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Thursday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time Revelation 5:1–10
Saint John sees a scroll
in the right hand of the One seated on the throne.
The scroll is sealed with seven seals.
It represents God’s plan for history.
God’s plan for salvation.
God’s plan for the whole world.
But no one is worthy to open the scroll.
No one in heaven.
No one on earth.
No one under the earth.
Human power cannot open it.
Human wisdom cannot control it.
Human strength cannot fulfill it.
So John begins to weep.
Then one of the elders says to him:
Do not weep.
The Lion of the tribe of Judah,
the Root of David,
has conquered.
He can open the scroll.
John hears about a Lion.
But when he looks,
he sees a Lamb.
A Lamb standing,
as though slain.
This is the mystery of Jesus Christ.
He is the Lion of Judah.
He is the Son of David.
He is the Messiah.
He is King.
But He conquers as a Lamb.
Not by violence.
Not by domination.
Not by crushing His enemies.
He conquers by giving Himself.
He conquers by the Cross.
He conquers by His blood.
The Lamb still bears the marks of sacrifice.
The risen Christ is the crucified Christ.
When He appeared to His disciples,
He showed them His hands
and His side.
His wounds were not erased.
They became the signs of His love.
That is why He is worthy to open the scroll.
Only the One who gave His life
can reveal and fulfill
God’s plan for the world.
Then heaven sings a new song:
You are worthy
because You were slain,
and by Your blood
You purchased for God
people from every tribe,
language,
people,
and nation.
This is our redemption.
We were not bought with silver.
We were not bought with gold.
We were bought with the precious blood of Christ.
He gave Himself so that we might belong to God.
He gave Himself so that we might become
a kingdom
and priests for our God.
This is the dignity of every baptized person.
We belong to the Lamb.
We live under His kingship.
We follow His commandment of love.
And as priests,
we offer our lives to God:
our prayer,
our service,
our suffering,
our witness,
our love.
The world often believes that history belongs to the strong.
To armies.
To money.
To politics.
To hidden plans and powerful leaders.
But Revelation shows us something deeper.
History belongs to the Lamb.
The future belongs to the Lamb.
The final victory belongs to the Lamb who was slain.
So today, let us not weep as if evil had the last word.
Let us look to the Lamb.
He has conquered.
He has opened the scroll.
He has redeemed us by His blood.
And one day,
His kingdom will come in fullness,
and God will be
all in all.
Biblical Reflections on the Gospel of Mark
Year of Mark - Get it from Amazon
Scripture Attribution
New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition,
copyright © 1989, 1993
the Division of Christian Education of the National Council
of the Churches of
Christ in the United States of America.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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© 2025 Krakus.
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