The Book of Revelation is the book of hope. Whenever we despair, or are a bit down, a bit sad, because of failure or suffering of some sort, the Book of Revelation gives us “comforting wine.”[1] I discovered the Book of Revelation during my novitiate. A novitiate is always tough. During that time, my only consolation was the Book of Revelation. I read it over and over again, and since then I have not put it down. The Apocalypse gives us wonderful, incredible strength. It is the book of hope because it shows us that our struggles are the struggles of Jesus, and it is wonderful to discover that!
It is always said in the Old Testament that Yahweh fought at His people’s side, but it is difficult for us to understand that Jesus is present, in the midst of our struggles, fighting at our side. And yet we ought to do everything in this light, keeping in mind that we are bound to the fate of Jesus as Mary was.
Does not the Book of Revelation reveal to us the same thing with regard to the Church? The Church is bound to Christ as the bride of Christ. And the Church is us. It is not the person next to each, but each one of us. The Church is also the person next to us, but it is first of all ourselves. We are the bride of Christ. Now a bride is one who cooperates with her bridegroom; she is his helper and thus shares in his work. Doing the same work as the Bridegroom is doing His work par excellence, the work He brought to perfect fulfillment by offering Himself for the glory of the Father and the salvation of humanity. Thus, the Book of Revelation is the great book of hope, of hope that makes our heart grow.
“Blessed is the one who reads aloud and blessed are those who listen to this prophetic message and heed what is written in it, for the appointed time is near” (Rev. 1:3).
The Book of Revelation is the only book of scripture that carries a promise of blessedness if read – and we read this book the least! How illogical we are! Yet we all have the desire to be happy and blessed. What is the greatest cause of sadness for us? Despair. And what fights off despair? Giving our hope some nourishment? – a strong food, a divine food. People read private revelations a lot. I have nothing against them, but private revelations do not directly nourish our faith and our hope – except when the Church has said yes. Otherwise, we can read them for devotion, but they are not directly concerned with the theological virtues. The Apocalypse, on the other hand, is an object of faith – a revelation that we receive in faith and hope. Now if we want to fight with strength, courage and intelligence, and if we want our Christian witness to go to the point of martyrdom (because that is what Christian witness is), then our hope needs to be very strong in our world today. That is why we must read and listen to the Apocalypse. By reading it and trying to understand it, we will have a new and divinely strong hope.
The Book of Revelation ends with the vision of the heavenly Jerusalem. We are made for the heavenly Jerusalem. And the heavenly Jerusalem descends from on high (Apoc. 21:2); we receive it in hope. We are not the ones to manufacture it. Yes, we cooperate, but it is first of all a work of God’s grace. Faith, hope and charity have been given to all of us without price, but we are all responsible for the increase of our faith, hope and charity. So we must nourish them, and the Apocalypse nourishes them. Therefore, if we want to reach this glorious ending of the heavenly Jerusalem – and we would all desire that – then let us read the Apocalypse. It is for our eternity that we are reading it.
[1] Cf. Song 7:10.
~ from Wherever He Goes
Father Marie Dominique Philippe, O.P. 
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