Optional Memorial of Saint Columban, abbot

Lectionary: 123

Then I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire.
On the sea of glass were standing those who had won the victory over the beast and its image and the number that signified its name.
They were holding God’s harps, and they sang the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb:

Because he played the accordion, when Father Howard asked me to prepare a songbook to accompany our evening of music, I could not resist putting a cartoon on the cover. It was a split image of souls entering heaven and hell. Those entering heaven were given harps; and those entering hell received accordions.

Like yesterday's image of the Grim Reaper, the heavenly image of harps comes from this passage in Revelation (and its neighbor, Ireland). 

The passage describes the bliss of the Holy Ones who sing God's praises with two songs, that of Moses and that of the Lamb. There can be no division in heaven between Jews and Christians as we echo the prophet Moses and our redeemer Jesus:

Great and wonderful are your works,
Lord God almighty.
Just and true are your ways,
O king of the nations.
Who will not fear you, Lord,
or glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
All the nations will come
and worship before you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed.”

As one who enjoys singing alone and with others, and also listening to fine singing of any kind, I can imagine no greater bliss than singing with the heavenly choirs of every nation. How many songs of innumerable languages there are to learn! And instruments to play! Freed of egotism, and drawn by divine inspiration to commune with others, we shall learn the world's folk songs, customs, cultures, and histories. If a story is personal, a song belongs to everyone, and unites everyone as we sing with one voice, one mind, and one heart. 

When I went to Louisiana as the pastor of an African-American church I learned James Weldon Johnson's Lift Every Voice and Sing. And when I was asked to create a ceremony at the Louisville VA hospital to ease racial tensions during the difficult summer of 2020, I invited everyone to sing that anthem. "If you don't know the first verse, you'll know the third!" I assured them. 

I have to believe the blissful communion of heaven will begin with choral singing, interspersed with deep, long, luxurious conversations, shared work and play, and all the pleasures of food and drink. And then more praise of God with the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb.