IX.

Our Scriptural focus this week closes with – 

“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God
    the Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and exult
    and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
    and his bride has made herself ready;
to her it has been granted to be clothed
    with fine linen, bright and pure”—
for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.”

As you reflect on the passage, keep in mind that – 

    “… [the]bride [of the Lamb] …
to her it has been granted to be clothed
|    with fine linen, bright and pure”—
for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.”

X.

Revelation 19:1-8 (NRSV)

After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying,

“Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power to our God,
    for his judgments are true and just;
he has judged the great whore
    who corrupted the earth with her fornication,
and he has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”

Once more they said,

“Hallelujah!
The smoke goes up from her forever and ever.”

And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who is seated on the throne, saying,

“Amen. Hallelujah!”

And from the throne came a voice saying,

“Praise our God,
    all you his servants,
and all who fear him,
    small and great.”

Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty thunderpeals, crying out,

“Hallelujah!

For the Lord our God
    the Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and exult
    and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
    and his bride has made herself ready;
to her it has been granted to be clothed
    with fine linen, bright and pure”—
for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.”

XI.

Once more – 

    …his bride has … been … clothed …
with … the righteous deeds of the saints.”

While this volume of Scripture gives us much symbolism to make our way through (often it feels like too much symbolism, which may explain the need of some to use the book as an “end-times” calendar of sorts), what might we make of the “bride” being “clothed’  “with the righteous deeds of the saints”?

Allow me to suggest it speaks of “community”.

The community of the followers of Jesus.  The community of the Kingdom of God. Our connectedness to others in this community.

And out of that community “praise” and “worship” can arise.

Community has an important place in the offering of praise.

Not just that a community can praise together, but that the community of praise supports one another.  If at times I find praise difficult, I can lean on praise offered in community to both acknowledge their praise and to allow myself to rest in their praise.

As you find yourself in the community of the disciples of Jesus, allow yourself to be carried by them.  Allow yourself to be nurtured by them. And allow yourself to listen as they praise.  Be part of the community even if words do not come for you.  

Their words of praise are offered to God for you too.

charles

{ubi caritas et amor, et amor}