Revelation 7:9-17

Easter 4 - Year C
All Saints - Year A

When an ordeal is over thanksgiving is in order. In fact, great thanks giving simply comes through, whether in order or not.

 

That which can wipe away our every tear is highly valued. Of course it is exactly this that often gets us into ordeals. Fascists and dictators of every stripe first appeal to being a source of great comfort — getting the trains to run on time or to overcome some great internal or external foe.

 

Wiping away every tear is a worthy value. The question is at what expense and for what purpose. If it is to control or for praise of the most powerful around, the value of comfort is diminished and needs to be replaced by rebellion.

 

What other responses are there to coming through terrible troubles? “Remember!”, is one. “Never again!”, is another. “We learned X or Y or Z and will structure that in to next decisions,” is yet a third. Do add your own fourth or fifth or tenth.

 

Imagine for a moment that Revelation were to return us to earth to rectify past errors and eras. What then would be the appropriate behaviors, something beyond 24/7 worship. Even in heaven, minds can stray after some time of continuous thanksgiving. If there is any humanity left in heaven it is hard to imagine this level of good-time lasting. At some point a mind will wander, an extraneous thought enter, admiration of that gorgeous set of wings will set off some greed-o-meter. If this is a next garden time, will there be time for an evening talk as well as an insatiable coveting of more and more thanks?

 

If Revelation is simply encouragement for folks in travail, what happens when onlookers of another time begin to claim the perks of ordeal survival without the ordeal? It turns into a pie-in-the-sky theory that removes us from the development of relationships with one another in order. We end up with only a relationship with whatever we name god. This becomes a control mechanism of a religious institution.

 

Watch out for a false future representing a false Messiah.

 

http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2013/04/revelation-99-17.html

 

 

How many folks were on the Mall this past weekend to witness to the importance of reproductive rights? Whose count will you believe -- those who minimize or maximize for their particular purposes? some supposed impartial group using some procedure or other?

How many died of hunger or AIDS this day? How many came to their recognition of a sexual orientation this day? How many lost a job this day? There are official estimates, but let's just say, "a great multitude have experienced a great ordeal."

Another great ordeal is conferencing among Christians. In Pittsburgh the United Methodists are using "water washed spirit born" as a theme. Some will see this as limited to a particular style of washing with particular content. Others will find it opens them to springs of the water of life beyond such limitations.

Will our limitations or openness lead to the wiping away of tears? My sense is that the relief of comfort after ordeal brings the tears, not some eternal punishment or being cut off. What is your sense of the process leading to a refreshing relief?

http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2004/may2004.html

 

 

Voting protocol at General Conference was very iffy. Where are the Wisconsin computer folks who are miles ahead of here in regard to thoughtful presentation about these matters.

What connection is there between pushing a button and "crying out in loud voice"?

http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2004/may2004.html

 

 

Great multitudes and great ordeals sort of go together. Here there is a great multitude and the Church and Society legislative committee has just come through a great ordeal.

We have struggled with unhelpful leadership from the chair and gotten into one unnecessary confusion after another.

The upshot of it all is a modicum of progress on the very combative and divisive language stating the untruth that homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.

Politically that bald-faced statement needs to be kept. No, the realm of G*D is not yet present. We are suggesting to the body of the whole additional language about Christians being of differing minds on whether or not that is a true statement.

We had to finally bring in two parliamentarians to get us to move ahead. What a hoot if the Trinity were imaged as three parliamentarians. This may be a new image for the shepherd.

At any rate, we are more obviously being guided toward springs of the water of life - relationships more primary than doctrine. The sabbath and doctrine made for us, not us for them. It has been many years when this has been difficult to see.

Where do you see your life being guided these days?

http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2004/may2004.html

 

 

Who are the ones who come out of great ordeal? The one's who are loved?

No matter where they have been, what they have done, the consequences they have borne - they are loved beyond themselves.

There is a happy response to understanding past knowing that one is loved. It is here portrayed as a universal joy we all blend into. This may be very satisfying for whatever is receiving such paeans of praise.

Less satisfying is knowing that we are but part of an adoring crowd. There is only love of G*D left, no love of neighbor. While exciting, it is but a thin veneer of exultation covering nothing else. All in all, for all its noise and show, a very static scene.

If this apocalyptic literature is to mobilize us into action in this world, it is important to return to a question of who now is later going to celebrate. May it be the one's we love. And so we expand our love base.

- - -

tears will be wiped away
this is a grand vision

to live toward it
we identify current tears

huge racking sobs
tender whimpers

from whence do they arise
man's inhumanity to man

to wipe away such tears
a new humanity is revealed

wounded healers
healing wounded healers

ordeal sufferers
suffering ordeal sufferers

rivers of tears
falling from above

springs of life
rising from below

meet in middle age
to cleanse our eyes

who are we
who are they

loved lovers
lovers loved

http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2007_04_01_archive.html

 

 

Servant leadership leads from the center of the assembled. It makes sense that this kind of leadership be kind. It welcomes opportunities to take one more step.

Throne leadership is more directive. Here it makes sense to have decisions regarding who is in and who is out. It welcomes challenges to overcome.

Both of these have their moment. When coming out of a great ordeal both leadership styles are important. At one and the same time, limits on energy from stresses of exile need to be heeded and stringent encouragement can be a source of needed vitality. Here we have the triumphant throne leadership in the fore and our task is to remember the servant leadership that accompanied folks through the thirsty places of life.

It is easy to get caught in the "final score" of the game and fail to appreciate all the ups and down and changes in momentum that led to a conclusion. The conclusion is not the real measure of value.

Do note that everyone was present. With pushes and pulls and plenty of time, we do gather together from our exile from one another. Pentecost and Revelation point to an overcoming of ancient Babel. Question for the day: what are we currently experiencing that points in the same direction? Relying on these stories of the past only goes so far - they need to be connected with what is currently going on in our desert journey as we point out the living water that will keep us going.

http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2010/04/revelation-79-17.html