Friday 25 November 2022

Today is Friday the 25th of November, in the 34th week of Ordinary time.

Paul Zach sings, ‘Nothing to Fear’.


When you pass through the waters
I will be with you
And the depths of the rivers
Shall not overwhelm
When you walk through the fire
You will not be burned
I am the Lord, I am the Lord
And there is nothing to fear, nothing to fear
There is nothing to fear, nothing to fear
For I am with you always
In the depths of your sorrow
I wept beside you
When you walked through the shadow
I drew you near
Yesterday, today, tomorrow,
Always the same
I am the Lord, I am the Lord
And there is nothing to fear, nothing to fear
There is nothing to fear, nothing to fear
For I am with you always
What can separate you from my perfect love?
What can separate you from my perfect love?
What can separate you from my perfect love?
Do not fear, do not fear, do not fear

The reading today is from the Book of the Apocalypse. Before we hear it, imagine the scroll being unrolled for the first time all those centuries ago. Many of the hearers wouldn’t have been able to read and so the public reading would have had great importance. These early Christian communities felt like they were in very troubling times. You might feel the same. Listen to this colourful proclamation with them . . .

Apoc 20:1-4,11-21:2


Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and locked and sealed it over him, so that he would deceive the nations no more, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be let out for a little while.

Then I saw thrones, and those seated on them were given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony to Jesus and for the word of God. They had not worshipped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

Then I saw a great white throne and the one who sat on it; the earth and the heaven fled from his presence, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Also another book was opened, the book of life. And the dead were judged according to their works, as recorded in the books. And the sea gave up the dead that were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and all were judged according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire; and anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

After the warnings of all sorts of crises there is reassurance that everything is under the authority of God. However bad things might get, God’s love will prevail. Take comfort from that assertion of Julian of Norwich from the time of the Great Plague: All will be well . . . All will be well . . .


While we wait for God’s ultimate victory, we are called to live and to love like Jesus. How are you being called today to live and love like him?

How can you face the reality of the challenges around you and still work for God’s Kingdom with hope in your heart? What would help you do this? Ask for what you need.

Listen to the final part of this reading and know that you are also ‘the bride’ whom God, your spouse, loves . . .

If you can, spend a little time now, letting this God who loves you like this, look at you and be with you.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.