Jul 9 2019 Canticle 18 – A Song to the Lamb

Splendor and honor and kingly power are yours by right, O Lord our God

In addition to daily readings from Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms and Gospel, the practice of Morning Prayer includes the reading of two canticles every day. A canticle is like a song of praise, and they’re lifted from throughout the Bible. Like with everything you do repeatedly, something seeps in, almost infuses my soul.

Today’s canticle is from the book of Revelation, the last book of the New Testament, full of apocalyptical, end-of-time writings. And while I struggle with the allegories, sometimes the poetic beauty of the language strikes something deep – especially when repeated in daily prayer.

Today, I’m struck by the language about kingly power and thrones. At the time of the writing of this song of praise, there was political upheaval, and great dissent against the Roman Empire. There’s something about these writings that is contrasting Jesus’ reign to that of the mortal leaders of the time. There’s a sense of promise and hope in a ruler who created everything that is.

I’ve been on a news boycott for several months, maybe years. In particular, politics. I hear of atrocities in policy and stupid statements from US elected officials. At the risk of admitting apathy, I don’t pay enough attention to get very worked up.

Here, during a short visit in New York, it’s hard to miss the towers built by human kings, including entertainment kings, financial kings, and political kings. It’s hard to be apathetic to what I see: to the human leaders building towers to heaven, to show everyone their might and power.

But here’s what’s troubling me most. Yes, there are screaming billboards and video displays, and shiny towers. But none of these worldly kings got to where they are without the assent of the masses. Records are bought, stocks are sold, political leaders elected. These human kings are only on top because we put them there. We are complicit in their ascent to power.

Thinking of political leaders, it is far too easy to blame them, or blame him. The tweets are pretty horrible, and policies worse. But we elected him. Maybe you didn’t vote for him. Maybe the popular vote didn’t elect him. But our system did. Our brothers and sisters in God did. He is not the problem. Blaming him allows us to abdicate responsibility to and for our brothers and sisters. We cannot be armchair quarterbacks. We are in this game.

Today’s canticle reminds me that I have a choice. I can choose to offer praise and thanksgiving to the kingly power who redeemed us already from every family, language, people and nation.

This morning, I want to look around at gleaming New York when I see human kings in media, and finances and politics, and I want to remember who put them there. And I want to remember who it is that really warrants worship and praise, dominion and power, for ever and for ever more.