we cannot enter heaven.
Hearing those words from God in heaven will be sweeter than music.
 

"...those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age
and to the resurrection of the dead...
...They can no longer die,
for they are like angels;
and they are the children of God
because they are the ones who will rise."

Once you have heard the words of invitation you can no longer die.
You will join in with the children of God.
You will be counted in with the other children of God.

 

 

 

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

"...is not God of the dead, but of the living,
for to him all are alive."

 

We live and move and have our being through him.

He gives us life, sustains our life, and

will bring us into everlasting life with him.