Fr. Mike Schmitz

His head and his hair were white as white wool, white as snow.

His eyes were like a flame of fire.

His feet were like burnished bronze, refined as in a furnace.

and his voice was like the sound of many waters.

In his right hand he held seven stars.

From his mouth issued a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead.

But he laid his right hand upon me, saying, Fear not, I am the first and the last and the living one.

I died, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and Hades.

Now write what you see, what is, and what is to take place hereafter.

As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

Chapter two, the message to Ephesus.

To the angel of the church in Ephesus write, the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.

I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear evil men, but have tested those who call themselves apostles, but are not and found them to be false.

I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary.

But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.

Remember then from what you have fallen, repent and do the works you did at first.

If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place unless you repent.

yet this you have you hate the works of the nicolaitans which i also hate he who has an ear let him hear what the spirit says to the churches to him who conquers i will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the paradise of god

the message to smyrna and to the angel of the church in smyrna write the words of the first and the last who died and came to life i know your tribulation and your poverty but you are rich and the slander of those who say that they are jews and are not but are a synagogue of satan