The Virgin Crowned - Revelation Classic Art
Angels and Rainbows
Today's reflection has been written by Daniel D. Maurer.
When I was a kid, I often thought about angels. I thought that they were everywhere, and they were looking out for me. When I was a kid, I also believe in Santa Claus and ghosts. I no longer believe in Old Saint Nick (as a magical Christmas elf, anyway) or ghosts who can rob my soul.
But I still believe in angels. Know why? I know their real reason.
In Greek, angelos means messenger. And although in Holy Scripture we see otherworldly beings serving as God's holy messengers, I believe in actuality that the TRUE messengers—that is, the TRUE angels—are those we see all around us.
God's messengers are everywhere. Take my son, Joshua, who is on the autism spectrum. He shows my wife, Carol, and me nearly every day how simple things like a fly buzzing around the house are actually God's miracles. That kid can become fascinated with anything, I tell you. He also can show love in ways that would simply shock you. Joshua . . . is an angel — a messenger from God.
So, although we read about angels and nummy honey scrolls in this passage you'll read below, I believe that there are other types of angels all around us.
Who knows, maybe you're even one.
Narrative Lectionary Text
Revelation 10
The Angel with the Little Scroll
And I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head; his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire. He held a little scroll open in his hand. Setting his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land, he gave a great shout, like a lion roaring. And when he shouted, the seven thunders sounded.And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying,
‘Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.’ Then the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and the land
raised his right hand to heaven
and swore by him who lives for ever and ever,
who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it: ‘There will be no more delay, but in the days when the seventh angel is to blow his trumpet, the mystery of God will be fulfilled, as he announced to his servants the prophets.’
Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, ‘Go, take the scroll that is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.’ So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll; and he said to me, ‘Take it, and eat; it will be bitter to your stomach, but sweet as honey in your mouth.’ So I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it; it was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter.
Then they said to me, ‘You must prophesy again about many peoples and nations and languages and kings.’