Dynamis Devotional

[Oblio]

[c]Tuesday, February 3, 2004
Fast Free Week
The Righteous Simeon and Anna

Kellia: Is 19:1-5, 12, 16, 19-21 Epistle: 2 Peter 2:9-22 Gospel: St. Mark 13:14-23


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A Savior for Egypt: Isaiah 19:1-5, 12, 16, 19-21, especially vss.19, 20, "In that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the Lord at its border. It will be a sign and a witness to the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt; when they cry to the Lord because of oppressors He will send them a Savior...." The Prophet Isaiah begins this passage with an announcement: "An Oracle concerning Egypt" (vs. 1). Thereby he declares that what he is about to say is a revelation from the Lord concerning the future of Egypt. Because the Holy Fathers read and received Isaiah's words as Divine oracle, they were quick to discern the presence of Christ in the prophesies: His flight as an infant into Egypt, a land burdened under terrible idolatry at the time of His visitation. They perceived that Egypt's fall under Roman control was a consequence of its idolatrous worship, but they also found in the Prophet's words the joyous prediction of Egypt's transformation into a Christ-worshiping nation.
In the first verse, the Fathers regularly translated the original as 'light,' with the sense of 'having little weight' or 'being insubstantial' rather than as 'illumination." Hence, many of them understood the 'cloud' upon which the Lord rode to refer to His Incarnate body within which He clothed His Divinity, to shroud it from common gaze. Some understood the 'light cloud' to refer to the body of the Theotokos who bore the infant Jesus in her arms. In any case, following the Presentation ceremonies in the Temple, because Joseph was warned to "take the young Child and His mother [and] flee into Egypt" (Mt. 2:13), the Incarnate and infant Lord rode out of Israel into Egypt in the arms of His mother to escape the efforts of Herod "to destroy Him" (Mt. 2:13).

The idols of Egypt trembled "at His presence" when He arrived, being by nature demons and rightfully fearing the One Who held all power in His hand over their shadowy existence. They trembled because, being incorporeal, spiritual beings themselves, they immediately perceived the true nature of this tiny Refugee, despite His appearance as a defenseless infant. But, as Theodoret has shown, the Prophet "teaches the efficacy of the coming of the Master" to an idolatrous land. The hard hearts "of the Egyptians will melt within them" (Is. 19:1).

Centuries before Christ was born, the Lord warned the Egyptians of the judgment that was coming upon them for their idolatry: "the spirit of the Egyptians within them will be emptied out, and I will confound their plans; and they will consult the idols and the sorcerers, and the mediums and the wizards; and I will give over the Egyptians into the hand of a hard master; and a fierce king will rule over them, says the Lord, the Lord of hosts" (vss. 3, 4). Theodoret observes that this prophecy was fulfilled by the reign of Augustus Caesar, for he "made a definite end to the kingdom of Egypt and delivered it to administrators."

While in "that day the Egyptians will be like women, and tremble with fear before the hand which the Lord of hosts shakes over them" it will also happen that in "that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the Lord at its border" (vss. 16, 19). The Gospel would soon come to Egypt and free that land from idolatry. St. Nikolai of Zica observes the wonder in Isaiah's vision: "The Egyptians will know the one, living Lord at the time that He appears in the flesh among men. The idols will be destroyed and the temples of demons and animals thrown down; the altar of the one living God will be established and the table of oblation raised up....the greatest ascetics will appear in that land that was formerly covered with darkness, the most courageous martyrs for Christ the Lord...."

O Lord, Thou hast appeared for the revelation of the Gentiles, sitting on a bright cloud: free me also Thy servant to depart from corruption; for I have beheld Thee in the flesh.


This meditation provided by DYNAMIS. For questions and subscription information contact a3dynamis@aol.com or DYNAMIS, St. George Orthodox Cathedral, 7515 E 13th St. N, Wichita KS 67206-1223 or go their website: www.trisagion.com/dynamis

Republished with permission

 

[Oblio]

[c]
Wednesday, February 4, 2004
Fast Free Week
The Venerable Isidore of Pelusium

Kellia: 1 Kings 12:6-15 LXX Epistle: 2 Peter 3:1-18 Gospel: St. Mark 13:24-31

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The Prophet Samuel ~ To Obey or Rebel: 1 Kings 12:6-15 LXX (1 Sam. 12:6-15 MT) especially vs. 14 "If ye will fear the Lord, and serve Him, and obey His voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the Lord; then shall both ye and also the king that reigneth over you continue following the Lord your God." Samuel's speech, transferring power from himself to Saul, divides into three parts: an opportunity to settle any outstanding claim against Samuel (vss. 1-5), Samuel's pleading of the case against the people for demanding a king (vss. 6-15), and an assurance of God's continuing faithfulness supported by miraculous evidence (vss. 16-25).
Today's portion from the whole is very judicial in character. Samuel, as plaintiff, pleads apostasy against the people as defendants - God being the Judge. Having already established his own ethical basis for daring to make such a plea against God's people (vss. 1-5), the Prophet proceeds to lay out the evidence of their infidelity while acknowledging their actual status as a monarchy. He concludes by summarizing the possibilities of hope and tragedy before them.

Samuel documents the finding of apostasy: his prime witness is God Himself (vs. 6). The Lord saved their forebearers, brought them out of slavery, and made them dwell in their own land (vss. 6, 8) Numerous times, when the people brought themselves into dire circumstances through idolatry but cried to the Lord, He delivered them and made them dwell in safety (vss. 9-11). Ironically, when they were confronted with a single assault by Nahash the Ammonite against one of their border towns, they abandoned all confidence in God, despite godly warning, and demanded the human solution of a monarchy instead of the proven Theocracy (vs. 12). So now, for better or for worse, they are to live under a human king as they have demanded.

God, Who changes not, ever desires that His People, ancient and modern, should receive blessings, rather than have "the hand of the Lord...against" them and their rulers (vs. 15). Taking His People in whatever state they have created for themselves (vs. 13), the Lord provides a three stage process by which they may "continue following the Lord" (vs. 14). Let us examine the nature of the three elements in God's design for blessing His People. These apply to the Church.

First is "fear the Lord" (vs. 14), which, as St. Symeon the New Theologian makes clear, is a blessed interior state closely related to faith or trust in God: "He [who] has the fear of God within him...wears the invincible armor of faith." Understanding the necessity of having the fear of God within, the Prophet David begs God: "Guide me, O Lord, in Thy way, and I will walk in Thy truth; let my heart rejoice that I may fear Thy name." (Ps. 85:10 LXX). Fear of the Lord begins in the heart and guides infallibly along the Lord's way of blessing, teaching one to hate every sign of evil, pride, or arrogance that may arise within the self (see Pr. 8:13).

On the basis of fear of the Lord, a man chooses readily and naturally to serve the Lord. Both the Greek and Hebrew versions reveal that Samuel yearns for God's People to understand that "serving" God is, in essence, submission to Him in all things. Hear the Prophet Malachi: "For those who fear the Lord, and who meditate on His Name, 'They shall be Mine,' says the Lord of hosts"(Mal. 3: 16-17). Furthermore, while servitude to earthly masters crushes the spirit, the service of God is a liberating and joyful response to God's gift of Himself to us (Jn. 3:16).

Of course, those who serve the Lord in response to His love obey joyfully. They do not rebel and say "It is useless to serve God" (Mal. 3:14). As Samuel remarks: these "continue following the Lord [their] God" (vs. 14), or literally, "they shall be after the Lord." That is, those who obey will be strengthened by God, hear His voice, and receive eternal life (Jn. 10:27).

O Lord Jesus, Thou true and living Way, open our souls and abide in us unto eternal life.


This meditation provided by DYNAMIS. For questions and subscription information contact a3dynamis@aol.com or DYNAMIS, St. George Orthodox Cathedral, 7515 E 13th St. N, Wichita KS 67206-1223 or go their website: www.trisagion.com/dynamis

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[Oblio]

[c]Thursday, February 5, 2004
Fast Free Week
The Martyr Agatha of Palermo

Kellia: 1 Kings 12:16-25 LXX Epistle: 1 John 1:8-2:6 Gospel: St. Mark 13:31-14:2

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The Prophet Samuel ~ The Wise Pastor: 1 Kings 12:16-25 LXX (1 Sam. 12:16-25 MT), especially vs. 23, "Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you; and I will instruct you in the good and the right way." When the elders of God's People demanded a king (1 Sam. 8:4, 5), Samuel sought to dissuade them, discerning that the effect of their request was a rejection of the Lord (1 Sam. 8:6-21). Notwithstanding, the Lord allowed the will of the elders to prevail and directed His servant to "Hearken to their voice, and make them a king" (1 Sam. 8:22). The Prophet obediently carried out his Lord's will, but he never ceased in his efforts to impress on the people the wicked nature of their choice. Even on the day of the public revelation and acceptance of Saul as king, he reminded them, "But you have this day rejected your God, Who saves you from all your calamities and distresses" (1 S.10:19).
The triumph of the army of Israel over Nahash the Ammonite under King Saul's leadership (1 S. 11:11) appears only to have reinforced the people's conviction that they were correct in asking for a king. Worse, the victory revealed a serious hardening of their self-confidence as the interaction among Samuel, King Saul, and the people reveals: "Bring the men [who repudiated Saul's reign] that we may put them to death," they said (1 S. 11:12). Except for the wisdom of the new king, the people would have compounded their wickedness (1 S. 11:13). Samuel, ever the wise pastor, called the people to Gilgal there to make "Saul king before the Lord." (vs. 14). The depth of Samuel's pastoral wisdom was fully manifested at Gilgal, for, observe: he used the occasion to make one further effort to bring the people to compunction.

The burden of Samuel's speech was a pleading of his case against them (1 S. 12:6-15). Notice how he began his review of the evidence: by adjuring them to "stand still, that I may plead with you before the Lord" (1 S. 12:7). When he finished outlining his case, there was no outcry of remorse or of godly sorrow from the people because of their wickedness, only silence.

Therefore, since they would not hear him, he again commanded them to "stand still" (1 S. 12:16), but this time with a difference: "stand still and see" (vs. 16). For, as he continued, "you shall know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the sight of the Lord, in asking for yourselves a king" (vs. 17). With trust in the Lord, he announced, "I will call upon the Lord, that He may send thunder and rain" (vs. 17). He was confident that God would hearken "to the voice of a man" (Jos. 10:14), and bring a thunderstorm in the early summer. St. Jerome, who spent many years in Palestine, reports that he never saw such a phenomenon at that season.

The unexpected storm created fear within the assembly of Israel, for the people fully understood the implication of the sudden, out-of-season thunderstorm. God was judging them and affirming Samuel's charges: "Pray for your servants to the Lord your God, that we may not die; for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for ourselves a king" (1 S. 12:19).

Wise pastor that Samuel was, he did not relish a fleeting moment of grief, but endeavored to lead the people into complete repentance and to joyful compunction. While he desired that they acknowledge their own sinfulness, he also wanted them to know the forgiveness extended to them by God, in the manner of St. John of the Ladder: "When I consider the actual nature of compunction, I am amazed at how that which is called mourning and grief should contain joy and gladness interwoven within it...." So Samuel assured the people, "Fear not, but serve the Lord with all your heart....for consider what great things He has done for you" (vss. 20, 24).

Open to me the doors of repentance, O Life-giver; for my soul goeth early to the temple of Thy holiness. In Thy tender lovingkindness, purify me by the compassion of Thy mercies.

This meditation provided by DYNAMIS. For questions and subscription information contact a3dynamis@aol.com or DYNAMIS, St. George Orthodox Cathedral, 7515 E 13th St. N, Wichita KS 67206-1223 or go their website: www.trisagion.com/dynamis

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[Oblio]

[c]Friday, February 6, 2004
Fast Free Week
Boukolos, Bishop of Smyrna

Kellia: 1 Kings 13:1-18 LXX Epistle: 1 John 2:7-17 Gospel: St. Mark 14:3-9

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The Prophet Samuel ~ Presumption: 1 Kings 13:1-18 (1 Sam. 13:1-18), especially vs. 11, 12, "And Saul said, 'When I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash, I said, 'Now the Philistines will come down upon me at Gilgal, and I have not entreated the favor of the Lord; so I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering.'" The deep sin of presumption exposed itself in King Saul, a spiritual defect that assured that the "kingdom [should] not continue" within his family (vs.14). However, lest we be tempted to sympathize with Saul's "foolish doings" (vs. 13) as we read, and lest we find ourselves wondering why Samuel did not try to correct him for his indiscretion, let us consider thoughtfully the words of St. Theophan the Recluse concerning self-reliance: "this spiritual disease of ours, so hard to perceive and acknowledge, is more abhorrent to God than all else in us, as being the first offspring of our self-hood and self-love, and the source, root and cause of all passions and of all our downfalls and wrong doing."
Consider this fact: all through Holy Scripture, the Lord teaches us that "evil-doers shall utterly perish, but they that wait on the Lord, they shall inherit the earth" (Ps. 36:9 LXX). Notice in this statement of David, that he juxtaposes 'doing' and 'waiting.' In our modern world, so intensely focused on 'achieving,' 'accomplishing,' and 'doing,' David's admonition warrants close attention. No one can fault Saul for failure to act. His problem was that he acted presumptuously, without warrant from the Lord.

To grasp the depth of Saul's brash self-reliance, it is important to reflect backwards (1 Kngs 13:10-14) from the encounter between Saul and Samuel at Gilgal, the national holy site located on the plains of the Jordan river valley near Jericho. First, there was Saul's defensive remark to Samuel: "you did not come within the days appointed" (vs. 11). Herein is the signal that there was a prior arrangement concerning the meeting between the Prophet and the King.

At the heart of the agreement to meet at Gilgal was the godly practice of sacrificing to the Lord in order to receive His blessing and His direction, a necessity before going into combat in a holy war (see 1 Kngs. 7:5-11). So, even though we are not told explicitly in this case who called the people out "to join Saul at Gilgal" (vs. 4), the unspoken protocol would necessarily have included Samuel to preside at the sacrifice. This solemn rite was a Priestly-Prophetic function, not an offering which could be performed 'by' the king. Rather, it was done 'for' the king. If Samuel never showed up, Saul should have simply foregone the sacrifice.

True, the stationing of Philistine garrisons in the middle of the highland territory of the Israelites is an indication of a strong, existing Philistine hegemony over God's People. One can appreciate how galling it must have been to have occupying garrisons controlling them. When at last there was a king who had been anointed to "go out before us and fight our battles" (1 Kngs 8:20), the Philistines must have been very odious, especially so for Saul, for his home territory of Gibeah of Benjamin was immediately adjacent to this foreign outpost at Geba (1 Kngs. 13:2, 3).

Here, however, one finds additional evidence of presumption. Given that the king felt the need to precipitate a war of liberation from the Philistines, should not he first have sought the proven, godly counsel of Samuel before the Lord, and long before starting the conflict?

Beloved of God, listen to St. John of the Ladder's caution concerning presumption: "there is only one erring path, and it is called self-rule. But he who has renounced this entirely, even in things that seem to be good and...pleasing to God, has reached the end before setting out...."

Lord, I have fled unto Thee; teach me to do Thy will, for Thou art my God.


This meditation provided by DYNAMIS. For questions and subscription information contact a3dynamis@aol.com or DYNAMIS, St. George Orthodox Cathedral, 7515 E 13th St. N, Wichita KS 67206-1223 or go their website: www.trisagion.com/dynamis

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[Oblio]

[c]Saturday, February 7, 2004
Fast Free Week
Parthenios, Bishop of Lampsakos

Kellia: 1 Kings 13:19-14:15 Epistle: 2 Timothy 3:1-9 Gospel: St. Luke 20:45-21:4

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The Prophet Samuel ~ A Warrior Invincible: 1 Kings 13:19-14:15 LXX (1 Sam. 13:19-14:14 MT), especially vs. 12, "And the men of the garrison hailed Jonathan and his armor-bearer, and said, 'Come up to us, and we will show you a thing.' And Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, 'Come up after me; for the Lord has given them into the hand of Israel.'" In the opening chapter of Unseen Warfare, a manual prepared for Christians who desire with all their heart "to come near to God and dwell in union with Him," St. Theophan the Recluse teaches that "to reach your desired aim, it is first of all necessary to stifle your own wills and finally to extinguish and kill them altogether. And in order to succeed in this, you must constantly oppose all evil in yourself and urge your self toward the good. In other words you must ceaselessly fight against yourself and against everything that panders to your own wills, that incites and supports them." To this end he admonishes us, "prepare yourself for this struggle and this warfare and know that the crown....is given to none except to the valiant among warriors and wrestlers."
In the example of Jonathan, the son of King Saul, we have a type or foreshadowing from today's Old Testament reading of each true Christian as 'a warrior invincible,' to speak using a phrase from the Chrismation Mystery. In the imagery of the soldiery of the ancient People of God, in the actions of Jonathan and his armor-bearer, the Lord supplies us with a portrait of what we must do to become His invincible warriors. We must venture "to fulfill those things which are well pleasing" to Him. We must seek to be "filled with the faith, hope, and love which are in the Lord." We must depend solely upon the Lord's "trenchant might speedily to crush down Satan under our feet" and so give us victory over the evil one.

Look at these two warriors, "Jonathan the son of Saul [and] the young man who bore his armor" (vs. 1). Outward circumstances had caused the majority of their contemporaries to seek safe havens from the predatory attacks of the raiders who "came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies" (1 Kngs. 13:17), moving to the north, the west and the east, plundering and destroying as they went, a mighty force "like the sand on the seashore in multitude" (1 Kngs. 13:5). "There was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people with Saul and Jonathan" (1 Kngs. 13:22). Still, this pair of invincible and godly warriors, ventured "over to the Philistine garrison on yonder side" (vs. 14:1), even as we must face into the clamoring of our wills for pleasure, comfort and ease through this life, and must overcome the constant temptations to avoid taking up our cross and following after the Lord (Mt. 16:24).

See how Jonathan and the young man went filled with faith, hope, and love. They had faith that "nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few" (vs. 6). They hoped that "it may be that the Lord will work for us" (vs. 6); and they loved each other as the Septuagint puts it: "I am with thee, my heart is as thy heart" (vs. 7 LXX). We must without hesitation in our warfare follow the Lord Jesus' admonition to "love one another" (Jn. 13:34).

Behold, the wonder of God! By His trenchant might, speedily He brought "panic in the camp, in the field, and among all the people, the garrison and even the raiders trembled; the earth quaked; and it became a very great panic" (1 Kngs. 14:15). Two soldiers, invincible warriors, dared to face their enemies in faith, hope, and love. Beloved of the Lord, examine the evidence: God is ready to fight for us, to deliver us "from the bondage of the enemy," that He may receive us into His heavenly kingdom, delivered "from every snare of the adversary."

O Lord, our God, confirm us in the Orthodox faith; deliver us from the Evil One, and from the machinations of the same; and preserve our souls through the saving fear of Thee.



This meditation provided by DYNAMIS. For questions and subscription information contact a3dynamis@aol.com or DYNAMIS, St. George Orthodox Cathedral, 7515 E 13th St. N, Wichita KS 67206-1223 or go their website: www.trisagion.com/dynamis

Republished with permission

 

[Oblio]

[c]Sunday, February 8, 2004
Usual Abstinence (Wed & Fri)
Sunday of the Prodigal Son

Kellia: 1 Kings 14:16-30 Epistle: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 (Tone 1) Gospel: St. Luke 15:11-32

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The Prophet Samuel ~ Godly Example: 1 Kings 14:16-30 LXX (1 Sam. 14:16-30), especially vs. 23, "So the Lord delivered Israel that day...." The battle against the Philistine forces at Michmash divides into three sections: Jonathan's successful, initial assault against the guards on the enemy's perimeter (1 Kngs. 13:19-14:15), the ensuing chaos within the Philistine camp which mobilized the Israelite troops (1 Kngs. 14:16-30), and two events that occurred in the immediate aftermath of the engagement (1 Kngs. 14:31-35 and 1 Kngs. 14:36-46).
In making an overview of the battle of Michmash, one is struck by what the Lord accomplished (1 Kngs. 14:23) - by providing two outnumbered warriors as an example, He mobilized all His people. It is especially worthy to note that the repercussions of Jonathan's bold display of faith stirred God's People into forceful combat despite Saul's repeated, inept actions as a commander of the armies of God. Observe how the Lord encourages us, through the present account, to dare risking in faith, by demonstrating that He strengthens the resolve of those who act boldly for Him and uses their daring to enliven other Christians to act as well.

The Israelite lookouts suddenly realized that there was a major disruption going on in the Philistine camp. The "multitude was surging hither and thither" (vs. 16) in the enemy camp. This change brought Saul out of a passive mode. He began to assess his immediate situation. Who was present? He instituted a count to "see who has gone from us" (vs.17). Further, he directed the priest Ahijah, "Bring the ephod; for he carried the ephod in that day before Israel" (vs. 18 LXX). (Note: versions that speak of the ark at this point overlook the fact that the ark of the Lord remained at Kiriath-jearim throughout Saul's reign.)

What the king thought to do by his directions to the priest was to consult God through priestly divination and to seek directions for responding to the disturbance in the Philistine camp. However, mounting evidence revealed that serious chaos was building in the enemy encampment: "every man's sword was against his fellow, and there was very great confusion" (vs. 20). The Lord used plain evidence to rouse the king fully from his lethargy, so Saul told the priest to stop the divination: "Withdraw your hand" (vs. 19).

Not only the king finally was stirred into action by the fallout of Jonathan's attack, but the Hebrew slaves in the enemy camp turned on their Philistine masters (vs. 21). Furthermore, "the men of Israel who had hid themselves in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were fleeing, [and so] they too followed hard after them in the battle" (vs. 22). God used a skirmish to move His people into action and to achieve a rout. Remember that when Saul took up a defensive position at Geba of Benjamin, he had only 600 men with him (1 S. 13:15). The Septuagint reports that as the battle ranged down hill toward Beth-aven, that "all the people with Saul were about ten thousand men" (vs. 23 LXX). See the power of God through two men!

This present account concludes, with another inept action of King Saul: the issuing of a general order: "Cursed be the man who eats food until it is evening and I am avenged on my enemies" (vs. 24). Rather than direct his troops not to divert from battle to feast on plundered food from the Philistines, the king issued a foolish command against all food, and included an extreme penalty for eating. Ironically, his own son, the model warrior of the day, was the one who inadvertently broke the rule. Still, Jonathan benefitted by his act: "his eyes became bright" (vs.27), and he saw that even a greater victory could have been gained (vss. 29, 30).

Grant us, O Lord, knowledge, both of what we should do and of how to set about it, that we may acquire only Thee rather than all transient possessions. (St. Ephraim the Syrian)


This meditation provided by DYNAMIS. For questions and subscription information contact a3dynamis@aol.com or DYNAMIS, St. George Orthodox Cathedral, 7515 E 13th St. N, Wichita KS 67206-1223 or go their website: www.trisagion.com/dynamis

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[Oblio]

[c]Monday, February 9, 2004
Usual Abstinence (Wed & Fri)
Great Martyr Theodore

Kellia: 1 Kings LXX 14:31-35 Epistle: 1 John 2:18-3:10 Gospel: St. Mark 11:1-11

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The Prophet Samuel ~ Blood: 1 Kings 14:31-35 LXX (1 Sam. 14:31-35), especially vs. 34, "And Saul said, 'Disperse yourselves among the people, and say to them, Let every man bring his ox or his sheep, and slay them here, and eat; and do not sin against the Lord by eating with the blood.'" As Orthodox Priests prepare the Holy Gifts they confess: "Thou has redeemed us from the curse of the law, by Thy precious Blood: nailed to the Cross and pierced by the spear, Thou has poured forth immortality upon mankind, O our Savior, glory to Thee."
Among the People of both of the Old and of the New Covenants, blood has been given great reverence because of its power to unite God and His People (Ex. 24:8; Heb. 9:14). To establish its sacredness firmly and strictly, the Lord prohibited any eating of blood: "If any man of the house of Israel or of the strangers that sojourn among them eats any blood, I will set My face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from among his people" (Lev. 17:10). Blood from slaughtering was to be poured "out upon the earth like water" (Dt. 12:16).

Keeping this prohibition in mind, observe what disorder occurred at the end of the battle at Michmash because of the austere fast which King Saul imposed on his troops during the fight (1 Kngs. 14:24). The men were so "faint [that they] flew upon the spoil, and took sheep and oxen and calves; and slew them on the ground; and...ate them with the blood" (1 Kngs. 14:31, 32). So deeply ingrained was the stricture against eating blood that this impropriety was soon relayed to the king: "Behold, the people are sinning against the Lord, by eating with the blood" (vs. 33).

Knowing God had promised to "cut off from among his people" (Lev. 17:4) anyone who ate flesh with its blood in it, and he quickly provided an alternative for the people: "roll a great stone to me here...disperse yourselves among the people, and say to them, 'Let every man bring his ox or his sheep, and slay them here, and eat; and do not sin against the Lord" (vss. 33, 34).

In light of the pre-existing and deep-set prohibition against eating flesh with its blood in it, a rule that carried over into the early Church (Acts 15:20), how are we, the People of the New Covenant, to understand the pronouncement of our Lord Jesus that "unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you?" (Jn. 6:53).

First, shed blood made atonement in the Former Covenant (Lev. 17:11), and the shed blood of Christ our God, the Mediator of the New Covenant, cleanses us "from dead works to serve the living God" (Heb. 9:14). In the New Covenant, blood discloses ultimate atoning grace.

Second, the New Covenant brings a new Sacrifice and a new Priesthood, "according to the order of Melchizedek. For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness, for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God" (Heb. 7:17, 18, 19). Christ, the Priest, offered one sacrifice, shedding His blood once for all. Hence in the Divine Liturgy, as Theodoret of Cyrus notes: "we do not offer another sacrifice, but perform a memorial [an "anamnesis," a living re-entry into] of that unique and saving offering."

Finally, the Divine Liturgy, the work of God's People, as an offering is bloodless: "we offer unto Thee this reasonable and unbloody service." The "flesh and blood" we receive in the Communion of the Holy Gifts partake of the Mystery of Christ, pour out the life of God shed once for us, and join our flesh to His resurrection body in a marriage of the soul with her Lord. St. Cyril of Jerusalem says: "Christ has given the children of the bridal chamber the enjoyment of His body and His blood." In Christ, by the power of the Spirit, all things are new (2 Cor. 3:6).

The all-Holy Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ is imparted unto me unto life everlasting.



This meditation provided by DYNAMIS. For questions and subscription information contact a3dynamis@aol.com or DYNAMIS, St. George Orthodox Cathedral, 7515 E 13th St. N, Wichita KS 67206-1223 or go their website: www.trisagion.com/dynamis

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[Oblio]

[c]Tuesday, February 10, 2004
Usual Abstinence
Hieromartyr Haralampos of Magnesia

Kellia: 1 Kings 14:36-46 LXX Epistle: 1 John 3:11-20 Gospel: St. Mark 14:10-42

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The Prophet Samuel ~ Correction: 1 Kings 14:36-46 LXX (1 Sam. 14:36-46), especially vs. 45, "Then the people said to Saul, 'Shall Jonathan die, who has wrought this great victory in Israel? Far from it! As the Lord lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground.'" King Saul's self-reliance was exposed earlier at Gilgal, when he would not wait for spiritual guidance from the Prophet Samuel and the Lord (1 Kngs. 13). Saul exhibits the same impulsive character fault again in this reading, but here, God dramatizes how He corrects His servants, revealing to us how we may better respond to Christ our King and our God.
First, observe Saul thoughtlessly proposing to "go down after the Philistines by night and despoil them until the morning light; let us not leave a man of them" (1 Kngs. 14:36). He does not consider the fact that his troops have been fighting all day and are exhausted. He fails to recognize that nightfall will greatly hinder the task of overtaking and destroying the remaining scattered enemy forces. He fails to consider that he is exposing his army dangerously by sending them unprepared beyond their own territorial bounds into unknown terrain.

But see how God corrects him, through Ahijah the Priest (vs. 36). Would that we always see the importance of seeking out the godly counsel of our pastors during the crises of our lives! For, by the grace of God, pastoral counsel already was at hand in the king's camp and, to King Saul's credit, he heeded his Priest's suggestion. All the flaws in his ill-conceived plan were thereby averted. Trust in one's spiritual father is essential for Christians. As the monk Arsenius said of his spiritual father: "I have a father according to the Spirit, from whom I daily receive the very pure milk of divine grace, I mean my father in God, and he warms me in his womb like a new-born babe." How important that at least we consult our Pastors and Spiritual Advisors!

Unfortunately, Saul again displays his inflated self-confidence and impulsiveness, even as he receives help from his Priest. Notice the silence that follows when Saul asks his two questions (vs. 37). Despite the silence, he 'knows' that the cause of his plan being halted is due to a hidden sin in the camp. He rejects any idea that his tactical proposal is flawed. He does not consider the possibility that his over-zealous command to fast utterly, and not someone's sin, could be the reason for God's silence after his question.

Still, God's silence leads to a correction of King Saul. He is forced to see that what Jonathan did was not a sin. God also corrects us by silence in answer to our prayers. Often He builds our faith in Himself when He does not answer. His silence forces us to trust. Evagrius the Solitary urges us: "Do not be distressed if you do not at once receive from God what you ask. He wishes to give you something better - to make you persevere in your prayer."

God also corrects Saul for pride when he will not admit the excess of his own rules. This time the Lord speaks through the people's steadfast refusal to allow him to execute Jonathan: "As the Lord lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground; for he has wrought this great victory with God this day" (vs. 45). The king imposed an extreme vow on his soldiers in the first place and coupled it with a rashly devised punishment. He piles another oath on top of all these poor judgments with no regard to mitigating circumstances or to the demands of justice in the case. He is not even humbled by his son's humble acquiescence (vs. 44).

May we always be open to the cautions of God and others when we are certain that we are right. Blustering and stubborn assertion are invariably unworthy of God's grace.

Blessed art Thou, O Lord, teach me Thy statutes. Blessed art Thou, O Master, make me to understand Thy commandments. Blessed art Thou, O Holy One; enlighten me with Thy precepts.



This meditation provided by DYNAMIS. For questions and subscription information contact a3dynamis@aol.com or DYNAMIS, St. George Orthodox Cathedral, 7515 E 13th St. N, Wichita KS 67206-1223 or go their website: www.trisagion.com/dynamis

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[Oblio]

[c]Wednesday, February 11, 2004
Usual Abstinence Today
Hieromartyr Blaise of Sebaste

Kellia: 1 Kings 15:1-3, 7-23 LXX Epistle: 1 John 3:21-4:5 Gospel: St.Mark 14:43-15:1


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The Prophet Samuel ~ Rejecting God: 1 Kings 15:1-3, 7-23 LXX (1 Sam. 15:1-3, 7-23 MT), especially vs. 23, " Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being king." The Prophets taught that God always is ready to forgive those who confess their errors and repent. Among the Lord Jesus' Disciples, Peter's example is a monument to the possibility of repentance, forgiveness, and restoration; yet among them also is the dark shadow of Judas who failed to repent and seek forgiveness, which resulted in his self-destruction. Sadly, King Saul of old would eventually likewise come to despair and suicide (1 Kngs. 31:5).
Long before the events described in today's reading, King Saul already had received a solemn warning from God. We can only leave to speculation the question of whether the loss of the kingdom pronounced by Samuel earlier (1 Kngs. 13:13, 14) would have come about for Saul, for even when God forgives, often He allows consequences to remain. In today's passage, the Prophet Samuel continued stating the dire and inevitable outcome of the King's persistent self-will. His poignant message also is a stern warning to us to confess, repent, and struggle for God-pleasing change. Ultimately, God always permits those who insist on defying His commands to reap the harvest of rejecting Him. Saul was rejected by God as a result of his own choice.

First, let us trace King Saul's choice to disobey within the substance of his actions. In very clear terms, God told the king, "Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have; do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ***" (1 Kngs. 15:3). The Septuagint (LXX) translation of vs. 3 vividly exposes the intent of God's command to Saul: "thou shalt smite Amalek and Hierim and all that belongs to him, and thou shalt not save anything of him alive, that thou shalt utterly destroy him: and thou shalt devote him and all his to destruction...." (vs. 3 LXX).

Notice the introduction of the name "Hierim" in the LXX version. This word, together with the verb "devote" later in the sentence, reveals that the order which God gave to Saul was a special command having two aspects: to place Amalek under a "ban" ("herem"in Hebrew), and, by the rules of a ban, to destroy totally what was thereby "devoted" to God. A "ban" was a practice of dedicating an enemy and his goods utterly to God. It meant killing the people and destroying all their property. Nothing could be retained or left alive by the human agents of God's will: "No one devoted, who is to be utterly destroyed from among men, shall be ransomed; he shall be put to death" (see also Dt. 13:12-18). The center of Amalekite power, Agag the king, his city, its inhabitants, and all physical property, was marked for total destruction.

All of Saul's delight in himself - that he had "performed the commandment of the Lord" (1 Kngs. 15:13), was plainly rationalization. "Stop!," commanded Samuel, because he could hear the animals they had saved. The more Saul rationalized, the more thoroughgoing was the evidence of his disobedience. He seeks to shift the blame: " "They have brought...the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice to the Lord" (vs. 15), but exposes his own guilt: "I have gone on the mission on which the Lord sent me, I have brought Agag the king of Amalek" (vs. 20). Why? To what end? Samuel sees clearly enough that they swooped "on the spoil" (vs. 19).

Let us have done with all rationalizing, shallow gilding of facts, and efforts to assure ourselves that we have done the Lord's will when we have not. God views disobedience as rebellion, stubbornness, and rejection (vs. 23). Let none believe that one may do whatever he wishes, persist in indulgent delusions, continue disobeying God, and escape dire consequences.

Grant us to serve Thee, O God, in holiness all the days of our lives.


This meditation provided by DYNAMIS. For questions and subscription information contact a3dynamis@aol.com or DYNAMIS, St. George Orthodox Cathedral, 7515 E 13th St. N, Wichita KS 67206-1223 or go their website: www.trisagion.com/dynamis

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[Oblio]

[c]Thursday, February 12, 2004
Week of Usual Abstinence
Meletios, Archbishop of Antioch

Kellia: 1 Kings 15:24-35 Epistle: 1 John 4:20-5:21 Gospel: St. Mark 15:1-15
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The Prophet Samuel ~ Rejected by God: 1 Kings 15:24-35 LXX (1 Sam 15:24-35), especially vs. 26, "And Samuel said to Saul, 'I will not return with you, for you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.'" Does this response of Samuel seem harsh or unkind? It was not unfair, for the Prophet faced a man who had disobeyed a direct command of God wilfully (1 Kngs. 15:3). King Saul saw no wrong in his acts (1 Kngs. 15:13). Even as Samuel struggled to convict the king, Saul defended, rationalized, and sought to shift the blame (1 Kngs. 15:14-21). Finally, as the Prophet persisted, something touched Saul. At last he confessed: "I have sinned...." (1 Kngs. 15.24). However, his confession reveals serious spiritual flaws. Appropriately, as a good and wise pastor, Samuel could not assure him of God's pardon, not on the basis of the king's words and actions. It would have been a mockery.
Beloved, as those who are taught to confess our sins and seek God's forgiveness, let us pray with care as we read this passage. Let us receive the teaching which the Lord gives here and apply it to our hearts before Him; for "who knows whether He will not turn and repent, and leave a blessing behind Him?" (Joel 2:14). Most of all, we ought to direct our attention to Saul's confession, for there we shall see, in his words and actions, the very distinction concerning confessions which the Apostle Paul makes between "godly sorrow" which "produces repentance" and "the sorrow of the world" which "produces death" (2 Cor. 7:10).

First, Saul perceived only that he had broken a commandment of God which he had been given through God's Prophet (vs. 24). What of his relationship with God? Was the problem simply the violation of a rule? No, it was a rupture of Communion, a disdain for the God Who made him king over His People. Saul did not exhibit the true repentance King David did when faced with his sin by another Prophet (2 Kngs. 12:1-12): "Against Thee only have I sinned and done this evil before Thee...." (Ps. 50:4 LXX). The loss of relationship with God is most fearful.

Second, observe that Saul's foremost concern was the reaction of the people, even as he confessed to Samuel: "I have sinned; yet honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel" (1 Kngs. 15:30). He continues, blind to the sin which he had earlier acknowledged as the cause of his disobedience: "I feared the people" (vs. 24). Fear of man led him to contradict God's explicit command. Note again the difference between Saul and David: King David cried "Have mercy on me, O God, for man hath trodden me down....but as for me, I will hope in Thee. In God...I have set my hope; I will not fear what flesh shall do to me" (Ps. 55:1, 2, 3 LXX).

Our relationship with God is the "pearl of great price" (Mt. 13:46). Let us root out all fear of man and come to the Lord always as we confess, seeking His forgiveness. Then afterwards, well we should make time and occasion to right any wrongs between us and others.

Finally, and clearly as an outgrowth of his fear of man, King Saul tried to correct his sin - as if it were a matter strictly between himself and the Prophet Samuel. Note: he asked Samuel to "pardon my sin, and return with me, that I may worship the Lord" (1 Kngs. 15:25). Whose garment did he grasp? (vs. 27). Behold the error! Remember, only God can forgive sin. The worldly man sorrows about the relationships, the privileges, the honors, and prizes of this world. Of course, he only can produce "worldly sorrow." But God alone delivers our souls from eternal death. Yes, let us come to our confessors, and, before them, cry out to God Who keeps our feet from sliding and heals us that we may be well-pleasing before Him (see Ps. 55:12 LXX).

O Lord God our Salvation, grant unto me an image of repentance, forgiveness of sins and deliverance, reconciling and uniting me to Thy Holy Church, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

This meditation provided by DYNAMIS. For questions and subscription information contact a3dynamis@aol.com or DYNAMIS, St. George Orthodox Cathedral, 7515 E 13th St. N, Wichita KS 67206-1223 or go their website: www.trisagion.com/dynamis

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[Oblio]

[c]Friday, February 13, 2004
Usual Abstinence Today
Simeon the Myrrh-Streaming

Kellia: 1 Kings 16:1-13 Epistle: 2 John 1:1-13 Gospel: St. Mark 15:22-15, 33-41

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The Prophet Samuel ~ A New Anointing: 1 Kings 16:1-13 LXX (1 Sam. 16:1-13), especially vs. 1, "Fill your horn with oil, and go; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for Myself a king among his sons." At the portentous meeting between King Saul and the Prophet Samuel at Gilgal, the Prophet pronounced the doom that would befall the king if he should persist in his dark self-will and man-pleasing. Later, as Holy Scripture tells us, "Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel grieved over Saul" (1 Kngs. 15:35).
Today's reading places the same image before us: Samuel the Prophet continuing to grieve "over Saul" (1 Kngs. 16:1). What a powerful icon! The old man of God weeping for the tall young prince "whom the Lord [had] chosen...like [none] among all the people" (1 Kngs. 10:24). Samuel remembered the promise of the man as a warrior (1 Kngs.11), and the remorseful Prophet considered the King's repeated displays of spiritual failure (1 Kngs. 13-15). Still, God had spoken through Samuel from the start that Divine rejection was possible (1 Kngs. 12:24, 25). See how God lifted up His Prophet from his grief over what might have been and over what had become evident. In today's passage the Lord directs Samuel to anoint a new king. In reading, compare the anointing of King Saul (1 Kngs. 8, 9 LXX) and of the future king, David. There are important distinctions between these two royal anointings by Samuel - as there would be marked differences between the two kings and their reigns.

Foremost among the differences between the anointing of Saul and the anointing of David was the absence of any human insistence or demand. See how many ways Holy Scripture emphasizes that the anointing of David was wholly at Divine initiative. No group of elders came asking for a king. There was only a grieving Prophet whom God had to lift up from dismay and send to Bethlehem. The Prophet even resisted the direction of God (1 Kngs. 16:2), but God brushed past his objections: "I will show you what you shall do; and [whom you] shall anoint for Me" (vs. 3). The Prophet, "in his own flesh" was quite ready to anoint the wrong son of Jesse (vs. 6). In fact, seven times and the Lord had to stay his hand from obvious and available choices (vs. 10). Finally, when God had confronted Samuel with the shepherd boy, David, only then did He release and order His Prophet, "Arise, anoint him; for this is he" (vs. 12).

In David's case are we told explicitly that God revealed the basis for His choice, that He looked "on the heart" (vs 7), that He "sought out a man after His own heart; and...appointed him to be prince over His People" (1 Kngs. 13:14). Without a doubt, the Lord knew perfectly well the heart of the first king, Saul. As the Apostle Peter later confessed, "Lord, You know all things" (Jn. 21:17). And, Beloved, let us acknowledge that the Lord knew that Saul did not love Him as David did; for, like the Apostle, David loved the Lord his strength...foundation...refuge, and...deliverer (Ps. 17:1, 2 LXX).

In both anointings, the Lord revealed His choice to His appointed servant, guiding the Prophet in the selection process. After anointing Saul, Samuel had remained active in the affairs of the nation, teaching, cautioning, and correcting. But notice that after he anointed David, the Prophet simply "rose up, and went to Ramah" (vs. 13), leaving David's personal development, his training, and his affirmation by the People solely in God's hands. Years and many events lay before the newly anointed king, but the Prophet could go in peace knowing that God had given the kingdom of Israel to a better man than Saul (1 Kngs. 15:28).

O God, Who in pity and compassion hast visited our lowliness; Who hast set us, Thy humble and sinful and unworthy servants, before Thee, send Thy Spirit upon us mightily.


This meditation provided by DYNAMIS. For questions and subscription information contact a3dynamis@aol.com or DYNAMIS, St. George Orthodox Cathedral, 7515 E 13th St. N, Wichita KS 67206-1223 or go their website: www.trisagion.com/dynamis

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[Oblio]

[c]Saturday, February 14, 2004
Week of Usual Abstinence
Kyril, Teacher of the Slavs

Kellia: 1 Kings 16:14-23 Epistle: 1 Corinthians 10:23-28
Gospel: St. Luke 21:8-9, 25-27, 33-36

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The Prophet Samuel ~ The Spirit of the Lord: 1 Samuel 16:14-23, especially vs. 14, "Now the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul...." In the Mystery of Holy Chrismation, we pray, our compassionate God and King, to grant to those being anointed "the seal of the gift of Thy holy, almighty, and adorable Spirit...[keeping] them in Thy sanctification....delivering them from the Evil One, and from the machinations of the same." In the anointing of the Faithful, as Father Alexander Schmemann says, "we receive the Holy Spirit Himself, and not merely 'grace'....It is the Holy Spirit, and not some divine power, that descended on the Apostles on the day of Pentecost. It is He and not 'grace' that we invoke in prayer and acquire through spiritual effort."
When Samuel anointed Saul to be the King of Israel, he told him, "the Spirit of the Lord will come mightily upon you...and you shall be turned into another man" (1 Kngs. 10:6). Today, we read the dire statement that "the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul" (1 Kngs. 16:14). Worse, we learn the result, that he then began to be tormented by an evil spirit which the Lord allowed to come upon him (vss. 14-16). The indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit in the spirits of the Faithful, in our hearts, keeps us from such machinations and torments, unless, like Saul, we repeatedly disobey God, seek to please men rather than God, and do not strive to realize the riches of the relationship we have been given with God, the all holy and adorable Divine Spirit.

Immediately prior to the report of the withdrawal of the Spirit from Saul is the account of the anointing of David, the future King of Israel, upon whom, Holy Scripture says, "the Spirit of the Lord came mightily...from that day forward" (1 Kngs. 16:13). What evidence of the Spirit's presence are we able to observe in David that we may also strive to acquire as anointed children and heirs of God's heavenly kingdom? The present passage suggests three spiritual qualities which were evident in David when he was called into Saul's service: artistic skill revealed in his music and speech, a refined moral character evinced in his bravery, and in his ability to drive out spirits of evil, and a capacity to give and evoke love and favor - an ability to foster community.

The first of these aspects of the human spirit which the Holy Spirit restores and nurtures in those who seek and welcome His indwelling, is creativity. As the Faithful draw grace from the Spirit of God within, and prove themselves children of the Light, they begin to enjoy and manifest their heritage in "the eternal good things" of the Lord, and so we have iconographers, singers, readers, servers, ushers, benefactors, bookkeepers, writers, speakers, teachers, cooks, evangelists, missionaries, healers, counselors, pastors, apostles, gardeners and those with many other talents. David was seen to be "skillful in playing" and "prudent in speech" by the courtiers of King Saul (1 Kngs. 16:18). We have David's psalms as evidence of the artistic ability they saw in him (Ps. 151:2 LXX).

Saul's servants also perceived David as "a man of valor [and] a man of war" (vs. 18). Furthermore, he was able to refresh Saul and drive out the evil spirit from him by his playing on the lyre, a small, portable, stringed instrument that " David took...and played...with his hand" (vs. 23). He reveals, even as a young man, those moral virtues of bravery, kindness, and love so essential to a true servant of God. May we too grow in "Love [which] never fails" (1 Cor. 13:8).

The King was attracted to David, he "loved him greatly" 1 Kngs. 16:21), and David found favor in his eyes (vs. 22). How so? David had the capacity to build loyalty and foster fellowship by giving and receiving love from others. This potential of our hearts, as we cooperate with the Holy Spirit in His nurturing, can make us living "members of the household of God" (Eph. 2:19). Illumine us, O Lord, with the light of true piety, by the outpouring of Thy Holy Spirit.



This meditation provided by DYNAMIS. For questions and subscription information contact a3dynamis@aol.com or DYNAMIS, St. George Orthodox Cathedral, 7515 E 13th St. N, Wichita KS 67206-1223 or go their website: www.trisagion.com/dynamis

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[Oblio]

[c]Sunday, February 15, 2004
Last Day of Meatfare (Tone 2)
Sunday of the Last Judgment

Kellia: Genesis 18:16-33 Epistle: 1 Corinthians 8:8-9:2 Gospel: St. Matthew 25:31-46

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Consider Judgment: Genesis 18:16-33 LXX, especially vs. 21, "I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry which has come to me; and if not, I will know." The cry of the Church in the throes of history - now reviled, now persecuted, now ignored, now sought after in hope - is lifted up to God in the Paschal verses taken from Psalm 67:1 LXX: "Let God arise and let His enemies be scattered, and let them that hate Him flee from before His face....And let the righteous be glad, let them rejoice in the presence of God."
The Church offers these words to her Lord, God, and Savior in fear and trembling as well as in triumph, hope, and adoration; for she has learned the truth of judgment from her Lord. God is no detached Observer on the affairs of mankind. Through mighty acts He teaches His People to expect His judgment on their affairs and their history. In His judgments, through His laws, His Prophets, and in the supreme gift of His Son, He reveals Himself - not cloaking His will for our race - so that we might have hope amidst the flood of wickedness around us.

After the "Three Visitors" received the hospitality of Abraham, they "set out and...looked toward Sodom" (Gen. 18:16). Note, the verbs "to see" and "to look" are the way Scripture speaks of judgment, especially when God is the One looking. The Lord knew perfectly well where Sodom was. He looked in the manner spoken of through the Psalmist: "For He hath looked out from His holy height, the Lord from heaven hath looked upon the earth, to hear the groaning of them that be in fetters, to loose the sons of the slain" (Ps. 101:19, 20 LXX).

God sees. The Lord Jesus "looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. And He saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. And He said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all" (Lk. 21:1-4). And when He sees, judgment eventually becomes Divine action when His warnings and rebukes are cast aside. As He warned after passing verbal judgment on the inequities between those who gave at the Temple: "As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down" (Lk. 21:6). The system itself would come under Divine judgment, even as did Sodom and Gomorrah. And it was so!

The grace in God's judgment is that He does not withhold His view of what He sees nor of what will follow if men will not walk in His ways. Today's account reports a conversation within the Godhead: "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, seeing that Abraham shall become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall bless themselves by him?" (Gen. 18:17, 18). No, God will not! Above all, the Lord includes His People in the process leading up to His acts of judgment, in the same fashion as He did Abraham, so that afterwards "he may charge his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice; so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has promised him" (vs. 19). Do you see God's grace? He will "bring...what He has promised!"

Sodom was close to the hills where Abraham pitched his tents and cared for his flocks. The Patriarch knew the wickedness of the place, yet God gave him hope for his nephew, Lot, and for any others who might not have succumbed to the degradation there. For the merest handful of godly men and women, God often restrains the destructive edge of His judgment. Why does He spare? Because love, compassion and restoration are ever His primary concern. "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned" (Jn. 3:17, 18).

"Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin." (Ps. 50:1, 2 LXX)


This meditation provided by DYNAMIS. For questions and subscription information contact a3dynamis@aol.com or DYNAMIS, St. George Orthodox Cathedral, 7515 E 13th St. N, Wichita KS 67206-1223 or go their website: www.trisagion.com/dynamis

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[Oblio]

[c]Monday, February 16, 2004
Meat Fast
The Venerable Martyr Romanos

Kellia: Psalm 56 LXX Epistle: 3 John 1:1-14 Gospel: St. Luke 21:8-9, 25-27, 33-36

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A Journey at Prayer: Psalm 56 LXX), especially vs. 5 (Ps. 57:3, 4 MT), "God hath sent forth His mercy and His truth, and hath delivered my soul from the midst of lions' cubs." The heart that cries out, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me a sinner," embraces the journey of prayer revealed in this psalm. What child of God has not bowed his head before the Lord and earnestly begun, "Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me," as the starting point of life in Christ? Mercy is the plea which forms the sole center-point of that ineffable life that has been poured out upon us in Christ and from Him. "Have mercy on me, O God," therefore, becomes that prayer which we direct repeatedly to Jesus our long-suffering Master, our all-merciful Savior. Stripped of all else, what other words have we? "For my soul trusted in Thee, and in the shadow of Thy wings will I hope" (vss. 1, 2).
What disrupts this outcry and confidence of the heart? Iniquity! The memory and reality of our own iniquity and of the burdens created by the iniquity of the world force themselves into our consciousness: "Deliver us from evil" which is present everywhere and threatens to engulf us and sweep us away. Of course the child of the Light cries out for mercy and sets his hope in Jesus "until iniquity shall pass away" (vs. 2). The experience of ubiquitous sin and death evokes the affirmation, "I will cry unto God the Most High, unto God my benefactor" (vs. 3). What else! Those who cry for mercy to Christ find that His life-giving presence floods their hearts.

The Lord our God, God the Most High, "hath sent out of heaven and saved me" (vs. 4), He Who is God before all ages "appeared upon earth and dwelt among men; and was Incarnate of a holy Virgin, and did empty Himself, taking on the form of a servant and becoming conformed to the fashion of our lowliness, that He might make us conformable to the image of His glory." Beloved of the Lord, let the heart of every member of Christ say, "He hath given over to reproach them that were trampling me down" (vs. 4), for He Himself on the Tree of the Cross hath trampled down death by death and "sent forth His mercy and His Truth" (vs. 5), Christ Jesus, Who is Mercy and Life and Truth. My soul is delivered "from the midst of lions' cubs" (vs. 5).

The partaker of the death and resurrection of Christ our God readily admits that the state of this world is darkness: "As for the sons of men, their teeth are weapons and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword" (vs. 6); but, while we are disturbed by such thought of iniquity, and lay upon our beds "to sleep as one troubled" (vs. 5), yet "it was not possible that the Author of Life should be holden of corruption!" Not at all! "He loosed the pains of death...making a way for all flesh through the Resurrection from the dead." Beloved, let us cry out in the words of the Liturgy of His glorious Ascension: "Be Thou exalted above the heavens, O God, and Thy glory above all the earth" (vs. 7). Christ is risen! He is "at the right hand of the Majesty on high."

Now, in this present life, we may look with equanimity at the snares which men have prepared for our feet. While they bowed down our souls to death, yet let each one of us say from his heart: "They have dug a pit before my face and fallen into it themselves. Ready is my heart, O God, ready is my heart. I will sing and chant in my glory" (vss. 9, 10).

What then? Let us bestir ourselves! Let us arouse our hearts: "Awake, O my glory; awake, O psaltery and harp. I myself will awake at dawn" (vs. 11), and confess the God of my salvation among the peoples. "O Lord I will chant unto Thee among the nations" (vs. 12). God has answered our plea for mercy. "Magnified even unto the heavens is [His] mercy" (vs. 13). "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me a sinner!"

Be Thou exalted above the heavens, O God, and Thy glory above all the earth!


This meditation provided by DYNAMIS. For questions and subscription information contact a3dynamis@aol.com or DYNAMIS, St. George Orthodox Cathedral, 7515 E 13th St. N, Wichita KS 67206-1223 or go their website: www.trisagion.com/dynamis

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[Oblio]

[c]Tuesday, February 17, 2004
Meat Fast
Great Martyr Theodore the Soldier (Tyro)

Kellia: Psalm 102:8-15 LXX Epistle: Jude 1:1-10 Gospel: St. Luke 22:39-42, 45-23:1
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Them That Fear Him: Psalm 102:8-15, LXX (Ps. 103:8-17 MT), especially vs. 12, "Like as a father hath compassion upon his sons, so hath the Lord had compassion upon them that fear Him." It is instructive to reflect on the inner life of the Prophet and King, David, who wrote Psalm 102. He asserts that "compassionate and merciful is the Lord" and that "not according to our iniquities hath He dealt with us" (vss. 8, 9). Observe that these statements of his are not theoretical propositions, but expressions of experience. He had received compassion. He had been mercifully favored. He knew that he had not received what he deserved for his sins.
We can say many things about the heart and soul of this lyrical psalmist. Deep in himself, he knew the ugliness of sin (vs. 9). Still, he found continuing communion with the Lord, "like as a father" (vs. 12). Though scathed by God's burning anger and pierced by Divine wrath in his mind, spirit, and even in his flesh (vss. 8, 9), yet he affirmed a generous, healing forgiveness, mercy, and compassion from God (vss. 9-12). From his sin, he stared, without gloss, at the finality of the winds of time. These would pass over him and bring his own death (vss. 12-14).

Notice that, through all this experience, David tasted fear: fear as dread, as helplessness, and most of all as reverential awe. Yet he found a fear that changed into ineffable praise and speechless worship. Three times he interrupts his reflection to mention "them that fear Him," among whom, clearly, he counts himself. God's mercy is powerful, prevailing over His righteous wrath and anger on behalf of "them that fear Him" (vs. 10). God's compassion is gentle, though firm, upon "them that fear Him" (vs. 12). Although we mortals all are swept away by sin, yet the Lord's mercy toward us is "unto eternity, upon them that fear Him" (vs. 15).

This meditation of David's is primarily an expression of a discovery. David found the compassion, mercy, and long-suffering of the Lord. As a Prophet, he returned where he began, to the graciousness of God. In wonder, as a child holding a glimmering, polished, beautiful stone, David turned around from one surface to another, the grandeur of what he found through bitter-sweet experience. Such kindness from One Who owed him nothing and to Whom he owed everything. He discovered a stay of execution, a withholding of wrath and anger (vs. 8). Consequences followed his sin inexorably. Consider: we, too, know that truth! Yet, "not according to our iniquities hath He dealt with us" (vs. 9). Far from it!

God forgives. In the infinite expanse of His creation, an immensity which the human mind can follow only for a few light years, God has "made His mercy to prevail over them that fear Him" (vs. 10). It is incredible! God has done this. Not our sadness and repentance. Our repentance follows as response. The fear that wells up in the mind and emotions moved by terror comes to rest in the center of the heart as adoration. What else is there for "them that fear Him?" Never have we known such love! From our earthly fathers we learned stern demand mingled with love. Even when our fathers failed us in their humanness, at least we learned what fatherhood should be. When we meet God, there is a revelation of a Lord Who has compassion "upon them that fear Him" (vs. 12). Our lips now can say without restraint, "Our Father."

Yes, we shall die because we have sinned - a truth David tasted to the dregs. Beloved, let us fall down before God. He "knoweth whereof we are made" (vs. 12), for "He made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and [came] in the likeness of men" (Phil 2:8). Behold: "the mercy of the Lord is from eternity upon them that fear Him" (Ps. 102:15).

Bless the Lord, all ye His hosts, His ministers that do His will. Bless the Lord, all ye His works, in every place of His dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul. (Ps. 102:19-20).



This meditation provided by DYNAMIS. For questions and subscription information contact a3dynamis@aol.com or DYNAMIS, St. George Orthodox Cathedral, 7515 E 13th St. N, Wichita KS 67206-1223 or go their website: www.trisagion.com/dynamis

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[Oblio]

[c]Wednesday, February 18, 2004
Meat Fast
Leo the Great, Pope of Rome

Kellia and Sixth Hour: Joel 2:12-26 Reading at Vespers: Joel 3:12-21

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Repentance and Restoration: Joel 2:12-26 LXX, especially vs. 13, "...rend your hearts, and not your garments, and turn to the Lord your God: for He is merciful and compassionate, long-suffering, and plenteous in mercy, and repents of evils." During the years the Lord Jesus ministered from Capernaum, He healed a paralytic after He said to him, "Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you" (Mt. 9:2). St. Matthew tells us that "some of the scribes [who heard Jesus' statement] said within themselves, This Man blasphemes!" (Mt. 9:3). Notice that the Lord's critics merely thought "within themselves" that He was blaspheming. However, desiring to heal men completely, the Lord said to these detractors, and also to us, "Why do you think evil in your hearts?" (Mt. 9:4). Our evil thoughts, as well as our sinful acts, are repugnant to God.
The significance of evil thoughts is twofold: 1) the inward corruption they work within us, and, of course, 2) and the resulting sins and the consequences that follow our wicked deeds. Moreover, remember, among the various consequences that follow on our evil thoughts and actions are the Divine judgments that befall us. In today's reading, through the Prophet Joel, the Lord invites us to heartfelt repentance promising to "recompense [us] for the years which the locust, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, and the cankerworm have eaten" (Joel 2:25).

We pay a heavy price for evil thoughts and passions. Like worms, they shrivel our hearts and souls, a process St. Gregory of Nyssa describes well: "...Man, who once lived in the delights of Paradise, has been transplanted into this unhealthy and wearisome place, where his life, once accustomed to impassibility, became instead subject to passion and corruption...[For once any innate passion] occupies the castle of the soul like a tyrant [it] afflicts the obedient lord through his own subjects...For the whole array of passions, wrath and fear, cowardice and impudence, depression as well as pleasure, hatred, strife and merciless cruelty, envy as well as flattery, brutality together with brooding over injuries, they are all so many despotic masters...." These masters are what Joel called adversary nations, who make us desolate and a reproach to the Name we bear as Christians (vss. 19-20). The promised land of God's image within us is despoiled!

However, our loving Lord calls us to repent: "...turn to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with lamentation: and rend your hearts, and not your garments..." (vss. 12, 13). Thus the Prophet holds up the icon of repentance to encourage us. Let the Priests sound the trumpet, God's people gather, and even newly-weds set aside their nuptial joys. Let God's People weep for their inward and outward sins before the Altar, crying to God, "Spare Thy People, and give not Thine heritage to reproach" with godless powers ruling them (vss. 15-17).

Observe: God has declared that He will turn His "...face away from [our] sins and blot out all [our] iniquities " (Ps. 50:9 LXX). He desires not the death of sinners but that we should repent and live. Describing Himself as "merciful and compassionate, long-suffering, and plenteous in mercy" (Joel 2:13), the Lord invites us to embrace the coming great Fast. "Be of good courage...rejoice and be glad, for the Lord has done great things" (vs. 21). Then, as Joel promises, "God will rain on [us] the early and the latter rain" (vs. 23), as we sow change in the fields of our hearts and souls (vs. 23). "He will recompense for the years" eaten away by the consequences of our sins (vs. 25). As Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos says, "Repentance in deep mourning and joined with confession is what unveils the eyes of the soul to see the great things of God." Repentance is the promise in Great Lent, which, if we pursue it diligently, shall enable us to "praise the Name of the Lord [our] God for the things...He has wrought" (vs. 26).

Grant, O Lord, that we may complete the remaining time of our life in repentance.



This meditation provided by DYNAMIS. For questions and subscription information contact a3dynamis@aol.com or DYNAMIS, St. George Orthodox Cathedral, 7515 E 13th St. N, Wichita KS 67206-1223 or go their website: www.trisagion.com/dynamis

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[Oblio]

[c]Thursday, February 19, 2004
Meat Fast
New Martyr Nikita of Epiros

Kellia: Joel 3:12-21 Epistle: Jude 1:1-10 Gospel: St. Luke 23:3-24, 44-56

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Fasting and Judgment: Joel 3:12-21, especially vs. 12, "Let the nations be wakened and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; for there I will sit to judge...." As we draw close to the coming Fast of Great Lent and conclude the series of readings from St. Luke's historical record of the Lord Jesus' Passion, we simultaneously focus on a passage from Prophet Joel which directs our attention to a Day yet-to-come, the Day of Judgment, when all men will stand before the One Whose arrest, trial, condemnation, and crucifixion we have been considering. To be precise: the very Crucified One, being God Himself, will, at the last Day, give the command to every man who has ever lived in all of history to come before Him in the Valley of the "Lord's Judgment" - in Hebrew, Jehoshaphat (Joel 3:12).
Thus, at the threshold of the Great Fast, God's Prophet Joel warns us and pleads with us to prepare for that coming, dread Day of the Lord. Clearly, we will either use Lent to prepare for darkness and death or eternal life and salvation. Let us heed the Prophet, while we may choose to fast and struggle within ourselves for purity. Let us not ignore this godly plea and deliberately join those who will not heed Christ, for all such will surely face desolation and violence.

In the coming Fast we have the opportunity to awaken our hearts and minds to the Holy One Who calls us to fast. Let us, therefore, not abstain in some narrow, craven, slavish obedience to rules concerning the intake of food. The Lord Jesus asks us to shape our Lenten efforts to Him personally: "return to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts." (Joel 2:12, 13). St. Athanasios particularly directs us to the Lord's command to "sanctify a fast" (Joel 2:15), warning us that, "the boast of fasting did no good to the Pharisee, although he fasted twice in the week, only because he exalted himself."

Rather, Beloved, let us reflect on the dread day of Judgment, and allow the Prophet's call to awaken us for the coming Lenten effort. First, notice how terrifying and severe Joel's imagery is as He describes the Divine Judgment (vss. 13-15). Then note that he also explicitly speaks of the Lord sparing and blessing His People (vss. 16-17), yet leaving no doubt that God also will make an inquisition for the righteous blood of His people which has been shed. Finally, he reveals that when God judges there will be separation: "sheep from goats, left from right, guilty and children of the Kingdom" (Mt. 25:32, 33; Joel 3:19-21).

Judgment is not pretty, but severe and terrifying. God will cut down, tread upon, press all evil-doers "for their wickedness is multiplied" (Joel 3:13). Divine judgment means repayment for crimes and wrongs. There will be resounding noise from the multitudes of wicked who will face their own cruel and wicked actions (vs. 14). Many will be thrust into eternal darkness where no consoling, created lights will be available (vs. 15). God will give them no light.

Still, when the Lord shakes the heaven and the earth, on that great and terrible day, He also "shall spare His people, and shall strengthen the children of Israel" (vs. 16). At the same time, His Church will be purified of "strangers" (vs. 17), even as the Lord Himself has said, "I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!" (Mt. 7:23). Those who say they "belong" but who have scoffed at His call to purity will be separated out forever.

The Prophet concludes with contrasting images - for the Children of God there will be sweet wine, flowing milk, springs of water, and eternal habitation with the Lord (Joel 3:18), but ominously God says, "I will make inquisition [of the guilty] for their blood [of the holy martyrs and innocents], and will by no means leave it unavenged" (vs. 21). Lent is a gift for preparing!

O soul, beware, before the end, and cry out, God, save me, for Thou alone art compassionate.

This meditation provided by DYNAMIS. For questions and subscription information contact a3dynamis@aol.com or DYNAMIS, St. George Orthodox Cathedral, 7515 E 13th St. N, Wichita KS 67206-1223 or go their website: www.trisagion.com/dynamis

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[Oblio]

[c]Friday, February 20, 2004
Meat Fast
Leo, the Bishop of Catania in Sicily

Kellia and Sixth Hour: Zechariah 8:7-17 Reading at Vespers: Zechariah 8:19-23

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Diligence: Zechariah 8:7-17 LXX, especially vs. 15, "so have I prepared and taken counsel in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah: be ye of good courage." In today's reading the Lord God proclaims a new era in which He will do good to His Church. Too long have His People struggled without profit and found no peace, for affliction fell upon "him that went out or to him that came in"(vs.10). Now, by the Prophet Zechariah, God announces a reversal of circumstances: "I will not do to the remnant of this people according to the former days, saith the Lord Almighty" (vs. 11). Instead, God declares, "I will shew peace: the vine shall yield her fruit, and the land shall yield her produce, and the heaven shall give its dew: and I will give as an inheritance all these things to the remnant of My People" (vs. 12).
Along with God's announcement of new circumstances, He exhorts His people to "be of good courage, and strengthen your hands" (vs. 13). When faced everywhere with defeat, conflict, and affliction, one finds it is easy to become resigned, to settle for muddling through, and to think always in a defeatist mode. But here, God is calling His people from lethargy to renewed diligence - with a promise: "I [will] save you, and ye shall be a blessing" (vs. 13).

As an example recently of such a time, consider the new circumstance of the peoples of Eastern Europe. They lived under Communism for many years. Abruptly, their political, economic, and social conditions changed. But the life that followed has not been a golden era. Many facets of life have become more difficult, even stringent. But a new era exists in Eastern Europe. "Strong hands" and diligence have a much greater opportunity of reward than before.

Now, Beloved of the Lord, let us ask, "To whom is this word of God directed?" Why does the Church give us this lesson at the threshold of Great Lent? Though this message was given in time past through the Lord's Holy Prophet Zechariah, today it is for our Lenten journey. In Christ, the Prophet of the Lord calls us to the work of the Lenten Fast. We must look into the situation of our life in Christ. What were our former conditions? And more important, what is the new circumstance that now is in place as a result of God's intervention?

The old conditions, as the reading describes them, are these: "the wages of men could not be profitable, and there could be no hire of cattle, and there could be no peace by reason of the affliction" (vs. 10). If we heed the prophetic message from the perspective of the Apostles and the Holy Fathers, we shall hear St. Paul speaking of those fallen conditions under which we lived before we received the grace of God: "the wages of sin is death" (Rom. 6:23).

True, at times sin appears to pay well, yet God's Prophet David prays, "deliver my soul from ungodly men...yea, with Thy hidden treasures hath their belly been filled. They have satisfied themselves with swine and have left the remnants to their babes" (Ps. 16:13-15 LXX). The Psalmist Asaph gives us the reason: "Surely, for their crafty dealings Thou has appointed evils for them" (Ps. 72:17 LXX). Evils are the wages of sin of which the Apostle Paul speaks.

Beloved of the Lord, we live under new circumstances. "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8), and our Lord and Savior bids us, "Come unto Me, all ye that travail and are heavy laden, and I will refresh you" (Mt. 11:28). Let us turn from our sins and their deadly wages and receive refreshment. Let us use this Lenten season to "make our hands strong" for the things of God. Listen: "These are the things which ye shall do; speak truth every one with his neighbor; judge truth and peaceable judgment in your gates: and let none of you devise evil in his heart against his neighbor; and love not a false oath" (Zech. 8:16, 17).

Lord, grant us to pass the days of Lent in diligence that Thy kingdom may come upon us.


This meditation provided by DYNAMIS. For questions and subscription information contact a3dynamis@aol.com or DYNAMIS, St. George Orthodox Cathedral, 7515 E 13th St. N, Wichita KS 67206-1223 or go their website: www.trisagion.com/dynamis

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[Oblio]

[c]Monday, February 23, 2004
Lenten Fast
Pure Monday: Hieromartyr Polycarp

6th Hour: Isaiah 1:1-20 LXX 1st Vespers: Genesis 1:1-13 2nd Vespers: Proverbs 1:1-20

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Indictment and Self-Examination: Isaiah 1:1-20 LXX, especially vss. 14, 16, "Your fasting, and rest from work, your new moons also, and your feasts My soul hates: you have become loathsome to Me; I will no more pardon your sins....Wash you, be clean; remove your iniquities from your souls before My eyes; cease from your iniquities." What a sobering lesson to read as Great Lent begins! What of our Lenten observances, our fasting, our incense, our prayers? Are they similarly unacceptable to God? The Lord's words are severe; they unsettle the soul.
The message is not hopeless, yet a fatal mistake would be to say, "This message was given centuries ago to ancient Israel; and the words do not apply to us. We are Orthodox Christians." Wrong! Beloved, the vision of Isaiah is an indictment against all people who are godless (vs. 3), who flout God's laws (vs. 2), who are morally unsound (vs. 6), and who have abandoned their God-given, spiritual and cultural foundation and adopted alien ideas and practices (vs. 7). Isaiah's portrait is a strikingly accurate description of many 'Christians.' During an interview, two Christians, American and French, were discussing the spiritual condition of their respective countries. The American said, "In the sixties, when St. John [Maximovitch] was in the U. S., young Americans were all interested in spiritual life...but now they are concentrating much harder on career goals and business....In France," said the other, "they are like little animals... in a jungle, only money, a position, and a boyfriend or girlfriend."

However, the Lord continues His appeal: "come let us reason together" (vs. 18). He still expects Orthodox Christians "to learn to do well" (vs. 17). He is open to us "if [we] are willing and hearken to Him" (vs. 19). The Lord's indictment calls for honest self-examination and real efforts at correction. Written eight centuries before the birth of Christ, the Lord's judgment remains eternally true, even today, two thousand years after the Lord walked this earth in the flesh. We are God's People in this new century struggling against rampant individualism.

Happily, there is evidence that the Orthodox Church, unlike other Churches in America, is holding on to Holy Tradition, resisting the permissive trends of the age. But, let us not delude ourselves. The forces of self-indulgence described in the interview are powerful. Too many among the Orthodox Faithful have been taken in by the smooth words of those who favor the direction in which the culture is moving. Some even support the downward moral trend, and feel no responsibility for the degradation, nor for arresting its advance. Some push for greater acceptance of the current godless values - even within their parishes, work places, and families.

Beloved of the Lord, if we wish, we may take the solemn journey of Great Lent beginning this day. Indeed, let us examine our commitment to follow the road to Pascha. Each one can seek out those places in thought, word, and deed where he is rebelling or resisting (vs. 2), where he does not regard God as Master (vs. 3), where he forsakes Him (vs. 4). Who has not made fatal compromises and selfish adjustments? Who is not "pained and sad" (vs. 5)? Let our tears wash away our iniquities, our confession stop them (vs. 16). Listen to St. John Chrysostom: "nothing so weighs upon the soul, and presses her down, as consciousness of sin; nothing so much gives it wings, and raises it on high as the attainment of righteousness and virtue." St. Nikolai of Zica encourages us to take action, to step out onto the Paschal road : "The Lord approves and commends all our labor. He desires that we wash our souls in tears, wring them out with repentance, press them with compunction of conscience and clothe them with good works."

O Lord, Who art slow to anger, look mercifully upon us before the hour of Thy wrath on the Dreadful Day. (St. Nikolai of Zica)


This meditation provided by DYNAMIS. For questions and subscription information contact a3dynamis@aol.com or DYNAMIS, St. George Orthodox Cathedral, 7515 E 13th St. N, Wichita KS 67206-1223 or go their website: www.trisagion.com/dynamis

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[Oblio]

[c]Tuesday, February 24, 2004
Lenten Fast
Discoveries of the Head of the Forerunner

6th Hour: Isaiah 1:19-2:3 1st Vespers: Genesis 1:14-2:3 2nd Vespers: Prov 1:20-33

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Judgment and Restoration: Isaiah 1:19-2:4, especially vs. 2:3, "And many nations shall go and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and He will tell us His way, and we will walk in it: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord out of Jerusalem." The play, No Exit, written by the Existentialist, Jean Paul Sartre, depicts the common experience of exhaustion and futility within contemporary society. The play has a cast of three characters, very diverse personalities, thrown together 'eternally' in a space with no exit. Each one works out his or her life-role against the personas of the other two. At the end of the play, it is clear that the whole action must begin all over again. Thus, Sartre declares, each person expresses himself in endless interaction with others. The play presents itself as an ultimate, albeit depressing, truth concerning human life.
In opposition to Jean Paul Sartre's proclamation in No Exit, God reveals that human beings are not bound to inescapable personas, something He declares in today's Isaiah reading. Rather, the Lord calls us to "eat the good of the land," or to refuse Him - as a result of which "a sword shall devour [us]" (vss.19, 20). What is inescapable in our nature is moral freedom, to choose or to refuse God, truth, and life - "...for the mouth of the Lord has spoken" (vs. 1:20).

At the conclusion of the passage, Isaiah describes the age to come and adds to the motif of freedom the declaration that the Church is the ultimate destiny of history. At the conclusion of time, the Church, which Isaiah calls "the mountain of the Lord, the house of God, Zion and Jerusalem" (see vss. 2:2-4), will be the exalted desire of all nations toward which all mankind shall assemble. People will encourage each other to go to the New Jerusalem "to the house of the God of Jacob; that He may teach us His ways and that we may walk in His paths" (vs. 3). By the grace of God, after the exit of this present world with its repetitious news of sordid crimes and sins, the freedom to choose God's truth, His worship, and His ways shall continue eternally.

Between the opening and closing verses of the reading - between the declaration of our present freedom to choose and the assurance of eternal human freedom in the age to come - the Prophet confronts us with the actual state of our present life (vss. 1:21-23) and of God's judgment on us. Instead of being a "faithful" bride to God our Holy and loving Bridegroom, our race (and each of us personally) plays the "harlot" with false gods, debasing the "silver" of our freedom in Christ in order to serve pleasure, wealth, success, power, and self-indulgence (vs. 21). God designed this world to be the home of the "faithful" (vs. 21), but we make it a nesting place for "murderers" (vs. 21). The wine of a freely chosen Holy Communion is watered down by thievery, bribery, and the acquisition of things which do not endure. Both merchandise and truth are watered-down into inferior "wine" created solely for indulgence but depleted of true eternal and godly value (vs. 22). We favor leaders, the "princes" over us, who "rebel" against God, and themselves keep company with thieves and respond to bribes (vs. 23). The very ones who should be pleading the cause of widows and orphans, ignore the defenseless (vs. 23).

Then, in "a preview album," God reveals His coming judgment against all of mankind's sin and rebellion. He displays pictures of fire, caustic cleansing, shame, and destruction. We shall stand before the righteous who have cleansed themselves by true repentance and answer for our sins. St. Nikolai of Zica epitomizes this word of the Lord: "I shall look at you, and see if you have Me within you; and you will look at Me, as in a mirror, and will see what you are."

"For all the worlds, large and small, that do not tremble before Thine awesome presence, I cry out: 'O Master Most Merciful, have mercy on me and save me!'" (St. Nikolai of Zica)



This meditation provided by DYNAMIS. For questions and subscription information contact a3dynamis@aol.com or DYNAMIS, St. George Orthodox Cathedral, 7515 E 13th St. N, Wichita KS 67206-1223 or go their website: www.trisagion.com/dynamis

Republished with permission