4th Michaelmas 2013, Life Lessons

2^nd 3^rd or 4^th Michaelmas Sunday

Revelation 19, 11-16

And I saw the heavens opening up. And behold, a white horse! And the rider who sat upon it is called faithful and true, who judges justly and battles for justice. His eyes are like flames of fire, and his head wears many crowns, inscribed with a name which no one knows but he himself. The cloak  that covers him has been dipped in blood, and he is known by the name “Word of God”.

And the warriors of the sky ride behind him upon white steeds, clad in clean, white linen. And he has a sharp-edged sword coming out of his mouth with which to subdue the nations, and he will shepherd them with a staff of iron. He treads on the winepress holding the wine of the wrath of the will of God, the ruler of all.

And written on his cloak and on his thigh is the name: King of all kings, Lord of all lords.

4^th Michaelmas Sunday

October 20, 2013

Revelation 19:11-16

 

A child who breaks a window needs to learn to make amends by paying for a new one. Or perhaps the child could even learn how to repair and replace broken windows himself—a life-skill acquired that will serve him and others in the future.

In today’s reading, we are given an uncomfortable picture of a warrior on a white horse, battling for justice and proper discernment. What issues from his mouth is the sharpness of the Word of God, who sees all as it truly is, and directs us in what needs to be done.

Although not a gentle or easy picture, we can draw a certain comfort from it nonetheless; for it implies that with God’s justice, a certain order and guidance will be maintained. There will be predictable consequences for what we do, and lessons to be learned from them, lesson that will benefit both us and others. The fierce wrath of God’s will is the corrective, aimed in love at bringing us back into relationship with him and others, repairing our own brokenness and  acquiring crowning  life skills.

Through man, perhaps difficult, life lessons we can learn the art of recompense and repair. And when we have acquired the skills, whitened our garments, we can join with the hosts of those in white who also battle for what is just according to God’s Word, written in our conscience.