Fr Peter Helman (12.13.21)

“Let anyone who has ears listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches: (Revelation 3:13).

+

Dear friend,

The reading before us this morning from the Revelation to Saint John invites us to reckon with the voice of God this Advent.

In a cave on the island of Patmos where he spent his later years in exile, John had a vision one day and heard behind him a voice like many waters speaking. When John turned to see who it was that spoke to him, he saw one like the Son of Man, whose eyes were like flames of fire and from whose mouth issued a two-edged sword. His face was like the sun.

“Write on a scroll what you see,” the man said, “and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamum, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea” (Rev. 1:11).

The second and third chapters of Revelation comprise a series of brief letters to these ancient churches of Asia Minor, and we read this morning the letter to the Philadelphian Christians.

The One speaking sifts their devotion. Amid much persecution, they suffered with patient endurance for the name of Christ. And theirs was the promise of salvation.

“I am coming soon; hold fast to what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. If you conquer, I will make you a pillar in the temple of my God; you will never go out of it. I will write on you the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem that comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” (Rev. 3:11-13)

What may feel cryptic in this utterance is less so than we might think. The voice of the speaking poses questions. Do we have faith? Are our works done in love? Do we look for the coming of God? Do we listen for the voice of God always speaking?

The One who speaks is coming soon.

Peace~

Peter+