The monks of the Abbey of Keur Moussa sing, Encore un peu de temps: “In a little while I will make heaven and earth tremble. Then the One desired by all nations will appear. I will fill this temple with glory and to this place I will bring peace.”

Today’s reading is from the Book of the Apocalypse.

Apocalypse 12:7-12

And war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. The dragon and his angels fought back, but they were defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. The great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, proclaiming,

‘Now have come the salvation and the power

and the kingdom of our God

and the authority of his Messiah,

for the accuser of our comrades has been thrown down,

who accuses them day and night before our God.

But they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb

and by the word of their testimony,

for they did not cling to life even in the face of death.

Rejoice then, you heavens

and those who dwell in them!

But woe to the earth and the sea,

for the devil has come down to you

with great wrath,

because he knows that his time is short!’

Apocalyptic language always sounds very dramatic. We may not be living through great inner dramas, but most of us carry an inner accuser around in our heads. What thoughts and feelings come to you when you hear of God’s victory over Satan?

There is both triumph and warning in this passage. We are told that there is no longer any place for Satan and his angels in heaven, but we are also warned that this means that ‘the devil has come down to earth with great wrath, because he knows that his time is short’. What do these images mean to you in reality?

As the reading is repeated, notice where your thoughts and feelings are taking you with respect to its message.

Apocalypse 12:7-12

And war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. The dragon and his angels fought back, but they were defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. The great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, proclaiming,

‘Now have come the salvation and the power

and the kingdom of our God

and the authority of his Messiah,

for the accuser of our comrades has been thrown down,

who accuses them day and night before our God.

But they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb

and by the word of their testimony,

for they did not cling to life even in the face of death.

Rejoice then, you heavens

and those who dwell in them!

But woe to the earth and the sea,

for the devil has come down to you

with great wrath,

because he knows that his time is short!’

You may not feel entirely comfortable with this apocalyptic language of celestial battles among angels and demons, but we often talk about fighting our inner demons. In light of this passage, what do you want to say to or ask of God?

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be

World without end

Amen