Image from theflame.uniashanoi.org
Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Look! He is coming with the clouds; every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail. So it is to be. Amen. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.
Jesus' work continues until the end of time. The last book of the Bible, written on the Island of Patmos, which we on our tour of Greece will see in September, contains today's passage. John wants the world to know of the continuing work of our Lord Jesus. Jesus will forever be the faithful witness of God's work in creation, even death and resurrection, thus the "firstborn of the dead" reference, He Himself says, "I am the Alpha and the Omega," the beginning and the end (the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet); He who was present at Creation, will be present at the end of all things as we know them, present even for the New Heaven and the New Earth.
He who loves us, loves you, dear Friend, also freed us from our sins by HIs blood, and is working to make us a part of His new kingdom, in which you and I will be priests serving God the Father. And that work can begin now with our words and actions which we should gear to glorify God.
Christ will come again. If you celebrated Holy Communion yesterday, you may have read or heard that in the ritual. It is part of our faith; Jesus will come again. In that I have no doubt. And this passage says that Jesus is coming in the clouds, "every eye shall see Him, even those who pierced Him." We will join those who can see Him and our joy will join the wails of all the tribes of the Earth.
Easter says, Come, Lord Jesus, come. Come today, stay today. Come tomorrow and bless me to be a blessing.
PRAYER: Loving Father, may this prayer be a part of my affirmation of faith, that Jesus came so that I may have life. May my actions bless others to come to life in You. Help me to see You in others, and may others see You in me. In Christ Jesus I pray, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Be a ray of hope and love today!
Eradio Valverde
