Christ has come and fulfilled the law – the festivals no longer need to be followed or obeyed. Yet they still speak of the importance of remembering and giving honour and saying thank you. Not only remembering and honouring God and thanking him for all he has done. But remembering the most lowly in addition to remembering the Most High – the poor – and bearing in mind the ones often most estranged and alienated, the immigrants to our country and our neighborhood.
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Something wonderful has happened and the news is spreading around the world! The nations are invited to a great celebration. No one is to attend as spectator. Oh no! Everyone is summoned to clap and shout joyfully!
This Psalm carries the reverberating sounds of celebration signaling the end of a long battle.
Read More praise, celebration, song of rejoicingImagine being at the river on the day that Israel crossed over? What must it have looked like, sounded like, and smelled like that day! And then there were the battles for land – triumph, defeat and repentance. They had come out of Egypt in a hurry. They were driven away in scorn and fear. This was a story to celebrate down the ages.
Now fast forward to a humble birth in Bethlehem.
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The Book of Esther concludes with the chronicling of why Purim exists, how it was named “Purim,” and how it is to be celebrated by Jews in perpetuity. In essence, the text is a summary review of the entire Book of Esther!
Read More celebration, PurimThe day for the dedication of the newly completed rebuilt walls of the city had finally come. It must have been an exceptional celebration with the two processions of the civic leaders and the Temple musicians encircling the city walls. They converged on the Temple where festivities continued with sacrifices and singing.
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Today we are still in heaven. The One sitting on the throne is holding a scroll. It has writing on both sides and is firmly sealed. The seals alarm John because the scroll represents God’s plan to redeem his world and if it cannot be opened then those purposes remain unfulfilled.
Read More celebration, scroll, Lamb of God, prayersSo God proposes to redeem his world through the witness of his Church. I know – it’s breath-taking. As we are faithful, God will work. That’s the contract. Now in today’s passage, we read the small print.
There are encouraging things in it.
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