You have not come to something that can be touched, a blazing fire, and darkness, and gloom, and a tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that not another word be spoken to them. (For they could not endure the order that was given, ‘If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned to death.’ Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, ‘I tremble with fear.’) But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. (Hebrews 12:18-24)

 

RESPONSORY

O Lord, the blood of your Son, our brother, cries out to you from the earth. 

 

The blood he shed is more eloquent than the blood of Abel. 

 

 

Elijah thought himself solitary, though he was not so; the world invisible was hid from him. Though ministered to by angels, though sustained miraculously by almighty God, yet, like Saint John Baptist when he sent to ask Christ, Art thou he that should come, he seemed to himself one against many. But Elisha had the privilege of knowing that he was one of a great host who were fighting the Lord’s battles, though he might be solitary on earth. To him was revealed in its measure the comfortable Christian doctrine of the communion of saints. His eyes were purged to see sights which the world could not see; and that so clearly, that he could even comfort his attendant, who felt that fear which had overtaken Elijah when he fled from Jezebel. Hear Elijah’s words – I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life to take it away. On the other hand, when Elisha’s servant, on finding the host of the Syrians round about them, said to the prophet, Alas! my master, how shall we do? Elisha answered, Fear not, for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And then he besought almighty God to give to his servant for an instant a glimpse of that glorious vision which he in faith, or by inspiration, enjoyed continually. He prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and behold the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. How well does this vision correspond to that blessed privilege which, as the Apostle assures us, is conferred upon us Christians! You are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and Church of the first-born, which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the just made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks more graciously than the blood of Abel! An innumerable company of angels, and the spirits of the just - we dwell under their shadow; we are baptized into their fellowship; we are allotted their guardianship; we are remembered, as we trust, in their prayers. We dwell in the very presence and court of God himself, and of his eternal Son, our Saviour, who died for us, and rose again, and now intercedes for us before the throne. We have privileges surely far greater than Elisha’s; but of the same kind. Angels are among us, and are powerful to do anything. And they do wonders for the believing, which the world knows nothing about. According to our faith, so it is done unto us. Only believe, all things are ours. We shall have clear and deeply-seated convictions in our minds of the reality of the invisible world, though we cannot communicate them to others, or explain how we come to have them.  

 

Omnipotent God,

your glory is incomprehensible,

your majesty infinite,

and your power incomparable.

Found us on the certainty of your promises,

that no matter what happens,

we may be firm in faith

and live uprightly in your church,

bought by the blood of Jesus Christ. Amen.  (Book of Common Worship)