4th Michaelmas 2021, God's Justice

 

2^nd 3^rd or 4^th 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.

4^th Michaelmas Sunday

October 24, 2021

Revelation 19:11-16 

A child who breaks a window can make amends by paying for a new one. Or perhaps the child could even learn how to repair and replace broken windows themselves—a life skill acquired that could serve them 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, 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.

www.thechristiancommunity.org

 

4th Michaelmas 2016, Loyal

2nd 3rd or 4th 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.

2nd 3rd or 4th Michaelmas Sunday

October 23, 2016

Revelation 19, 11-16

Here in the North, we are descending into the cold and dark time of the year. Yet as we cross the threshold into darkness, an image lights up. It is an image of light and fire, painted in colors of red, white and gold. The white horse, and white linens, the red of blood and wine, the gold of flame and crowns.

Like the woman clothed with the sun, this too is an image of humanity. It is the image of an ever enlarging humanity led by the rider in white, wearing the many crowns of nations and of lives.

He is a leader who reigns from within the body. He rides the white horse of a purified intelligence. He will cover us with the white linen of his truth and justice. His staff of iron will strengthen our blood and our inner resolves, pressing out all of our selfishness and greed.

He is faithful, loyal to his own mission of helping humanity. He leads us in our battle against the adversaries of our true human nature. The very colors express our true humanity: the white of clear pure thinking, the gold of a loving heart, the red of a will devoted to God and to humanity. He leads. He asks us to follow. 

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