Good news… bad news…

Today’s first reading from the 10th chapter of Revelation, like any chapter from that book, sounds a bit strange, but there is something very familiar about what it describes.

Most of us have had wonderful experiences in hearing the word of God and the Gospel – literally, the “Good News” – of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, especially when we were children (if we were raised in the faith) or when we were first attracted to the Christian message. A sweeter, more wonderful message does not exist.

Most of us have also had a sour experience of “bad news” in association with the Christian faith: when that faith conflicts with what we think or feel, when we are ridiculed or persecuted for living that faith, or when we see that some of our brothers and sisters and fathers in the faith are nowhere near as perfect as they should be.

So it is with the prophecy given in the book of Revelation: a sweet message of salvation, yet also containing elements that are sour and disturbing.

We know how the book comes out, however: with eternal sweetness for those who hold fast to the Lord, especially those who remain faithful even when things seem sour.

Another way to look at the metaphor of the prophetic scroll that tastes sweet but feels sour in the stomach is that we are not always able to digest easily everything that comes to us in the faith.

Sometimes it takes time and sometimes it requires a struggle before we can fully understand aspects of the faith that seem hard for us (even for the greatest of theologians).

Yet this is the faith that comes to us from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; this is the faith of the Church; and it comes with infinitely sweet salvation for us and for all who call upon his name.

So, even while we are still growing in our understanding of the faith and go through our struggles in this world, we can be proud to profess this faith and to spread it as best we can.