A LENTEN ADVENTURE for 2024 - Wednesday February 28

 

Who is this Jesus, this “light of the world” and this “light of life”? What is it that makes Him so outstanding and so sublime? Let’s reflect today on one of His many titles, to get to know Him better in all His splendor and all His majesty. Jesus: the Alpha and the Omega.

 

“… Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power forever and ever! Amen. Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all peoples on earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.” I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive forever and ever!”…” (Revelation 1:4-18)

 

Jesus: the Alpha and the Omega – the first and the last letters of the Greek alphabet – the beginning and the end of all there is.

 

Everything that we human beings could think about Him, speak about Him, write about Him, sing about Him – He surpasses and transcends it all.

As the second person in the Trinity, Jesus was present at the beginning and will be present at the end of history – moreover, He transcends time and lives in eternity.

He is the Creator, the Sustainer and the Redeemer of all there is.

He is identified as God in the Old Testament, when the prophet Isaiah says: “This is what the Lord says—Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God.” (Isaiah 44:6)

He is identified as God in the New Testament, when the Apostle Paul says of Him: “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible … all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

He is the totality and the fulfillment of all the Holy Scriptures – of the Law and of the Good News of grace.

He is the source of our salvation, of our forgiveness, of abundant life and of eternal life.

He is the Author and the Finisher and Perfecter of our faith.

He is found all throughout the Bible, from the first verse of Genesis which says: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” – right to the last verse of Revelation which says: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”

Jesus is the Lion of the tribe of Judah and He is the Lamb, the only One worthy to take the heavenly scroll and open its seals; because He was slain, and with His blood He purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. “Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, forever and ever!” The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.” (Revelation 5:11-14)

 

Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last, the glorious King of Kings and Lord of Lords – forever and ever and ever, He and He alone is worthy of all our gratitude, all our praise and all our adoration. AMEN.

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