April 25, 2019
For full passage click: Revelation 1:4-6… “To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” 5b-6
John begins his mysterious apocalypse with a dedication that glorifies the Risen Christ. In his estimation, not only had the faithful been loved and forgiven through Jesus Christ, they had been made into a kingdom of priests. No longer would there need to be a class of religious leaders charged with maintaining the sacrificial system who would mediate with God on behalf of the people. From now on, every believer could have direct access, which in reality, was the way it had always been. We don’t have to go to someone else to put in a word with the Lord or offer a sacrifice. The artificial barrier has been broken down; the curtain of the temple has been torn in two. There are some who might find that to be a troubling notion. They would prefer that God be at a distance and not immediately accessible. But that’s not the way it is. The One who was, is, and always will be doesn’t reside in some heavenly palace beyond the clouds. The Divine Presence who was there at the Big Bang is with us and in us every moment of every day. Our priestly prayers and service ensure constant contact and the loving and forgiving will never end.
Thought for the Day: What do priests do?
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