2nd 3rd
or 4th Michaelmas Sunday
Revelation 19:11-16
And I saw the heavens
opening up. 
Queen Mary Apocalypse
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 God's will, the ruler of all.
And written on his robe and on his thigh is the name: King of all kings, Lord of all lords.
4th Michaelmas
Sunday
October 24, 2021
Revelation 19:11-16
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, He 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 nonetheless draw a certain comfort from it, 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,
lessons 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 a right relationship
with Him and others, repairing our own brokenness, and acquiring crowning life
skills.
Through many, perhaps
difficult, life lessons, we can learn the art of amends, 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.
