An Elder Pilgrim's Reflections

Our Revelation pilgrimage concludes with: “See, I am coming soon; my reward is with me, to repay according to everyone’s work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." ( from Revelations 22 ) My Hudson's Bay point blanket was mostly used for the 17 summers I attended a boy's camp. Even though it's a well-made blanket, the metal cot's springs were pretty tough on its edges. The blanket eventually ended up in my closet somewhat worse for wear. When David Brooks wrote an editorial saying the moral threads of our society are fraying, my blanket came to mind as an image.  Particularly now, the moral threads of our society seem to be falling apart right before our eyes.  I see this most clearly in latest mass shooting at Uvalde elementary school killing 19 children.  I also see morality unraveling by denying someone communion because of a political position, or attempting to accumulate power at the expense of others. Jesus says, ...

Our Revelation pilgrimage continues with: " And in the spirit he carried me away to a great,  high mountain and showed me  the holy city Jerusalem coming  down out of heaven from God ." (from Rev.21:10, 22—22:5 )   The Word of God in the Bible is about love.   I think it's human nature to read Revelation as a book of fear and threats. What are the 4 horsemen about? Who will be left behind? How will the earth end? This hardly sounds like God's love. God's love begins knowing Revelation was written to comfort Christians harassed by a cruel Roman emperor. They suffered for withdrawal from, and defiance against, Roman society, which imposed very real penalties.  They were hanging on to hope for strength to endure the harassment.  Revelation offered a hope over their reality by describing an apocalyptic end to the world. The problem is that Revelation and its message remains blurred to 21st century Christians.  Wars, hate, poverty, and pandem...

Upper Delaware River Our Revelation pilgrimage continues with: "Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city."           (from Rev.21:1-10 ) I live within the beautiful Upper Delaware River watershed. This beautiful life-giving river provides enjoyment of God's Creation when one takes advantage of the rafting, canoeing, fishing, camping, and scenic waterfalls.  The beauty of the river continues during Autumn when the trees change color and during the Winter with its ice jams. The river's beauty is deceiving, though, which explains the warning signs about life jackets and swimming. Each summer some people choose to ignore the signs resulting in fatal and non-fatal drownings. It seems to me we live in the watershed of the river of life.  At times our watershed is bright and beautiful filled with the joys of life.  At others...

"there was a great multitude  that no one could count,  from every nation,  from all tribes and peoples and languages,  standing before the throne and the Lamb,  robed in white, with palm branches in their hands."  (from Rev. 7:9-17 ) About 2006 I accompanied our youth group on a mission trip from Underhill, VT to the Bowery Mission in NYC. At the Mission, we helped prepare and serve a meal for the homeless, cleaned up, took off our kitchen aprons and chatted with the folks who came to dinner.  By talking together we discovered many reasons for homelessness which expanded our awareness beyond our stereotypical images.  Our expanded awareness included the struggle of these marginalized people with their economic situation and looking for a way to get beyond their circumstances.  This is their "great tribulation". How would they stand before "the Lamb at the center of the throne" who would wipe away every tear? Where do we draw strength in...

““Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain to receive power and wealth  and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”” ( From Rev.5:11-14 ) In the book Independent People , there's a story about a boy entering a church for the first time. He had never seen people like this before, so decent and happy. Such is life, he concludes, when it is lived in peace and song. For me, singing is the soul's voice engaging body, mind, and spirit. Whether sung in Westminster Cathedral, with the brothers at Weston Priory chanting the psalms, or a small congregation singing "Amazing Grace". That's why I'm attracted to the Book of Revelation and its passages with singing. Its fifteen hymns are sung to encourage Gods people on earth from the perspective of heaven.  Revelation makes a spirited connection between worship and justice, between liturgy and political transformation.  Revelation's bold claim is that singing is a deep source of hope, and at the end of the day, si...