Saturday December 19

Scripture

‘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.’ ‘It is I, Jesus, who sent my angel to you with this testimony for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.’ The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And let everyone who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift.
 -Revelation 22

Hymn - Lo, How a Rose E're Blooming

O Flower, whose fragrance tender
with sweetness fills the air,
dispel in glorious splendour
the darkness everywhere;
true man, yet very God,
from sin and death now save us,
and share our every load.

Meditation

Visions of God throughout history and even in the past week’s readings can be challenging and even frightening at times. There is a popular image of God as fearsome judge who is out to condemn all of humanity. This image of Jesus at the end times, however, speaks to us a different word. While Jesus is the one with the authority and power to judge, his speech to the world, echoed in the church, is always: “come”. It is always an invitation to draw nearer to him, to seek him out and to make our home in God, receiving the gift of the water of life. Sit with this word for a while and listen to the call of God in your life.