To Take Away and Untruths

21st November 21

Gospel Reading: Revelations 22: 12-21 

Dear Community of Christians,

Adding to or taking away from something whole or perfect, as we have heard in Revelations, has consequences.

In telling the story of an event we all know our little weakness: to embellish a little, to add something that doesn't quite correspond to the reality. It may be the joy of telling a story, but it may also be our pride, which like a story bigger than exists.

We also know another weakness, to describe an event where we leave some things out, making it not quite truthful. What we want to hide through this omission usually lives unconsciously in our soul. On the human level, these are weaknesses of character, dark spots on our soul. We can work on it; we can even try to ignore it; or we can begin to transform it.

But what does it mean in view of Christian, ethical and moral qualities, when the soul of society allows something that is not fully true? What does it mean when man adds half-truths to such deeply human qualities; does it inhibit society’s necessary development? Is there anything that we could call the dark spot, the shadow in the humanized soul of society?

Are we in the process of losing the Christian spiritual values of human society, and shall we be deprived of that decisive quality of self-determination? The last words in the book of revelation, are the words of the Christ Impulse for mankind:

“Whoever adds anything extra to these words, to him God will also add trials which are described in this book. And if anyone takes anything away from the prophetic words of this book, from him will God take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city.”

The sacrificial power of the Christ, born of love for humanity, now needs faithful following, perhaps even new human sacrificial power, so that the impulse of the love of Christ is not lost for humanity. Everybody can bring love, empathy and gratitude as sacrificial power to the soul of human society; to hinder the addition of falsehoods and the removal of rights.

Rev. Ute Koenig