Leaning Toward a New Tomorrow

Daily Office Devotional, Thursday, October 30, 2025

Proper 25, the week of the twentieth Sunday after Pentecost

The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D.

Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading:

11Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12singing with full voice, ‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!’ 13Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing, ‘To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!’ 14And the four living creatures said, ‘Amen!’ And the elders fell down and worshipped.

Daily Office Lectionary Readings (BCP 990)

AM, Ps. 50;  PM (Ps. 59, 60) or 103

Neh, 1:1-11;  Rev. 5:11-6:11;  Matt. 13:18-23

Today we celebrate the Feast of John Wyclif. (See below.)

David's Reflections

The images in today’s reading speak of God ruling as sovereign, Jesus, the warrior lamb, sharing God's rule, and events unfolding on the stage of history under God's watchful eye and limiting hand.  Those fledging Christian communities in Asia Minor (modern Turkey) were feeling the crushing heel of Roman persecution in the late First Century.  The seer who gave us this book was himself in prison on an island off the coast as a result of his own witness to Christ.

The early Christians worshipped Jesus with the title Lord (Greek kurios), a term used for the emperor.  They worshipped a person who had been executed by crucifixion as a traitor to Rome (crucifixion was reserved for traitors and slaves who rebelled).  The Christian movement had become largely nonJewish and stood separated from the synagogue; the Jewish religion had enjoyed privileged status in the Empire since the time of Julius Caesar.  All those dynamics plus Christians’ refusal to worship the image of the emperor (a sort of loyalty oath, if you will) had brought them under the persecution of the local authorities.

This particular vision involves a scroll written on front and back, an unusual practice in antiquity and a symbol of the fullness of its contents.  Of the several interpretations about the nature of the scroll, I take the view that the scroll represents God's eternal purpose for our salvation, a purpose that awaited its fulfillment until the coming of Jesus.  Jesus' life, death, and resurrection have opened up that sealed book of divine saving purpose.

The four horsemen let loose by the Lamb's opening the first four seals probably symbolize catastrophic events that have transpired over the several decades prior to the writing of The Revelation.  Debate rages among the commentators about what events might find expression here.  The point however seems to be that no matter how evil or catastrophic events might seem to be, Jesus brings good out of those evil moments, just as his death brought salvation for us out of an act of Roman injustice.

I find it very challenging to believe that God can and will bring good out of our despoiling of the environment, our devastation of the rain forests, the slaughters of millions of innocent people in the Balkans, Africa, and the Middle East, and the other chaotic and unjust events of our day.  Yet, the triumph of Jesus through the cross and the grave tells me that no human injustice or act of destructiveness ultimately will frustrate God's intent to deliver and transform the creation and us.  But, to take that further step, to believe that God actually will be able to hasten our salvation by bringing good out of our evil feels like a rather radical leap of faith, one that I am called daily to make.  The alternative would be to slip into a paralyzing bitterness and despair.

If God does intend such a salvation of creation and of us, that intent calls us to throw ourselves into battling for environmental preservation, justice for all, and to redouble our efforts at witness and service.  If God is moving in those directions, the best way to live into God’s future is to move as far in those directions as we can this side of the end. trusting as we go that God's loving goodness brings good out of evil.

As Martin Heidegger once said:  "It may be that any other salvation than that which comes from WHERE the danger is, is still within the unholy.” *

*Martin Heidegger, Poetry, Language, Thought, trans. Albert Hofstadter (New York:  Harper, 1971), p. 118.

Collect of the Day, Proper 25    The Sunday closest to October 26

Almighty and everlasting God, increase in us the gifts of faith, hope, and charity; and, that we may obtain what you promise, make us love what you command; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.   (BCP, 235)

Today we celebrate the Feast of John Wyclif, translator and theologian (died 30  Oct 1384 CE).

http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/john_wyclif.htm

Collect of the Feast of John Wyclif

O God, your justice continually challenges your Church to live according to its calling: Grant us who now remember the work of John Wyclif contrition for the wounds which our sins inflict on your Church, and such love for Christ that we may seek to heal the divisions which afflict his Body; through the same Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

A Collect for Protection

O God, the life of all who live, the light of the faithful, the strength of those who labor, and the repose of the dead: We thank you for the blessings of the day that is past, and humbly ask for your protection through the coming night. Bring us in safety to the morning hours; through him who died and rose again for us, your Son our Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.  (BCP, 124)

Jesus, The Encompasser

Jesu! Only-begotten Son and Lamb of God the Father,

You gave the wine-blood of your body to buy me from the grave.My Christ! my Christ! my shield, my encircler,each day, each night, each light, each dark;My Christ! my Christ! my shield, my encircler,Each day, each night, each light, each dark.

Be near me, uphold me, my treasure, my triumph,

In my lying, in my standing, in my watching, in my sleeping.

Jesu, Son of Mary! my helper, my encircler,Jesu, Son of David! my strength everlasting;Jesu, Son of Mary! my helper, my encircler,Jesu, Son of David! my strength everlasting.  (Alexander MacDonald, crofter, Borve, Barra in Carmina Gadelica, Hymns and Incantations…, Vol. III, p. 77. English translation modified)

A Collect for Mission

Everliving God, whose will it is that all should come to you through your Son Jesus Christ: Inspire our witness to him, that all may know the power of his forgiveness and the hope of his resurrection; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.  (BCP, 816-817)

Daily Office Epistle, Revelation 5:11-6:11

11Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, 12singing with full voice, ‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!’ 13Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing, ‘To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!’ 14And the four living creatures said, ‘Amen!’ And the elders fell down and worshipped.

6:1Then I saw the Lamb open one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures call out, as with a voice of thunder, ‘Come!’ 2I looked, and there was a white horse! Its rider had a bow; a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering and to conquer.

3 When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature call out, ‘Come!’ 4And out came another horse, bright red; its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people would slaughter one another; and he was given a great sword. 5When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature call out, ‘Come!’ I looked, and there was a black horse! Its rider held a pair of scales in his hand, 6and I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, ‘A quart of wheat for a day’s pay, and three quarts of barley for a day’s pay, but do not damage the olive oil and the wine!’ 7When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature call out, ‘Come!’ 8I looked and there was a pale green horse! Its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed with him; they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, famine, and pestilence, and by the wild animals of the earth.

9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered for the word of God and for the testimony they had given; 10they cried out with a loud voice, ‘Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long will it be before you judge and avenge our blood on the inhabitants of the earth?’ 11They were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number would be complete both of their fellow servants and of their brothers and sisters, who were soon to be killed as they themselves had been killed.

Daily Offices in The Book of Common Prayer

Morning Prayer, Rite 2, page 75, The Book of Common Prayer

Noonday Prayer, page 103, Book of Common Prayer

Order of Worship for Evening (Vespers), p 109, Book of Common Prayer

Evening Prayer, Rite 2, page 115, Book of Common Prayer

Compline (Night Prayer), page 127, Book of Common Prayer

Daily Devotionals, page 136, Book of Common Prayer