1 November 2013 - only saints in heaven

1 November 2013 - only saints in heaven

Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
One whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.

Note what the passage does not say.  Those who hands are still a little sinful, whose hearts are still somewhat dirty, and who have not purged their hearts of vain desire among those who can ascend the LORD's mountain and stand before him.  There are only saints in heaven!  That means that this, hopefully, is the feast of our future selves!

But isn't it too lofty to imagine that we'll ever rid ourselves of all vain desire, all sin, and all impurity?  Can we imagine ourselves shoulder to shoulder with Augustine and Francis?  It is too lofty to imagine this as something we will do.  But it is not something we will do by our own power..  It is a gift to which we must be open.  Where do these white robes of purity come from?  They are brighter than any fuller can dye them (cf. Mar. 9:3).  They are not the result of our efforts:

“These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress;
they have washed their robes
and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb.”

In his great love he not only cleanses us, he also makes us his children.

See what love the Father has bestowed on us
that we may be called the children of God.

And though we've recently heard that the way is narrow and the gate is small that leads here and that those who find it are few, nevertheless in the end we find they are too many to count.

After this I had a vision of a great multitude,
which no one could count,
from every nation, race, people, and tongue.
It turns out God really does desire all to be saved and come to knowledge of the truth.  It should be no surprise that the number of the elect is so large that no one can even count.  This is feasible because we don't have to affect this change in ourselves in our own.  It can only happen in such and overwhelming and superabundant way because it is the power of God.  It is the Blood of the Lamb which makes us pure.  Salvation comes from God and the Lamb.  Ours is simply to respond with praise:

“Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving,
honor, power, and might
be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”

Only the Blood of the Lamb can transform our mourning into comfort.  Only the Lamb can truly satisfy our hunger with his body and blood.  He himself empowers us to be merciful, pure, and peaceful so that we can stand before God as his children and gaze upon him.  And as he enables us to see him we are in turn transformed:

We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him,
for we shall see him as he is.
No matter how much we suffer if it is for the Kingdom the reward will be immeasurably greater than the sacrifice. 

Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven.

Therefore let it be said of us as well, "this is the people that longs to see your face."