MORNING REFLECTION
by Rev. Lowell Graham, Lowell's 'blog
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Today's readings for the Daily Office (Prayer Book, p 990)
Psalms [70], 71 (morning) 74 (evening)
Ezra 7:(1-10)11-26
Revelation 14:1-13
Matthew 14:1-12
In our gospel reading we get a poignant story of the violence and cruelty that is part of the experience of living under the Empire. In Matthew's version, Herod has John the Baptist decapitated on a whim, because of his wife's young daughter.
The book of Revelation is a response to the threat of life under the Empire. In the previous chapter John offers images of two beasts that represent the political power of the Empire and the civic power of the Empire, its economic and religious domination. Today's reading moves the perspective to the Empire's opposite, the Lamb. The number of the faithful gathered around the Lamb is 144,000 -- a number combining 12 (God's people) and multiples of 10 (all). The forehead represents human spirit and worship. These have been faithful and pure in their worship and allegiance to God -- their spirit is virginal, pure. They have not drunk "of the wine of the ...fornication" of Empire. There is probably a connection with the purification that is required before embarking on holy war, which is usually a spiritual or inward struggle, in Islam and other faiths.
An angel announces the hour of judgment. A second angel announces the fall of Babylon (Rome). A third announces the reversal of fate -- those who have worshipped the beast -- given allegiance to the Empire's cult; surrendered their spirit and worship (forehead) and given their work and activity (right hands) to the Empire's purpose and materialism -- will live with torment and have no rest, which is the present condition of the church in its posture of resistance to Empire.
Then John gets to the punch line -- the purpose of the creative composition. "Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and hold fast to the faith of Jesus."
The warfare is the holy struggle of the faithful to persevere steadfast in their allegiance to God in the face of the temptations of economic and political wealth, power and luxury and the concomitant acknowledgment of the Empire's civic cult.
We live in a time of similar temptations. The lure of wealth and possessions; the pretensions to power; the cult of American Empire is not unlike the influences that John's Revelation challenges with his visions. Do we follow God or Empire? Where is our allegiance?
-- Lowell
The Rev. Lowell Graham, rector
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, Arkansas
NOTE: To subscribe to the "Morning Reflections" email list, go to the Subscriptions page
Comments