Office of Readings

  From John, to the seven churches of Asia: grace and peace to you from him who is, who was, and who is to come, from the seven spirits in his presence before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the First-Born from the dead, the Ruler of the kings of the earth. He loves us and has washed away our sins with his blood, and made us a line of kings, priests to serve his God and Father; to him, then, be glory and power for ever and ever. Amen. It is he who is coming on the clouds; everyone will see him, even those who pierced him, and all the races of the earth will mourn over him. This is the truth. Amen. ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega’ says the Lord God, who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.

  My name is John, and through our union in Jesus I am your brother and share your sufferings, your kingdom, and all you endure. I was on the island of Patmos for having preached God’s word and witnessed for Jesus; it was the Lord’s day and the Spirit possessed me, and I heard a voice behind me, shouting like a trumpet, ‘Write down all that you see in a book, and send it to the seven churches of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.’ I turned round to see who had spoken to me, and when I turned I saw seven golden lamp-stands and, surrounded by them, a figure like a Son of man, dressed in a long robe tied at the waist with a golden girdle. His head and his hair were white as white wool or as snow, his eyes like a burning flame, his feet like burnished bronze when it has been refined in a furnace, and his voice like the sound of the ocean. In his right hand he was holding seven stars, out of his mouth came a sharp sword, double-edged, and his face was like the sun shining with all its force.

  When I saw him, I fell in a dead faint at his feet, but he touched me with his right hand and said, ‘Do not be afraid; it is I, the First and the Last; I am the Living One, I was dead and now I am to live for ever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and of the underworld. Now write down all that you see of present happenings and things that are still to come. The secret of the seven stars you have seen in my right hand, and of the seven golden lamp-stands is this: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lamp-stands are the seven churches themselves.’

  We are not only far removed from all the turmoil of the world and destroyed by our sins, but we have been deprived even of the means to live. For the natives of this region are all heathens and those who account themselves resident here have also all adopted heathen customs; they are completely lacking in that human kindness which even among barbarians human nature always leads men to display in frequent acts of compassion.

  I have been, and am still, amazed at the lack of sensitivity and compassion among all those who once had to do with me — both my friends and relations. They have so completely forgotten me in my misfortune, and do not want to know how I am faring, whether indeed I am alive or not.

  What sort of defence will we have to show at the tribunal of Christ, when all men will be mutually accusing and defending themselves, all of them of the same stuff and clay? What fear was it which fell on men to prevent them carrying out God’s command, a groundless fear? Or is it that evil spirits make me a forgotten man by removing me to such a remote place? Have I appeared such an enemy to the whole Church, so hostile to them?

  However, may God, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth, make their hearts firm in the orthodox faith by the intercession of Saint Peter; may he strengthen them against every heretic, and anyone who is an enemy of our Church. May he keep them unmoved, especially the pastor who has now emerged as their leader, so that they may not fall directly away, or even incline to do so; may they forsake none of those things which they have professed in the sight of the Lord and of his holy angels in their writings, even in the slightest degree. So may they receive, along with me in my lowliness, the crown of righteousness of the orthodox faith from the hand of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

  As for this, my lowly body, it will be the concern of the Lord, to direct it as it pleases him, whether my troubles continue unbroken or I enjoy some measure of relief. The Lord is near. Why then am I anxious? I put my hope indeed in his mercies that the Lord will not delay to bring my course to an end in whatever way he has commanded.

  Greet then all those who are yours for the sake of the Lord, and all who for the love of God have pity on me in my bonds. May God in heaven protect you with the power of his hand from every temptation, and bring you to salvation in his kingdom.