Thank you for joining us on this Catholic Sleep Meditation. This podcast was created through the support of The Mission Circle, a community that helps Catholics understand, live, and share their faith. To become a member, click on the link in the description below. Welcome to the Bedtime Story, St. John in Heaven, based on the book of Revelation. Good evening. In this Amen Bedtime Story, we'll hear about the vision of John the Apostle. He was the beloved disciple of Jesus. And when he was old, he had a vision in which the Lord showed him mysteries of things past, present, and things to come. We'll hear how John was shown signs of eternal life and the place which Jesus had prepared for those who love him. Jesus told his followers, "Let not your hearts be troubled. Tonight, as you rest, Jesus sends you this same message." Remember the joyful place which Jesus has prepared for you. Before we begin, let's take a moment to settle in. Breathe out all your breath slowly. Push it all out. Then, feel your body taking a deep, sweet breath. Your body knows what to do. Exhale again. Let go all of your worries. When you're ready, close your eyes. Curl up or stretch out. Notice anything going on in your body right now, any place that might be holding tension or fear. Breathe into that and breathe that out. Any place feeling calm and well, take that in. Let that sink in. The Lord is with you. You're safe here. Take your struggles or fears, your problems or burdens, and let God have them tonight. He can watch over them. Right now, God wants you to rest in his love. Exhale again. Feel the bed supporting you and holding you up. Deep, tranquil, rest. Feel your breath becoming peaceful and even. Oh, God, you called John to be your disciple and friend. You taught him the nature of true happiness. You, yourself, are the source of true happiness. Just as you prepared a place for John, you've prepared a place for me. Tonight, as I rest, show me again that you love me and that you, yourself, are the source of light in life. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen. I, John, was there at the Last Supper. I was there when Jesus washed our feet. I was there when he took bread, blessed and broken, and gave it to us, saying, "Take, eat. This is my body, which is given for you." I was there. I was next to him when he let me ask about the one who would betray him. I was there when he died and when he came back to us after he had risen from the dead. I was there when he said, "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me. In my father's house are many rooms. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you by myself, that where I am, you may be also." I'm an old man now. The last of the apostles have spent my youth preaching the good news of salvation. I've spent my last days in exile on the island of Patmos. It's a tiny place, only 13 square miles, one of many islands, which dot the Aegean Sea between Asia Minor and Greece. From the highest point, you can see low hills cradling bays and lagoons and beyond the other islands and the sea. If I walk out and look southeast toward the land where I was born, I can picture it in my mind. That place 600 miles away where my life began. I can picture that place where Jesus first called me and that place where he ascended to the Father after his resurrection, that place where I saw him for the last time in this life. One by one, each of the apostles and many other holy men and women have gone to the Lord before me. I have seen that place, the Father's house. No one can describe it. No tongue can tell it, but I'll try. It has been many years since I saw Jesus in person, but I have seen him since in a vision. On the Lord's day, an angel came and showed me some strange and marvelous things. You can read about them in the book of Revelation. Here, I'll just tell how I saw the place which Jesus had foretold. The Father's house, a heavenly city, the new Jerusalem. When my vision began, I heard a voice like a trumpet, like the roar of many waters. I saw one who wore a long robe and a golden sash. In his right hand, he held seven stars in his face shown like the sun. When I saw him, I fell on my face, but he laid his right hand on me and said, "Fear not, I am the first and the last and the living one. I died and behold, I am alive forevermore." I saw a door standing open in heaven. I saw one seated on a throne. Before the throne was a golden altar and a sea like glass. To the right of the throne and the left, before it and behind, sat 24 elders, each on a throne, each clothed in white and wearing a golden crown. The elders removed the crowns from their heads. They cast them to the ground and began to worship, saying, "Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power for you created all things and by your will." They existed and were created. There came a great crowd of men and women from all tribes and peoples and languages. In their hands, they carried palm branches, green and fresh against the white of their robes. An angel took a sensor and kindled within it pungent incense. Clouds of resinous and spicy smoke rose before the altar and the throne. Shafts of light slanted in pale angles through the billowing and smoky plumes. In just this way did Aaron burn fragrant incense before the ark of the covenant. Doing what the Lord had commanded when he brought his people out of the land of Egypt. I wondered about the mighty crowd. Then an elder turned to me and said, "Who are these clothed in white robes and from where have they come?" I didn't know what to say. Finally I replied, "Sir, you know." The elder showed me that these were the ones who had suffered for the Lord. The Lord would shelter them forever, ever again with a hunger or thirst. "The lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd," said the elder. He will guide them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Then the Lord came in justice and power. I saw him defeat the evil one and judge the children of men. I saw the resurrection of the body. Those who had died at sea and those who had died on the land rose from the dead and came before the throne. And he who has seated on the throne spoke, saying, "Behold, I am making all things new." And he spoke to me, "To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment, the one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God, and he will be my son." Then an angel took me to the top of a high mountain and showed me a city like Jerusalem transfigured. Its walls, towered high above, great with twelve gates facing every corner of the earth. Each gate was like a pearl, and the walls were built of jasper. I bent down in, gazed at the foundations of the city wall. Jewels studded its surface and rose, one above the other. Blue sapphires, green emeralds, purple amethyst. Inside the city, the streets were paved with gold. I saw no temple within the city, for the Lord Himself was the temple. I saw no light, but the Lord Himself was the light. I saw Him whom I love the most, and He said to me, "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star." I know one thing. Jesus is, and was, and will be, the meaning of paradise. God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. From the throne of the Lord flowed a bright river right through the middle of the city, on its splendid banks on either side stood the tree of life. Its branches bore fruit in every month, and its green leaves were for healing. Oh God, you have called us to yourself, let the one who is thirsty come, let the one who desires take the water of life without price. Let us rejoice and exalt and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready. Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. Oh God, I put my trust in you and rest with God now. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Oh God, you gave your servant John a vision of heaven. You went to prepare a place for us and never stop inviting us to follow you. Jesus, you are the way and the truth and the life. You are the life we seek in the life to come. Be with me tonight and tomorrow, as once again, I seek your face. And with those words, ease into stillness and quiet and deep sleep. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, amen. Oh God, you called John to be your disciple and friend. You taught him the nature of true happiness. You, yourself, are the source of true happiness. Just as you prepared a place for John, you've prepared a place for me. Tonight, as I rest, show me again that you love me and that you, yourself, are the source of light and life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. I, John, was there at the Last Supper. I was there when Jesus washed our feet. I was there when he took bread, blessed and broken, and gave it to us, saying, "Take, eat, this is my body," which is given for you. I was there. I was next to him when he let me ask about the one who would betray him. I was there when he died and when he came back to us after he had risen from the dead. I was there when he said, "Let not your hearts be troubled, believe in God, believe also in me. In my father's house are many rooms. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you by myself, that where I am, you may be also." I'm an old man now, the last of the apostles. I spent my youth preaching the good news of salvation. I spend my last days in exile on the island of Patmos. It's a tiny place, only 13 square miles, one of many islands, which dot the Aegean Sea between Asia Minor and Greece. From the highest point, you can see low hills cradling bays and lagoons and beyond the other islands and the sea. If I walk out and look southeast toward the land where I was born, I can picture it in my mind. That place 600 miles away where my life began. I can picture that place where Jesus first called me and that place where he ascended to the Father after his resurrection, that place where I saw him for the last time in this life. One by one, each of the apostles and many other holy men and women have gone to the Lord before me. I have seen that place, the Father's house. No one can describe it, no tongue can tell it, but I'll try. It has been many years since I saw Jesus in person, but I have seen him since in a vision. On the Lord's day, an angel came and showed me some strange and marvelous things. You can read about them in the book of Revelation. Here, I'll just tell how I saw the place which Jesus had foretold. The Father's house, the heavenly city, the new Jerusalem. When my vision began, I heard a voice like a trumpet, like the roar of many waters. I saw one who wore a long robe in a golden sash. In his right hand, he held seven stars in his face shown like the sun. When I saw him, I fell on my face, but he laid his right hand on me and said, "Fear not, I am the first in the last and the living one. I died and behold, I am alive forevermore." I saw a door standing open in heaven. I saw one seated on a throne. Before the throne was a golden altar and a sea like glass. To the right of the throne and the left, before it and behind, sat twenty-four elders, each on a throne, each clothed in white and wearing a golden crown. The elders removed the crowns from their heads. They cast them to the ground and began to worship, saying, "Worthy are you our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created." There came a great crowd of men and women from all tribes and peoples and languages. In their hands, they carried palm branches, green and fresh against the light of their robes. An angel took a censer and kindled within it pungent incense. Clouds of resinous and spicy smoke rose before the altar in the throne. Shafts of light slanted in pale angles through the billowing and smoky plumes. And just this way did Aaron burn fragrant incense before the ark of the covenant. Doing what the Lord had commanded when he brought his people out of the land of Egypt. I wondered about the mighty crowd. Then an elder turned to me and said, "Who are these, clothed in white robes? And from where have they come?" I didn't know what to say. Finally I replied, "Sir, you know." The elder showed me that these were the ones who had suffered for the Lord. The Lord would shelter them forever. Ever again would they hunger or thirst. "The lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd," said the elder. He will guide them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Then the Lord came in justice and power. I saw him defeat the evil one and judge the children of men. I saw the resurrection of the body. Oh, so I died at sea and those who had died on the land rose from the dead and came before the throne. And he who was seated on the throne spoke saying, "Behold, I am making all things new." And he spoke to me to the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage and I will be his God and he will be my son. Then an angel took me to the top of a high mountain and showed me a city like Jerusalem transfigured. Its walls, towered high above, great with twelve gates facing every corner of the earth. Each gate was like a pearl and the walls were built of jasper. I bent down and gazed at the foundations of the city wall. Jewels studded its surface and rose one above the other. Blue sapphires, green emeralds, purple amethyst. Inside the city the streets were paved with gold. I saw a no temple within the city. But the Lord Himself was the temple. I saw no light, but the Lord Himself was the light. I saw Him whom I love the most. And He said to me, "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star." I know one thing. Jesus is and was and will be the meaning of paradise. God gave us eternal life. And this life is in His Son. From the throne of the Lord flowed a bright river right through the middle of the city. On its splendid banks on either side stood the tree of life. Its branches bore fruit in every month and its green leaves were for healing. Oh God, you have called us to yourself. Let the one who is thirsty come. Let the one who desires take the water of life without price. Let us rejoice and exalt and give Him glory for the marriage of the Lamb has come. And His bride has made herself ready. Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. Oh God, I put my trust in you and rest with God now. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Oh God, you gave your servant John a vision of heaven. You went to prepare a place for us and never stopped inviting us to follow you. Jesus, you are the way and the truth and the life. You are the life we seek in the life to come. Be with me tonight and tomorrow as once again I seek your face. And with those words ease into stillness and quiet and deep sleep. Be joys always. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in all circumstances. Amen. Oh God, you called John to be your disciple and friend. You taught him the nature of true happiness. You yourself are the source of true happiness. Just as you prepared a place for John, you've prepared a place for me. Tonight, as I rest, show me again that you love me and that you yourself are the source of light and life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. I, John, was there at the last supper. I was there when Jesus washed our feet. I was there when he took bread, blessed and broken, and gave it to us, saying, "Take, eat, this is my body," which is given for you. I was there. I was next to him when he let me ask about the one who would betray him. I was there when he died and when he came back to us after he had risen from the dead. I was there when he said, "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me. In my father's house are many rooms. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you by myself, that where I am, you may be also." I'm an old man now. The last of the apostles. I spent my youth preaching the good news of salvation. I spend my last days in exile on the island of Patmos. It's a tiny place, only 13 square miles. One of many islands, which taught the Aegean Sea between Asia Minor and Greece. From the highest point, you can see low hills cradling bays and lagoons and beyond the other islands and the sea. If I walk out and look southeast toward the land where I was born, I can picture it in my mind. That place 600 miles away where my life began. I can picture that place where Jesus first called me and that place where he ascended to the Father after his resurrection. That place where I saw him for the last time in this life. One by one, each of the apostles and many other holy men and women have gone to the Lord before me. They have seen that place, the Father's house. No one can describe it. No tongue can tell it, but I'll try. It has been many years since I saw Jesus in person, but I have seen him since in a vision. On the Lord's Day, an angel came and showed me some strange and marvelous things. You can read about them in the book of Revelation. Here, I'll just tell how I saw the place which Jesus had foretold. The Father's house, a heavenly city, the new Jerusalem. When my vision began, I heard a voice like a trumpet, like the roar of many waters. I saw one who wore a long robe and a golden sash. In his right hand, he held seven stars in his face shown like the sun. When I saw him, I fell on my face, but he laid his right hand on me and said, "Fear not, I am the first and the last and the living one. I died, and behold, I am alive forevermore." I saw a door standing open in heaven. I saw one seated on a throne. Before the throne was a golden altar and a sea like glass. To the right of the throne and the left, before it and behind, sat twenty-four elders, each on a throne, each clothed in white and wearing a golden crown. The elders removed the crowns from their heads. They cast them to the ground and began to worship, saying, "Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power for you created all things and by your will." They existed and were created. There came a great crowd of men and women from all tribes and peoples and languages. In their hands they carried palm branches, green and fresh against the white of their robes. An angel took a sensor and kindled within it pungent incense. Clouds of resinous and spicy smoke rose before the altar and the throne. Shafts of light slanted in pale angles through the billowing and smoky plumes. In just this way did Aaron burn fragrant incense before the ark of the covenant, doing what the Lord had commanded when he brought his people out of the land of Egypt. I wondered about the mighty crowd. Then an elder turned to me and said, "Who are these clothed in white robes? And from where have they come?" I didn't know what to say. Finally I replied, "Sir, you know." The elder showed me that these were the ones who had suffered for the Lord. The Lord would shelter them forever, ever again would they hunger or thirst. "The lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd," said the elder. He will guide them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Then the Lord came in justice and power. I saw him defeat the evil one and judge the children of men. I saw the resurrection of the body. Those who had died at sea and those who had died on the land rose from the dead and came before the throne. And he who has seated on the throne spoke, saying, "Behold, I am making all things new." And he spoke to me, "To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment, the one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God, and he will be my son. Then an angel took me to the top of a high mountain and showed me a city like Jerusalem transfigured. Its walls, towered high above, great with twelve gates facing every corner of the earth. Each gate was like a pearl, and the walls were built of jasper." I bent down in, gazed at the foundations of the city wall. Jewels studded its surface and rose, one above the other. Blue sapphires, green emeralds, purple amethyst. Inside the city the streets were paved with gold. I saw no temple within the city, for the Lord Himself was the temple. I saw no light, but the Lord Himself was the light. I saw Him whom I love the most. And He said to me, "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star." I know one thing. Jesus is, and was, and will be, the meaning of paradise. God gave us eternal life. And this life is in His Son. From the throne of the Lord, flowed a bright river right through the middle of the city. On its splendid banks, on either side, stood the tree of life. Its branches bore fruit in every month, and its green leaves were for healing. Oh God, you have called us to yourself. Let the one who is thirsty come. Let the one who desires take the water of life without price. Let us rejoice and exalt and give Him glory for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready. Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. Oh God, I put my trust in you and rest with God now. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Oh God, you gave your servant John a vision of heaven. You went to prepare a place for us and never stopped inviting us to follow you. Jesus, you are the way and the truth and the life. You are the life we seek in the life to come. Be with me tonight and tomorrow, as once again, I seek your face. And with those words, ease into stillness, in quiet, in deep sleep. Be joyous always. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in all circumstances. Amen. Oh God, you called John to be your disciple and friend. You taught him the nature of true happiness. You yourself are the source of true happiness. Just as you prepared a place for John, you've prepared a place for me. Tonight, as I rest, show me again that you love me and that you yourself are the source of light and life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. I, John, was there at the last supper. I was there when Jesus washed our feet. I was there when he took bread, blessed and broken and gave it to us, saying, "Take, eat, this is my body," which is given for you. I was there. I was next to him when he let me ask about the one who would betray him. I was there when he died and when he came back to us after he had risen from the dead. I was there when he said, "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me. In my father's house are many rooms. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you by myself, that where I am, you may be also." I'm an old man now. The last of the apostles. I spent my youth preaching the good news of salvation. I spend my last days in exile on the island of Patmos. It's a tiny place, only 13 square miles, one of many islands which dot the Aegean Sea between Asia Minor and Greece. From the highest point, you can see low hills cradling bays and lagoons and beyond the other islands and the sea. If I walk out and look southeast toward the land where I was born, I can picture it in my mind. That place 600 miles away where my life began. I can picture that place where Jesus first called me and that place where he ascended to the father after his resurrection. That place where I saw him for the last time in this life. One by one, each of the apostles and many other holy men and women have gone to the Lord before me. I have seen that place, the father's house. No one can describe it. No tongue can tell it, but I'll try. It has been many years since I saw Jesus in person. But I have seen him since in a vision. On the Lord's Day, an angel came and showed me some strange and marvelous things. You can read about them in the book of Revelation. Here, I'll just tell how I saw the place which Jesus had foretold. The father's house, a heavenly city, the new Jerusalem. When my vision began, I heard a voice like a trumpet, like the roar of many waters. I saw one who wore a long robe in a golden sash. In his right hand, he held seven stars in his face shown like the sun. When I saw him, I fell on my face, but he laid his right hand on me and said, "Fear not, I am the first in the last and the living one. I died and behold, I am alive forevermore." I saw a door standing open in heaven. I saw one seated on a throne. Before the throne was a golden altar and a sea like glass. To the right of the throne and the left, before it and behind, sat twenty-four elders, each on a throne, each clothed in white and wearing a golden crown. The elders removed the crowns from their heads. They cast them to the ground and began to worship, saying, "Worthy are you our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power for you created all things and by your will." They existed and were created. There came a great crowd of men and women from all tribes and peoples and languages. In their hands, they carried palm branches, green and fresh against the light of their robes. An angel took a censer and kindled within it pungent incense. Clouds of resinous and spicy smoke rose before the altar in the throne. Shafts of light slanted in pale angles through the billowing and smoky plumes. In just this way did Aaron burn fragrant incense before the arc of the covenant. During what the Lord had commanded, when he brought his people out of the land of Egypt. I wondered about the mighty crowd. Then an elder turned to me and said, "Who are these, clothed in white robes? And from where have they come?" I didn't know what to say. Finally I replied, "Sir, you know." The elder showed me that these were the ones who had suffered for the Lord. The Lord would shelter them forever, ever again with a hunger or thirst. "The lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd," said the elder. He will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Then the Lord came in justice and power. I saw him defeat the evil one and judge the children of men. I saw the resurrection of the body. Oh, so I died at sea, and those who had died on the land rose from the dead and came before the throne. And he who has seated on the throne spoke, saying, "Behold, I am making all things new." And he spoke to me, "To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment, the one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God, and he will be my son." Then an angel took me to the top of a high mountain and showed me a city. Like Jerusalem transfigured, its walls towered high above, great with twelve gates facing every corner of the earth. Each gate was like a pearl, and the walls were built of Jasper. I bent down in, gazed at the foundations of the city wall. Jewels studded its surface and rose, one above the other. Blue sapphires, green emeralds, purple amethyst. Inside the city, the streets were paved with gold. I saw a no temple within the city, but the Lord himself was the temple. I saw no light, but the Lord himself was the light. I saw him whom I love the most, and he said to me, "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star." I know one thing, Jesus is and was and will be the meaning of paradise. God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. From the throne of the Lord, flowed a bright river right through the middle of the city. On its splendid banks, on either side, stood the tree of life. Its branches bore fruit in every month, and its green leaves were for healing. Oh God, you have called us to yourself, let the one who is thirsty come. Let the one who desires take the water of life without price. Let us rejoice and exalt and give him glory for the marriage of the lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the lamb. Oh God, I put my trust in you and rest with God now. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Oh God, you gave your servant John a vision of heaven. You went to prepare a place for us and never stop inviting us to follow you. Jesus, you are the way and the truth and the life. You are the life we seek in the life to come. Be with me tonight and tomorrow, as once again, I seek your face. And with those words, ease into stillness. In quiet and deep sleep. Be joyous always. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in all circumstances. Amen. Oh God, you called John to be your disciple and friend. You taught him the nature of true happiness. You yourself are the source of true happiness. Just as you prepared a place for John, you've prepared a place for me. Tonight, as I rest, show me again that you love me and that you yourself are the source of light and life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. I, John, was there at the Last Supper. I was there when Jesus washed our feet. I was there when he took bread, blessed and broken and gave it to us, saying, "Take, eat. This is my body, which is given for you." I was there. I was next to him when he let me ask about the one who would betray him. I was there when he died and when he came back to us after he had risen from the dead. I was there when he said, "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me. In my father's house are many rooms. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you by myself, that where I am, you may be also." I'm an old man now. The last of the apostles. I spent my youth preaching the good news of salvation. I spend my last days in exile on the island of Patmos. It's a tiny place, only 13 square miles. One of many islands, which taught the Aegean Sea between Asia Minor and Greece. From the highest point, you can see low hills cradling bays and lagoons and beyond the other islands and the sea. If I walk out and look southeast toward the land where I was born, I can picture it in my mind. That place 600 miles away where my life began. I can picture that place where Jesus first called me and that place where he ascended to the Father after his resurrection. That place where I saw him for the last time in this life. One by one, each of the apostles and many other holy men and women have gone to the Lord before me. They have seen that place, the Father's house. No one can describe it. No tongue can tell it, but I'll try. It has been many years since I saw Jesus in person, but I have seen him since in a vision. On the Lord's day, an angel came and showed me some strange and marvelous things. You can read about them in the book of Revelation. Here, I'll just tell how I saw the place which Jesus had foretold. The Father's house, a heavenly city, the new Jerusalem. When my vision began, I heard a voice like a trumpet, like the roar of many waters. I saw one who wore a long robe and a golden sash. In his right hand, he held seven stars in his face shown like the sun. When I saw him, I fell on my face, but he laid his right hand on me and said, "Fear not, I am the first and the last and the living one. I died, and behold, I am alive forevermore." I saw a door standing open in heaven. I saw one seated on a throne. Before the throne was a golden altar and a sea like glass. To the right of the throne and the left, before it and behind, sat twenty-four elders, each on a throne, each clothed in white and wearing a golden crown. The elders removed the crowns from their heads. They cast them to the ground and began to worship, saying, "Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created." There came a great crowd of men and women from all tribes and peoples and languages. In their hands, they carried palm branches, green and fresh against the light of their robes. An angel took a sensor and kindled within it pungent incense. Clouds of resinous and spicy smoke rose before the altar in the throne. Shafts of light slanted in pale angles through the billowing and smoky plumes. In just this way did Aaron burn fragrant incense before the ark of the covenant, doing what the Lord had commanded, when he brought his people out of the land of Egypt. I wondered about the mighty crowd. Then an elder turned to me and said, "Who are these, clothed in white robes? And from where have they come?" I didn't know what to say. Finally I replied, "Sir, you know." The elder showed me that these were the ones who had suffered for the Lord. The Lord would shelter them forever, ever again would they hunger or thirst. "The lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd," said the elder. He will guide them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Then the Lord came in justice and power. I saw him defeat the evil one and judge the children of men. I saw the resurrection of the body. Those who had died at sea and those who had died on the land rose from the dead and came before the throne. And he who has seated on the throne spoke, saying, "Behold, I am making all things new." And he spoke to me, "To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment, the one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God, and he will be my son. Then an angel took me to the top of a high mountain and showed me a city like Jerusalem transfigured. Its walls, towered high above, great with twelve gates facing every corner of the earth. Each gate was like a pearl, and the walls were built of jasper." I bent down in, gazed at the foundations of the city wall. Jewels studded its surface and rose, one above the other. Blue sapphires, green emeralds, purple amethyst. Inside the city, the streets were paved with gold. I saw no temple within the city, but the Lord Himself was the temple. I saw no light, but the Lord Himself was the light. I saw Him whom I love the most, and He said to me, "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star." I know one thing. Jesus is, and was, and will be, the meaning of paradise. God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. From the throne of the Lord, flowed a bright river right through the middle of the city, on its splendid banks on either side stood the tree of life. Its branches bore fruit in every month, and its green leaves were for healing. Oh God, you have called us to yourself, let the one who is thirsty come, let the one who desires take the water of life without price. Let us rejoice and exalt and give Him glory for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready. Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. Oh God, I put my trust in you and rest with God now. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Oh God, you gave your servant John a vision of heaven. You went to prepare a place for us and never stop inviting us to follow you. Jesus, you are the way and the truth and the life. You are the life we seek in the life to come. Be with me tonight and tomorrow, as once again, I seek your face. And with those words ease into stillness and quiet and deep sleep. Be joys always. Pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances. Amen. Oh God, you called John to be your disciple and friend. You taught him the nature of true happiness. You, yourself, are the source of true happiness. Just as you prepared a place for John, you've prepared a place for me. Tonight, as I rest, show me again that you love me and that you, yourself, are the source of light and life. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen. I, John, was there at the Last Supper. I was there when Jesus washed our feet. I was there when he took bread, blessed and broken, and gave it to us, saying, "Take, eat. This is my body," which is given for you. I was there. I was next to him when he let me ask about the one who would betray him. I was there when he died and when he came back to us after he had risen from the dead. I was there when he said, "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me. In my father's house are many rooms. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you by myself, that where I am, you may be also." I'm an old man now. The last of the apostles. I spent my youth preaching the good news of salvation. I spend my last days in exile on the island of Patmos. It's a tiny place, only 13 square miles, one of many islands, which dot the Aegean Sea between Asia Minor and Greece. From the highest point, you can see low hills cradling bays and lagoons and beyond the other islands and the sea. If I walk out and look southeast toward the land where I was born, I can picture it in my mind. That place 600 miles away where my life began. I can picture that place where Jesus first called me and that place where he ascended to the Father after his resurrection. That place where I saw him for the last time in this life. One by one, each of the apostles and many other holy men and women have gone to the Lord before me. They have seen that place, the Father's house. No one can describe it. No tongue can tell it, but I'll try. It has been many years since I saw Jesus in person, but I have seen him since in a vision. On the Lord's day, an angel came and showed me some strange and marvelous things. You can read about them in the book of Revelation. Here, I'll just tell how I saw the place which Jesus had foretold. The Father's house, a heavenly city, the new Jerusalem. When my vision began, I heard a voice like a trumpet, like the roar of many waters. I saw one who wore a long robe in a golden sash. In his right hand, he held seven stars in his face shown like the sun. When I saw him, I fell on my face, but he laid his right hand on me and said, "Fear not, I am the first in the last and the living one. I died, and behold, I am alive forevermore." I saw a door standing open in heaven. I saw one seated on a throne. Before the throne was a golden altar and a sea like glass. To the right of the throne and the left, before it and behind, sat twenty-four elders, each on a throne, each clothed in white and wearing a golden crown. The elders removed the crowns from their heads. They cast them to the ground and began to worship, saying, "Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created." There came a great crowd of men and women from all tribes and peoples and languages. In their hands they carried palm branches, green and fresh against the white of their robes. An angel took a sensor and kindled within it pungent incense. Clouds of resinous and spicy smoke rose before the altar in the throne. Shafts of light slanted in pale angles through the billowing and smoky plumes. In just this way did Aaron burn fragrant incense before the ark of the covenant, doing what the Lord had commanded when he brought his people out of the land of Egypt. I wondered about the mighty crowd. Then an elder turned to me and said, "Who are these, clothed in white robes? And from where have they come?" I didn't know what to say. Finally I replied, "Sir, you know." The elder showed me that these were the ones who had suffered for the Lord. The Lord would shelter them forever, ever again with a hunger or thirst. The lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, said the elder. He will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Then the Lord came in justice and power. I saw him defeat the evil one and judge the children of men. I saw the resurrection of the body. Those who had died at sea and those who had died on the land rose from the dead and came before the throne. And he who was seated on the throne spoke, saying, "Behold, I am making all things new." And he spoke to me, "To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God, and he will be my son." Then an angel took me to the top of a high mountain and showed me a city like Jerusalem transfigured. Its walls, towered high above, great with twelve gates facing every corner of the earth. Each gate was like a pearl, and the walls were built of Jasper. I bent down in, gazed at the foundations of the city wall. Jules studded its surface and rose, one above the other. Blue sapphires, green emeralds, purple amethyst. Inside the city the streets were paved with gold. I saw no temple within the city, for the Lord himself was the temple. I saw no light, for the Lord himself was the light. I saw him whom I love the most, and he said to me, "I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star." I know one thing. Jesus is and was and will be the meaning of paradise. God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. From the throne of the Lord, flowed a bright river right through the middle of the city. On its splendid banks, on either side, stood the tree of life. Its branches bore fruit in every month, and its green leaves were for healing. Oh God, you have called us to yourself. Let the one who is thirsty come. Let the one who desires take the water of life without price. Let us rejoice and exalt and give him glory, for the marriage of the lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the lamb. Oh God, I put my trust in you and rest with God now. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Oh God, you gave your servant John a vision of heaven. You went to prepare a place for us and never stopped inviting us to follow you. Jesus, you are the way and the truth and the life. You are the life we seek in the life to come. Be with me tonight and tomorrow as once again I seek your face. And with those words ease into stillness and quiet and deep sleep. Be joys always. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in all circumstances. Amen. You
