Epic Salvation – Br. Jim Woodrum

Br. Jim Woodrum

Feast of the Martyrs of New Guinea

Revelation 7:9-12

I have never been a fan of reading fantasy fiction. To me, most books of that genre are too epic, too long, too overwhelming for me to follow for any length of time. Reading J.R.R. Tolkein’s saga, for instance, proved to be difficult for me, especially in keeping all the strange and magical details straight. So, too, for me, is the book of the Revelation to John, steeped in prophetic symbolism including plagues, warfare, bloodshed combined with numbers, colors, animals, angelic and demonic beings, not to mention dragons! Perhaps if, like the Lord of the Rings, they made a movie of Revelation, I might dive right in.

However, as an Anglo-Catholic, I will say that there are parts of Revelation that I find quite awe inspiring, especially the descriptions of heavenly worship. We heard such a passage today. It is passages like these that make the very stone and glass of this monastic church resonate for me as we join with the heavenly multitude in worship here on earth as in heaven. Read More

Inalienable Worthiness – Br. Keith Nelson

Br. Keith Nelson

Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4
2 Timothy 1:1-14
Luke 17:5-10

“We are useless slaves; we have done no more than our duty.”
“Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds awake when he comes.”
“Well done, good and trustworthy slave. Enter into the joy of your master.”
“Anyone who wants to be first among you must be your slave.”

Slavery is impossible to avoid in the pages of the New Testament, as we see from a small sampling of well-known passages. Read More