Together with the Creatures of Heaven. . .

Homily for the Third Sunday of Easter

As I mentioned last week, my homilies for the Sundays of this Easter Season will focus their attention on the second reading from the Book of Revelation, the last book of the Christian Scriptures or New Testament. Once again, let me emphasize that like the last chapter of a novel, the last stanza of a poem, or the last scene of a play, placing this book at the end of the Bible was done for a reason. Whether we refer to it as the Book of Revelation or the Apocalypse, we need to keep in mind that the purpose of the sacred author is the unveiling of a truth or reality that was taking place at the time of its composition.

The verses we hear today are one of many visions that a man named John was given on the Isle of Patmos, a penal colony used by the Empire of Rome. John is taken by the spirit to the heavenly temple where he witnesses a heavenly liturgy. First, he sees and hears angels, creatures, and elders singing a hymn to the Lamb. “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain.” He is referring here to Jesus, the Lamb of God, who gave his life to save humankind from sin. In their hymn this choir is bestowing upon the Lamb a sevenfold gift -  power and riches, wisdom and strength, honor and glory and blessing

Of course, one cannot understand the end of the Bible unless one is familiar with goes before the ending. Which leads us right back to the very beginning of the Bible and the opening chapter of the book of Genesis. In that opening chapter we are made aware of the very first seven days, the six days of creation and the seventh day on which the Lord rests. In an orderly procession of creatures, the Creator fashions light, the heavens, and the earth and the sea. Then God populates them by fashioning the sun and the moon and the stars of the heavens, the birds of the sky and the creatures of the sea, the animals and beasts of the earth. At the end of this procession, God creates humankind in God’s image, male and female God creates them. The seventh day is declared the Lord’s Day, a day of rest. Humankind is meant to lead all of creation in praise of the Creator. This is what God intended; namely, that all of creation, led by humankind, would sing the praises of the Creator. However, sin very quickly entered into the picture through the disobedience of humankind throwing the entire procession into disorder.

Through the writings of the Hebrew Scriptures, we witness the unfolding of the divine plan that God put into place to restore all of creation to right order. That right order was accomplished by the death of Jesus on the cross and has earned him the praises which are accorded to him by the creatures of heaven. However, immediately after this John hears yet another hymn. This time the choir consists of not only the creatures of heaven but also the creatures of earth. They join together in praising the “One who sits on the throne” as well as the Lamb who was slain. By his death on the cross, Jesus has restored order so that God’s purpose in creating the universe is realized.

All of this helps us to realize what it is that we do when we gather to celebrate the Eucharist. There are those who believe that this final book of the Scriptures is a description of the Eucharistic liturgy that we celebrate every day as a Church. The Mass has been described as a memorial and as a sacrificial meal. However, what we do here is much more than simply remembering or gathering for a meal. We come to sing the praises of God.

The great Eucharistic Prayer during which the bread and wine are changed into the body and blood of Christ begins with a hymn that describes exactly what John has seen in his vision. The presider first gives us a reason to praise God. Then he prays: “And so, with Angels and Archangels, with Thrones and Dominions, and with all the hosts and Powers of heaven, we sing the hymn of your glory, as without end we acclaim: Holy, Holy, Holy. . .” Our earthly liturgy is but a foretaste of the heavenly liturgy described in today’s reading from the Book of Revelation. This is why the Church maintains that the Eucharist is the greatest prayer. As we gather around this altar, we are joined by all the angels, creatures, and elders of heaven in singing the praises of our Creator. Jesus, through his death and resurrection, has restored the right and orderly worship of God. As one who has been privileged to stand at the altar for forty-seven years, I cannot help but feel the awe and purpose of what it is we do here, and I look forward to what we will do when we are once again joined to our Savior in the life that is to come. Truly, worthy is the Lamb who was slain to the honor and blessing and glory to God.