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Day 30

A reading from the Book of Revelation (21:1-5a,6b-7)

I, John, saw a new heaven and a new earth.
The former heaven and the former earth had passed away,
     and the sea was no more.
I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem,
     coming down out of heaven from God,
     prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
     "Behold, God's dwelling is with the human race.
He will dwell with them and they will be his people
     and God himself will always be with them as their God.
He will wipe every tear from their eyes,
     and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain,
     for the old order has passed away."

The One who sat on the throne said,
     "Behold, I make all things new."
I am the Alpha and the Omega,
     the beginning and the end.
To the thirsty I will give a gift
     from the spring of life-giving water.
The victor will inherit these gifts,
     and I shall be his God,
     and he will be my son."

From a poem by St. John of the Cross

I live, but not in myself,
and I have such hope
that I die because I do not die.

I no longer live within myself
and I cannot live without God,
for having neither him nor myself
what will life be?
It will be a thousand deaths,
longing for my true life
and dying because I do not die.

This life that I live
is no life at all,
and so I die continually
until I live with you;
hear me, my God:
I do not desire this life,
I am dying because I do not die.

III

When I am away from you
what life can I have
except to endure
the bitterest death known?
I pity myself,
for I go on and on living,
dying because I do not die.

A fish that leaves the water
has this relief:
the dying it endures
ends at last in death.
What death can equal my pitiable life?
For the longer I live, the more drawn out is my dying.

When I try to find relief
seeing you in the Sacrament,
I find this greater sorrow:
I cannot enjoy you wholly.
All things are affliction
since I do not see you as I desire,
and I die because I do not die.

And if I rejoice, Lord,
in the hope of seeing you,
yet seeing I can lose you
doubles my sorrow.
Living in such fear
and hoping as I hope,
I die because I do not die.v

VII

Lift me from this death,
my God, and give me life;
do not hold me bound
with these bonds so strong;
see how I long to see you;
my wretchedness is so complete
that I die because I do not die.

VIII

I will cry out for death
and mourn my living
while I am held here
for my sins.
O my God, when will it be
that I can truly say:
now I live because I do not die?

Musical Selection (Kathleen Deignan)

God will wipe away ev’ry tear from your eye,

There shall be no more pain

For the old world now is passing away,

And the kingdom is at hand.

We shall see the glory of the Lord

The splendor of our God,

Let the wilderness and thirsty lands be glad.

See how your God now comes with power

With justice God comes to save

And stoops to gather up the broken-hearted.

Strengthen the feeble-hearted

Steady the ones who woud fall

To the anxious say, Be strong. Have no fear.

Prayer

God, our shelter and our strength,

you listen in love to the cry of your people:

hear the prayers we offer for our departed brothers and sisters.

Cleanse them from their sins

and grant them the fullness of redemption.

We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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