Category Archives: A Lamp for Today

Isaiah 26:9-20; Psalm 119; Romans 8:22-39; 2 Peter 1:19 The fifth Biblical Ode, taken from the song in Isaiah 26:9-20, is both challenging, and encouraging.  It begins practically, with a description of human vigilance before God, and ends pragmatically, with a reminder that human beings are given by the LORD a time of rest, forContinue reading “Light from the Canticles 6: Hosea’s Yearning and Hope”

Habakkuk 2:1-4 3:1-19; Joshua 10; Exodus 15 For several years, as we sang the fourth Ode of the Paschal canon, I was mystified at the prominent role given to a relatively obscure prophet, who wrote three short chapters of our Old Testament.  We sing: The inspired Prophet Habakkuk now stands with us in Holy Vigil. Continue reading “Light from the Canticles 5: With Habukkuk in Humility, Hope, and High Places”

1 Samuel/1 Kingdoms 2:1–10, Haggai 2:6, Psalm 74/5:3, Job 9:5 The third Biblical Canticle is one that we often associate with holy Mary’s Magnificat—both songs are uttered by women who have experienced a miraculous conception, the first an Old Testament married woman who had much sorrow, and the second a young virgin whom the LORDContinue reading “Light from the Canticles 4: Hannah’s Humble Faith”

Deut 32:19-43; Jeremiah 1:10; Hosea 6:1-3; Our last episode considered the luminous first eighteen verses of the second canticle of Moses, taken from Deuteronomy, with its many ways of picturing the Almighty.  It ended, though, on a sober note, reminding us how easy it is to forget the LORD, who “gave us birth.”  The secondContinue reading “Light from the Canticles 3: No God Beside Him!”

Deuteronomy 32:1–18 (Second Song of Moses, Part 1) As we have come to the New Year, we have been met by many poignant and wise commentaries upon life, and upon our generation.  Recently a friend of mine posted on FB a citation from St. Basil.  His situation in the fourth century, with the crisis ofContinue reading “Light from the Canticles 2: Remember the Days of Old”

The Song of Moses, Exodus 15:1-19 The singing of hymns, both personally and corporately, has been part of Christian life from the very beginning.  The gospels tell us that as Jesus and his disciples prepared to go to His ordeal on the Mount of Olives, they sang a hymn (Matt 26:30; Mark 14:26). Colossians andContinue reading “Light from the Canticles 1: Gloriously He Has Been Glorified!”

Traveling through the Apocalypse is an arduous experience.  We have been able, in 39 episodes, to trace significant numbers,  themes, images, and patterns , as illumined by the Old Testament, and our Church Fathers. There are seven churches with seven letters, seven seals, seven trumpets, seven bowls.  There are the three female figures associated withContinue reading “Lighting Up the Apocalypse 40: Revelation Inside Out”

Rev 22:8-21; Deut 30:19; Genesis 1-3; Deut 30:19; Daniel 8:26, 12:14 And so we come to the end of this fascinating and daunting book.  In these final verses, we see combined elements that we have noticed throughout the book of Revelation—an assurance of its trustworthiness, a glimpse of the connection between our world and theContinue reading “Lighting Up the Apocalypse 39: Invitation to Worship and Life”

Rev. 22:1-7, Genesis 1-3, Psalm 1, Psalm 35/36, Daniel 7 Finally, we reach our goal in reading the Apocalypse. Some will say that we find ourselves “back in the garden.”  But that would be to simplify the final vision.  Yes, the garden of Eden has returned, for there is no longer a curse on things,Continue reading “Lighting Up the Apocalypse 38: The River, The Tree, and The Face”

Rev 21:9-27; Ex 28:15-21; Dan 2:34-35; Ezekiel 40-43; Is 2:2-3, Is 54:11-14; Ps 48:13-15 In cinematography, significance is signaled by panning in to the object being observed, and panning across it so that everything can be seen in detail.  The same procedure can be used in describing a vision, and John does this for usContinue reading “Lighting Up the Apocalypse 37: The Bride, the City, and the Eternal Light”