Morning Prayer

+ In the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening sentences

Lord, open my lips and my mouth will proclaim your praise.

I arise today, through God’s strength to pilot me:
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me,
God’s host to secure me:
against snares of devils,
against temptations of vices,
against inclinations of nature,
against everyone who shall wish me ill,
afar and anear, alone and in a crowd.

Zechariah 6:1-8 (ESV)

Again I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, four chariots came out from between two mountains. And the mountains were mountains of bronze. The first chariot had red horses, the second black horses, the third white horses, and the fourth chariot dappled horses — all of them strong. Then I answered and said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?” And the angel answered and said to me, “These are going out to the four winds of heaven, after presenting themselves before the Lord of all the earth….” When the strong horses came out, they were impatient to go and patrol the earth. And he said, “Go, patrol the earth.” So they patrolled the earth.”

Mark 13:5-!0 (ESV)

And Jesus began to say to them, “See that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains.

“But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them. And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations.”

Revelation 6:1-2 (ESV) – to be read aloud

Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, “Come!” And I looked, and behold, a white horse! And its rider had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer.

Reflection

THE SECOND VISION – THE SEVEN SEALS

Overview: The dramatic portrayals of God’s righteous judgement is now under way…. However, the content of the scroll with its description of the final judgement begins with Chapter 8, and the sounding of the seven trumpets. On the other hand, as each seal is removed we are introduced to a series of preliminary judgements representing forces throughout history by means of which the redemptive and judicial purposes of God are being carried out prior to the end.

The imagery of “The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” comes from Zechariah’s vision where they are sent out to “patrol the earth.” However, the subject matter of John’s vision corresponds to Jesus’ prophecy of the signs of “the age to come” in the Synoptic Gospels…. By combining earthquakes and the cosmic disturbances, the seven woes of Luke are included in the six seals of Revelation. In Jewish thought the “age to come” would be preceded by a period of unprecedented woe. “These are but the beginning of the birth pains… but the end is not yet.” Mark 13:7-8 (Mounce, p.138-139)

The First Seal (6:1-2)

The identity of the first horse with its rider is widely disputed…. Most interpreters insist that, since the other three are evil powers of destruction and death by which God executes His judgement, the white horse must be similar in kind – e.g. conquest in general, while the red horse is war in particular.

However, this interpretation does not do justice to the white garb of the rider and the white horse he rides… which suggest an association with Christ and the spiritual life… leading us back to the Olivet Discourse… and a time of preliminary troubles marked by evils in human society and in nature…. There is, however, in the preliminary period one positive note… “And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations.” (Mark 13:10)

The course of the age is not to be one of unprecedented evil when God’s people are surrendered helplessly and passively into the hands of hostile powers. While the Kingdom of God will not be established until the return of the Son of Man, the age will be one of tension: tension between evils which characterize history and afflict particularly the followers of Jesus, and the active and aggressive proclamation of the gospel of the kingdom by those same disciples…. The rider is not Christ himself but symbolizes the proclamation of the gospel of Christ in all the world…. It will be preached effectively in all the world; and in spite of an evil and hostile environment characterized by human hatred, strife, and opposition, the gospel will make its way victoriously in all the world.

Here is a word of confidence, combined with a realistic note for the church in every age…. How can any people be devoted to a cause which they believe will experience only defeat…? We do not look for the coming of God’s Kingdom and the righting of the world’s evils short of the return of Christ; but we are, as modern bearers of the gospel of the kingdom, expectant of seeing victories won by the power of this gospel. (Ladd, p.97-100)
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Canticle

Christ, as a light – illumine and guide me.
Christ, as a shield – overshadow me.
Christ under me; Christ over me; Christ beside me – on my left and my right.
This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Be in the heart of each to whom I speak; in the mouth of each who speaks unto me.
This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me – on my left and my right.

Blessing

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you.
May He guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm.
May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you.
May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
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Peanut Gallery: In September, we will begin reading through the Book of Revelation (ESV). Our purpose will be devotional, i.e. to discover the word of blessing that God has for us in these troubled times… to find hope and help for our daily lives.

This will not be a Bible Study per se: we will not attempt to unravel the “mysteries” of Revelation… that is far beyond our abilities and is not our interest here. However, so as not to get too far afield, we will rely on three study resources: primary – A Commentary on the Revelation of John (George Elton Ladd); supplemental Revelation (Leon Morris) and  The Book of Revelation (Robert H. Mounce).

The general format for Morning Prayer is adapted from the Northumbrian Community‘s Daily Office, as found in Celtic Daily Prayer (see online resources here.) On Sundays, we’ll return to the USCCB readings (see online resources here) and various liturgical resources in order to reflect the Church’s worship and concerns throughout the world. Photo illustrations and music videos, available online, are included as they illustrate or illuminate the readings. I will try to give credit and link to sources as best I can.