Revelation 5:11-14
Easter 3 - Year C
Clarence Odbody, Angel Second Class, acted in anticipation of receiving his wings after 200 years of trying. His tending of George Bailey worked out well — it’s a wonderful life. So now Clarence is flitting around singing (probably off-key) “... glory and blessing!”
That is one story-line. It’s all about Jesus, Lamb First Class.
To hear Jesus tell it, he is the one who sings, “...glory and blessing!” to those who tend and feed. This means dealing honorably with the blind and healing them even if, when they can see again, they will then be able to target you for destruction. Those who presume the teaching function of the Holy Spirit in the lives of others hear Jesus singing, full voice, to both the current and the future teacher.
Just tend and nourish where you can. This is Easter personified — rolling some blockage back that a new way might be opened. Somewhere in your tending will come an awareness of the music of the spheres, an eternal hum, expressing thanks for your being kind regardless of your intentions or any other response you might receive.
Remember worship is a “workshop” for practicing tending and healing, not an end in itself.
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2013/04/revelation-511-14.html
Back in verse 6 we see a slain "lamb" standing. Something we took for granted, dead is dead, gets a second take. Whaaa? But it is not the same in appearance -- horns and eyes aplenty are now present. This lamb or Lamb that was slaughtered is invested as a presence of G*D, not with angels singing its presence into being, but finally in the voice of all creation from beginning to end, from hell to heaven, from the four-corners of a non-bounded universe.
This is one heck of a double-take. Clarity of insight, of finally getting it, leads to a harmonious cacophony and every other oxymoron coming true as we fall down laughing. We can now see ourselves with these same strange horns and eyes and distinguish tares from wheat without benefit of an "apple." This insight is the work of the people - we don't just worship that limited to being outside ourselves, but that which, panentheistically, is all in all, is also within ourselves.
Fear and awe are not the only emotions that cause us to "fall down."
http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2004/april2004.html
Just how much is a myriad or a myriad squared? Now, add to that some number of thousands times some additional thousands. What do you get? Is that near or far from all the creatures at this point?
Do all the creatures add but a token amount to thousands of myriads? Do they effectively take things into another dimension?
This is one of the difficulties with evocative, poetic language. It is hard to pin down.
Perhaps we can simply leave it that a song was sung. Does it take an infinite number of Mormon Tabernacle Choirs to have adequate praise sung? Is your lone voice sufficient? Why or why not?
The more the merrier certainly does play to our grandiosity streak. What do you see in your vision of the meaning of life? Do you also focus on quantity over quality when it comes to G*D stuff?
http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2004/april2004.html
Last night I saw a production of 1984 and I was reminded of the goal of the Ministry of Love - to so "help" another discard everything they held dear, one's own perception and love of another, that they become empty enough to love only Big Brother. Then the Ministry of Love can fill the emptiness and finally kill a non-martyr, one who desires to be killed before further betraying Big Brother.
I must admit I get a sense of that when I read such passages as this. All honor and glory being given away until we can only cry out, "I love you, Big Brother," or "I love you, Worthy Lamb."
We cry out for filling, for we are nothing. In crying out, our emptiness is filled.
Even if we take such praise as subversive against a power of any age that requires praise be given in its direction, the substitution of blind praise for god is no better than blind praise for nation. Apocalyptic language is not all that different than Newspeak or Doublespeak, it can change direction and symbolism on a moment's notice. Read on its own, without Prophetic pronouncements, it is most dangerous.
We will need to figure out what we love with such forcefulness before sheer glory takes over our "love."
- - -
one angel is enough for Mary
Jesus had access to ten thousand
now myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands
are arrayed before our eyesthat many angels singing
in unison or four-part harmony
or lovely parts infinite in scope
deafen wisdom and worshipour work is done for us
all that is needed is assent
get on the bandwagon
forever might escape without unanimityjoin the angel band
lend your voice
creation's wall will fall
only pure love will be left
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2007_04_01_archive.html
In today's world, where "winning is everything", the imagery of being slaughtered in the regional semi-finals doesn't bode well for receiving the glory of the trophy. Once upon a time, long ago and far away, is the kind of location for slaughtering leading to glory.
Imagine the angels singing for you - singing "Worthy!", singing "Beloved!", right here, right now. Who knows whether this will lead to being slaughtered, but we do know it leads to the energy to love G*D, Neighbor, Self, One Another, and Enemies. This love may, in turn, lead to undesired consequences (being led by the belt when old) or not (heaven may actually come on earth).
Did you really imagine the angels singing for you? Go back and try that until you can hear them. Then you may jump to the next paragraph. Until then loop and loop again until you can hum along with an angelic song.
Having heard the angels sing, "Peace on Earth, Kindness to Creation", we are not into saving ourselves, having this all be one big ego trip. We identify with G*D and dust, with Neighbor and Enemy, with zealots and innocents, with stars and one another. G*D and the dust of evolution bring us to birth. Angel songs of belovedness bring us to new birth. Now even salvation is beside the point as a third birth moves us to a new quantum level. Rejoice as you join the Angel Band and sing to others.
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2010/04/revelation-511-14.html