A Note From Father Eickhoff

May 4, 2025

Consider this verse from today’s second reading from the Book of Revelation:

 “Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, everything in the universe, cry out:

To the one who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor, glory and might, forever and ever.”

The Book of Revelation is famous for the difficultly in trying to understand its meaning. However, this particular verse is fairly straightforward. We might restate the quoted scripture verse this way:

God, the God whom we worship, is the creator and lord of all. Everything and everyone belongs to God and will one day acknowledge and praise this truth.

However, the implications of this statement are so profound that greater explanation is needed. We often speak of the “Lord Jesus Christ” in our liturgy and in our everyday language. The phrase does have a way of rolling off the tongue in a pleasing manner. Yet, this phrase is not just a dandy title attached to the name of Jesus. The word “lord” implies that Jesus is the ruler and master of all of creation. And, that we as disciples of Christ both acknowledge and understand this reality. In the present moment the disciples of Christ who understand this reality (even if imperfectly) are relatively few in number compared to the entirety of creation. Yet, the day will come when every part of creation will acknowledge and understand this reality, because ultimately every part of creation belongs to God. Essentially, we disciples of Christ here and now are getting a head start in worshiping God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit; and that one day every part of creation will join us in worshiping God (let me make a side note: everyone in time will acknowledge God as lord and creator; however some – we have no idea of how many – will refuse to worship God or they, by their actions, will so separate themselves from God as to remain eternally apart from God. This is the very definition of damnation). Furthermore, even the parts of creation that do not have the ability to praise God on their own – such as rocks, trees, planets, and stars – will gain this ability in the end.

This verse from the Book of Revelation certainly upon unpacking sure provides a wonderous and majestic view of the coming glory when, in the fulness of time, all the power and might of God is fully revealed.

Yours in Christ,

Fr. Stephen Eickhoff
Pastor