Easter 4C (Revelation 7:9-17)

​The Book of Revelation is filled with the visions of St. John, the beloved friend of Jesus. I first became curious about Revelation after watching the 1976 movie The Omen. In that movie, they reference Revelation 13:18: “This calls for wisdom: let anyone with understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a person. Its number is six hundred sixty-six.”

I still remember reading that verse with a mix of fear and excitement when I was about ten years old — imagining the ominous mark of the beast and signs of the end times.

But today’s passage from Revelation gives us a very different vision. Here, St. John sees a "great multitude" from every nation, clothed in white robes, standing before God's throne and the Lamb. They serve God day and night, sheltered, fed, and comforted. This is one of the Bible’s most vivid and hopeful depictions of heaven. This is why this passage is often chosen for funeral liturgies, especially the beautiful promise: “The Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd… and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Now, I want to ask you a question to help you reflect more deeply: Keeping in mind St. John’s vision — interpreted as a glimpse of heaven and the afterlife — how do you feel about standing before the throne of God, worshiping day and night? Here are four possible responses:

1. Absolutely yes — as long as there’s music, I can do it day and night.
2. Honestly, no way — that’s too much religiosity for me, but I'd still rather be there than hell.
3. No thanks — I would rather be in hell.
4. It depends — what does "worship" really mean?

If you chose the first one, wonderful. If you find yourself wavering between the second and third, you may end up with the fourth — and I think that's wise. Because before we judge, we need to clarify what "worship" really means.

In fact, worship can mean different things depending on the context. In our Anglican tradition — imagine St. Thomas Church on Fifth Avenue — worship is shaped by a soaring Gothic setting, a magnificent organ, and the angelic voices of a boy choir. In contrast, if you think of a Hillsong service (originally in Australia), worship looks and feels like a vibrant rock concert — with guitars, drums, lights, and a sea of raised hands.

So again — are you excited about worshiping day and night? If you picked the first choice, you're probably still nodding. If you’re not so sure, you might still be asking: Can worship be different? 

And the answer is yes. In Revelation 7, the word used for worship is not simply singing songs or bowing down. The Greek word is λατρεύω (latreuō) — meaning to serve like priests in a temple. In St. John’s vision, all the redeemed are priests. You are doing what I’m doing — standing before God, actively serving with your whole being.

This changes everything. Heaven isn’t an endless church service you have to endure. It’s life lived fully in the presence of God — joyful, active, priestly.

And it’s not just about "someday after death." Let’s be honest: who really knows what heaven will be like? Instead, the call is for us to live now as priests wherever God places us. You already wear a white robe — spiritually speaking — washed in the blood of the Lamb. You are already marked by the end of scapegoating and blame — because Jesus, the final scapegoat, broke that cycle once and for all.

You are called to embody the presence of God with your physical body — here, today, in this world.