(Dn7:9-10,13-14 or Rv.12:7-12; Ps.138:1-5; Jn.1:47-51 I shall treat of both first readings) "You shall see the sky opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man." And who shall see such visions? He whose own vision is pure, he who is as Nathanael – he who has "no guile in him." Such is the case both with Daniel and John the Evangelist, of whose visions we hear in either first reading. The angels are with them, indeed, and they lift them up to look upon the Most High God and His Anointed One. Both first readings reveal vision of Jesus the Son, whose "dominion is an everlasting dominion" and by whom "salvation and power have come." In Daniel is shown the Ancient One, the Father, from whom all power comes as "surging streams of fire" from His throne; and in Revelation, John presents the defeat of Satan, who would presume to be like God but is "driven out" and "hurled down to earth" by the archangel Michael (whose name tells us that none is like God) before "the reign of our God" comes. In Revelation is included, too, our own participation in "the blood of the Lamb," that the Church, "by the word of their testimony," will share in the Lord's dominion. And David's psalm sings today: "Great is the glory of the Lord." His voice joins with the "thousands upon thousands… ministering to Him, and myriads upon myriads" attending Him. "In the presence of the angels I will sing your praise," he declares, and finds himself "worship[ing] at [His] holy temple" Him whose name is "great above all things." Is not the vision promised Nathanael and witnessed to by Daniel and John shared here with David, too; does he not glimpse, and share with us who long for the presence of the Lord, the ladder which reaches to heaven made known to Jacob in dream? Is not Jesus, His Lord, with him even in this time before His coming? It is one Jesus the eyes of all the pure of heart see and shall see. And did not the Old Testament prophet see that which was to come? Was not the eternal vision of heaven revealed to his eyes, as well as John's? And how can this be, that they see what we would call the future, except that it has always been? Brothers and sisters, we must declare with Nathanael, "You are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel," but we must do so as He does – in absolute honesty and utter faith. We must believe without guile and declare without hesitation that Jesus is Lord. To do so and to see the angels ascending and descending upon Him, our hearts and our eyes must be pure. Let us pray that we shall come now to vision of heaven, where His angels and His saints do reign. Written, read & chanted by James Kurt; produced by Roger Fortney. Music by Roger Fortney; used by permission. ******* O LORD, give us eyes to see your angels ministering to you, and hearts to receive their blessed help. YHWH, like flames of fire your angels surround you and your holy throne. These myriads of spirits attend you, ministering to you day and night in the place where there is no night, where light shines seven times as brightly as the sun. O may we join them in singing your praises and in doing your will upon this earth! With eyes unveiled let us look upon your glory and unite with your angels in Heaven. If only we had hearts without guile, O LORD; if only we were your true sons and daughters. Then we would declare freely that Jesus is your Son and our King, He whose dominion is everlasting, whose glory is one with your own. Then would the devil be cast from our souls, driven out from among us by your power at work in your angels. Then would we worship in joy in your holy Temple all our days and become children of your blessed light. O may your angels be with us always!