It is not impossible to see beyond the power of the empire. It is necessary.
Note that Revelation's accent on commercial consumerism does not give much airtime to the drastic economic consequences of such luxury (the production of poor people) nor does it use much energy on the military spending and recruitment necessary to sustain such luxury, nor does it comment much on the theological dimensions of the extravagance. All of that, surely, is implied. But we should not miss the focus on the songs of lament and celebration. It is the characteristic self-indulgence of empire that brings an end. Clearly for the Book of Revelation the community gathered around the Lamb in doxology is to keep itself remote from all such practices and seductions of empire.
Sunday at a family dinner we had lamb. The image was too great. On the day of the Resurrection of our Lord - on a day when we gather for the Lamb's high feast, we serve up lamb on a platter. I'm not being critical of the cooks for the day. It was simply an image that really hit me as I read this piece from Brueggemann. We follow the Lamb and live in the way of the one who is known among us as the Lamb of God. We are not talking diet - we are talking life. Maybe the only diet we might consider is one in which we take on more acts of love and justice and peace and shed from our plates the parts of our imperial diet that is involved in a never-ending consumption of the resources that could sustain us all and not just the few who usually gain from such a self-serving diet. Connection: How do we help one another live at the Lamb's High Feast? This may simply begin with words of encouragement. Too often when we are caught up in following the way of the Lamb - there is a temptation to become oppressive in our own "lamb like way". Each time we can help one another pause and reconsider how we participate in the expansion of the empire over the expansion of the Reign of God - is a simple, and good exercise. Again, through stories you call us into new life today, O God. And now within the stories of our lives, you encourage us to turn to you alone and walk in the way of the promise one - our Lord, Jesus. Thanks be to you, O God. Amen. |
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