Thursday, December 16, 2004 Nativity Fast
The Holy Prophet Haggai
Kellia: Haggai 2:1-10 Epistle: Hebrews 7:1-6 Gospel: St. Luke 21:28-33
1-10 LXX, especially vs. 10: "For the glory of this house shall be great, the latter more than the former, saith
the Lord Almighty: and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord Almighty, even peace of soul for a possession to every
one that builds, to raise up this temple." The present reading is especially appropriate for the Feast of the Prophet Haggai
and during this time of preparation for the Nativity of the Lord Jesus Christ. In the Canon at Orthros for today, in
celebration of Haggai, Theophanes the Hymnographer reveals that the new temple which the Prophet sublimely prophesied
is in fact the Incarnate Christ Jesus our Lord: "To Thy Prophet, O Christ, Thou didst show the animate temple...which came
forth from the Virgin."
The whole of Haggai's prophecy, received in this manner, opens up into a wonderful preparation for the Lord's Nativity in
the flesh, disclosing the gracious saving work of the Church, the eternal "animate temple" of the Lord's own body, which
began in time with His birth. However, when Haggai first delivered these words, they were received as encouragement for
the old exiles who had lived long enough to return from Babylon to Jerusalem (537 BC) and still could remember the
former glorious temple of Solomon. For them, the sight of the pitiful beginnings of a second, replacement temple, seemed
as "nothing before [their] eyes" (vs. 4).
Notice how the Prophet especially exhorted the two chief leaders of the community of returnees: Zerubbabel, their civic
leader, a living descendant in the royal line of King David through his father, She-alti-el, and Joshua, their high priest, from
the line of Aaron through his father Jehozadak (vs. 3). Still, Haggai's message was for all: "let all the people of the land
strengthen themselves, saith the Lord, and work" (vs. 5), then: "all the nations shall come: and I will fill this house with
glory" (vs. 8). Considering that second house, can we say that it exceeded the glory of Solomon's temple? The final
enlargement of it, built by the Herods, may have come close to the glory of the first temple, but it was quickly thereafter
utterly and finally destroyed by the Romans in the siege of Jerusalem in AD 70.
One the other hand, the Church, the living Body of Christ, is the ineffable fulfillment of Haggai's prophesy. The Epistle of
Barnabas, a Christian epistle written around AD 100, for instance, notes that the "Jews, wandering in error, trusted not in
God Himself, but in the temple, as being the house of God. For almost after the manner of the Gentiles they worshiped
Him in the temple, that is, they worshiped the temple instead of Him." The Faithful, following the wise Apostles, know
Christ Jesus to be the true temple, having been shaken free from "all nations...the choice portions of all the nations...[to] fill
this house with glory" (vs. 8).
In whose midst, then, does the Spirit of God remain? (vs. 6). Using St. Basil the Great's words, let us ask ourselves: is not
the Church the most evident of all places where He, "Who is omnipresent, and exists together with God," is to be found?
Of course! And for this reason, the Church highly exalts "Him Who is in His nature divine, in His greatness infinite, in His
operations powerful, [and] in the blessings He confers, good."
The Holy Spirit is He Who gives "peace...even peace of soul for a possession to every one that builds, to raise up this
temple," the Body of Christ (vs. 10). Thus, as Theophanes the Hymnographer teaches: "truly great will be the glory of the
Church of the Incarnate Word Who hath shared the nature of men, surpassing that of the assembly of Israel of old." So
then, let us build well this animate temple into which our Lord has called us as "living stones" (1 Pet. 2:5). O Holy
Prophet Haggai, as thou didst prophesy the deliverance of all men by the Savior, beseech Him with thy supplications, that
He grant great mercy unto all.
Friday, December 17, 2004 Nativity Fast
Prophet Daniel and the Three Holy Youths
Kellia: Daniel 3:24-30 Epistle: Hebrews 7:18-27 Gospel: St. Luke 21:37-22:8
Daniel 3:24-30, especially vs. 28: "Nebuchadnezzar said, 'Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego, Who has sent His angel and delivered His servants, who trusted in Him, and set at naught the king's command,
and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God.'" After the armies of
Nebuchadnezzar laid siege to the city of Jerusalem and captured it (587 BC), much of the city's population was deported
from Palestine to the lower Mesopotamian Valley, near Nebuchadnezzar's capital, the great city of Babylon. A struggle
ensued for the exiles to maintain their faith, the revealed truths of God, against constant pressure to conform to the
dominant pagan culture.
The writings of the Prophet Daniel are helpful to Christians living in a society in which there is continuous pressure to
conform to a dominant world-view whose assumptions oppose the given truths of the Faith. Three youths of the exile
community of God's People refused the command to join in pagan worship, for it was plain to them that the idol was not
the true God. They were willing, as Daniel reports, to die rather than pretend to worship the image. They told the king
frankly that they would "not serve [his] gods or worship the golden image which [he had] set up"(Dan. 3:18). So, "full of
fury," the king had them thrown into a fiery furnace.
First, observe that God is present with His faithful People in the worst of trials. In this instance, the Lord did intervene
miraculously and personally, taking the form of a fourth Person in the furnace, walking with the three in the fire (Dan 3:25).
Thereby He kept them safe from any effects of the flames (vs. 27). However, one should not conclude that this deliverance
of the three youths is in any way an assurance that God will in most instances overcome the course of nature and
miraculously deliver the faithful from duress. Rather it is an assurance that He will be present with us whenever we stand
firm for the Faith, even to death. The faithful witness of a host of martyrs for Christ also reveals this truth.
Second, notice that their faithfulness effected a real change in Nebuchadnezzar. He blessed "the God of Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego, Who...sent His angel and delivered His servants, who trusted in Him" (vs. 28). This was not
conversion to the true Faith, but the king's acceptance of the validity of the Faith. He was moved to tolerate and admire
their Faith. His shift in policy allowed the People of God to practice the Faith freely. Let us note that out of the
Babylonian exile community developed the institution of the synagogue with its reading and exposition of the written word
of God, practices which formed and underlie the present structure and practice of centering the first portion of the Divine
Liturgy upon Holy Scripture.
Finally, Daniel makes clear that only a small change was achieved in the heart and mind of the Babylonian king by this
extraordinary miracle. Was he moved to general tolerance? Not at all. Instead, he ordered that anyone who should speak
"against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego [should] be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins" (vs.
29).
What a vivid reminder of the complications of winning others to the true Faith, especially those who have been raised to
believe in false religions! While on the one hand, we can rejoice that Nebuchadnezzar "promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego" (vs. 30), let us also heed what St. Nikolai of Zica tells us: "Daniel and the Three Children lived to a great old
age in Babylon, and were beheaded with the sword for the true Faith." The mission of the Church to disciple the nations
(Mt. 28:19) must continue until the Lord returns and brings history to a close.
O Christ, inspire our witness to Thee, that all may know the power of repentance, the joy of forgiveness, and of the hope of
Resurrection which are found in Thee alone.
Saturday, December 18, 2004 Fish, Wine, & Oil
Martyrs Sebastian and Zoe of Rome
Kellia: Exodus 6:16, 18-20, 23-7:6 Epistle: Galatians 3:8-12 Gospel: St. Luke 13:18-29
Exodus 6:16, 18-20, 23-7:6, especially vs. 27: "It was they who spoke to
Pharaoh king of Egypt about bringing out the people of Israel from Egypt, this Moses and this Aaron." Following the
reading from St. Luke's Gospel at the Third Royal Hour of the Nativity, an exclamation is offered to God: "Blessed is the
Lord God, blessed is the Lord day by day; the God of our salvation. Our God is the God of salvation" (from Psalm
67:20,21 LXX). What are the two greatest acts of our saving God? They are the Exodus, His bringing out of His People
from slavery in Egypt when Moses and Aaron were His spokesmen, and the Incarnation of God the Son, when God brought
mankind out from bondage to sin, Satan, and death. At His birth, "a multitude of the heavenly host" praised God for His
wonderful mystery: "Glory to God in the highest; and on earth peace to men of good will" (Lk. 2:13,14). Although God
"brought out" men by these two saving events, can these two acts be compared? In the first of His acts, God brought out
only Israel, His chosen People, while in the latter, the whole of benighted mankind received salvation so "that whoever
believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (Jn. 3:16). In the first, the Lord raised up human spokesmen,
Moses and Aaron, but at the Incarnation of God an angelic host announced the news. Still, we may learn much of God's
grace and mystery by comparing these two salvific events.. In both of God's mighty acts, He drew upon the tribe of Levi.
The opening of today's Exodus reading details the genealogy of Moses and Aaron from Levi (Ex. 6:16-20). The lineage of
the Most Pure Theotokos, the Mother of the Word of God in the flesh, was from both the tribe of Judah and the tribe of
Levi. St. Demetrius of Rostov reports that Joachim, the father of the Virgin Mary, was from Judah, while "her mother, the
holy righteous Anna, was the daughter of Matthan the priest, who was of the line of Aaron. Thus, the most pure Virgin was
by her father of royal descent, and by her mother, of high-priestly lineage," that is from the tribe of Levi.
God raised up spokesmen in both instances to address a reigning tyrant and declare freedom for His People. "The Lord
said to Moses, 'I Am the Lord; tell Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say to you'" (vs. 29). Christ our God Himself spoke
directly to our greatest enemy, the one who sought to tempt Him away from His mission of salvation (Mt. 4:1-11).
The Lord made His spokesmen "as God" to both tyrants (see Ex. 6:29), and the Lord told the Disciples, "I saw Satan fall
like lightning from heaven" (Lk. 10:18).
In both cases, the goodness of God only hardened the heart of the tyrant. "I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I
multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, Pharaoh will not listen to you" (Ex. 7:3,4). Though Satan left the Lord
Jesus after he tempted Him, he returned with more sinister intent: "then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot" (Lk.
22:3). Neither tyrant would listen to the word of the Lord. Pharaoh did not, and Judas, one of the Twelve, after receiving
bread from Life Himself, still gave his heart to Satan (Jn. 13:27).
God leveled great Judgment against the tyrants when He acted for His Beloved. The Egyptians learned Who is the Lord,
when God stretched forth His hand upon Egypt (Ex. 7:5). The Lord's defeat of death by death was judgment, "because the
ruler of this world [was] judged" (Jn. 16:11).
What God did in Egypt for His People was a type of the great Salvation which He worked once and for all for His People in
the coming of Christ Who brought us from death to life.
Thy Christ, becoming a citizen of this world and giving commandments of salvation, released us from delusion and brought
us into knowledge of Thee, our true God and Father.
Sunday, December 19, 2004 Fish, Wine, and Oil (Tone 4)
Sunday Before the Nativity
Kellia: Exodus 17:8-16 Epistle: Hebrews 11:9-10, 17-23, 32-40 Gospel: St. Matthew 1:1-15
Exodus 17:8-16, especially vs. 16: "The Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to
generation." In summarizing the life of Moses as a forerunner of the Lord, the Apostle Paul notes that Israel foreshadowed
Holy Baptism in their crossing of the Red Sea. As he states, the People were Baptized into Moses in that event, rather than
into Christ (1 Cor. 10:1-2). They partook of heavenly food in the manna, foreshadowing the Gospel; and all of them "drank
the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ" (1 Cor. 10:4).
The Apostle's point is that Christ our God was present among His People in the age of Moses under the Old Covenant, but
in an adumbrate manner.
The giving of water from the Rock "that was Christ" took place early in Israel's desert years after leaving Egypt. In the arid
Sinai peninsula, with few water resources, the People grew thirsty just a few days after they saw the Egyptians drowned in
the sea. In their thirst, the People murmured against Moses for bringing them up out of Egypt to kill them in a place with
no water (Ex. 17:3). The Lord guided Moses to "the rock at Horeb" that he was to strike with "the rod with which [he had]
struck the Nile," and water came out for the People to drink (Ex. 17:5,6). Immediately following this miracle of water from
the rock, Amalek came and fought with Israel. Who were these Amalekites? All of Israel's contacts with them, as
recorded in Holy Scripture, reveals them as marauding, warlike troublemakers. They constantly attacked the ranks of
Israel and took advantage of their fatigue (Deut. 25:17). Scripture traces their ancestry from "the concubine of Eliphaz,
Esau's son" (Gen 36:12). Balaam, the prophetic son of Beor, declared that "Amalek was first among the nations, but shall
be last until he perishes" (Num. 24:20). Moses directed the People to "blot out the remembrance of Amalek" (Deut.
25:19). Samuel, Saul, and David fought against them, until finally, in the reign of King Hezekiah (729-686 BC), some men
of Simeon went to Mount Seir and defeated the last of them (1 Chron. 4:43).
Amalek certainly is a type of the forces of evil that war against the People of God in every generation. During His
wilderness fast, the Lord Jesus directly confronted the Devil, the head of the forces of evil. Thereafter, during the whole of
His ministry, He was plagued by demons who cried out to Him and against Him, injuring, sickening, and driving God's
People to madness. The Lord exerted His authority against the demons, casting them out and silencing them (Mk. 9:17-27;
Mt. 12:22-29). In His conquest of sin and death, the Lord Jesus exposed the vulnerability of the dark powers, so that St.
Paul could say with assurance: "I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers...nor any
other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 8:38,39).
The Lord's decisive defeat of the evil powers on the Cross was foreshadowed at the first of Israel's battles with Amalek.
On a hill, overlooking the battlefield, Moses stretched out his two arms forming himself in the same position as would the
Lord Jesus centuries later on the Cross. However, being a mortal man, the Prophet could not hold this outstretched position
without tiring and lowering his arms, and when he did, "Amalek prevailed" (Ex. 17:11).
To accommodate the Prophet, he was given a stone to sit upon, "and Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and
the other on the other side; so his hands were steady until the going down of the sun" (vs. 12). Thus, as Moses stood in a
cruciform, God defeated Amalek and foreshadowed the conquest of sin and death at the Cross by our crucified Savior,
Jesus Christ.
O Christ our God, Who didst stretch out Thine arms on the hard wood of the Cross for our salvation, ever assist us by the
power of Thy Cross to defeat every assault of the enemy.
Monday, December 20, 2004 Nativity Fast
Hieromartyr Ignatios, Bishop of Antioch
Kellia: Exodus 24:8-14 Epistle: Hebrews 8:7-13 Gospel: St. Mark 8:11-21
Exodus 24:8-14, especially vs. 8: "Behold the blood of the covenant which the
Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words." Salesmen are trained to "close" the deal with the buyer's
signature on the contract. In high, solemn moments, people and nations agree in common ventures, unite in helpful
organizations, marry, adopt, or pledge allegiance one to another. Holy Scripture records a number of different agreements
between human beings but only a few covenants between God and men. The principal Divine-human covenants to which
Scripture attests are the ancient one ratified in the life-time of the Prophet Moses (circa 1500 BC), called the Old Covenant,
and the one sealed between the God-man, Jesus Christ and those united to Him, called the New Covenant.
The present reading is the Exodus account of the initial sealing of the Old Covenant, and provides a window for examining
these essential elements of both the Divine-human covenants: sealing in blood, Divine Self-revelation, a communion meal,
and commandments for living. As we approach the Nativity of the Lord Jesus Christ, this particular reading enriches our
appreciation of the joy of the Church in celebrating the birth of our Savior.
The Child Whose birth we are preparing to worship is He Who says to His Faithful ones, "This cup is the New Covenant in
My blood" (1 Cor. 11:25). The reading speaks of the blood used to seal the Old Covenant, being thrown or sprinkled upon
the People (vs. 8). That blood was taken from oxen sacrificed as peace offerings to the Lord (Ex. 24:5). In the ritual to
ratify the Old Covenant, Moses caught the blood of these animals in basins. First, he sprinkled half of it on the altar where
animals were wholly surrendered to God as "burnt offerings," that is, they were completely consumed by fire. Then the
Priest threw the other half upon the People, declaring to them as he did, "Behold the blood of the covenant which the Lord
has made with you in accordance with all these words" (Ex. 24:8).
Why blood? God's reasons for sealing His covenants with His People in blood are stated very specifically in the Book of
Leviticus: "for the life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it for you upon the altar to make atonement for your
souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement, by reason of the life" (Lev. 17:11). The great difference between the Old
and New Covenants lies in the blood. In the New Covenant it is not animal blood, but "My Blood" that is "shed for you
and for many, for the remission of sins." This we know from the Divine Liturgy.
In both covenants, God revealed Himself to the leaders of the People with whom He made the covenant. In the Exodus
account, the leadership "went up, and...saw the God of Israel" on Mt. Sinai (Ex. 24:9,10). The wonder of the Nativity lies
in the fact that God emptied Himself of His heavenly majesty, gloriously enthroned with "a pavement of sapphire stone"
under His feet (vs. 10), and instead became a human baby to be wrapped in cloths and laid in a manger.
The Old Covenant and the New Covenant were sealed in a Communion meal: "they beheld God, and ate and drank" (vs.
11). And we, O believers, "enjoy the banquet of the Lord, an immortal table...receiving with uplifted minds exalted words
from the Word."
Finally, let us note that the Lord laid down laws and commandments for the instruction of His People (vs. 12) in
establishing both of the great Covenants with them. The Lord Jesus is very explicit concerning what He expects of us His
followers: that each take up his cross (Mt. 16:24), that we love one another (Jn. 13:34), and that we disciple the nations
(Mt. 28:19).
O Lord, Who was smitten for the sake of mankind, and was not wroth, deliver our lives from corruption and save us!
Tuesday, December 21, 2004 Nativity Fast
Virgin-Martyr Juliana of Nicomedia
Kellia: Exodus 32:1-7, 15-28 Epistle: Hebrews 9:8-10, 15-23 Gospel: St. Mark 8:22-26
Exodus 32:1-7, 15-28, especially vs. 27: "Thus says the Lord God of Israel, 'Put
every man his sword on his side, and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother,
and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.'" There have been those who have idealized the "New
Testament Church," and have sought to return the Church to some imagined time of purity and uncorrupted fellowship.
Such longing is fantasy, springing from wishful thinking and a failure to read the Scriptures. St. Paul points out very
clearly that "while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8). Even among those who knew the Lord Jesus in the
flesh, even among the beloved Twelve whom the Lord Himself chose, there were those "who would betray Him" (Jn. 6:64).
And after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, still there were those who tried to trouble the Faithful and "pervert the Gospel
of Christ" with their own ideas (Gal. 1:7).
The present passage records one more example from the long history of the People of God in which men from among the
chosen took upon themselves to fashion the Faith to their own liking. Through the centuries there have been heretics and
schismatics who have asserted themselves and their God-given liberty "as an opportunity for the flesh" (Gal. 5:13). Sadly,
sin does arise in the Church and brings shame on God's People and the Gospel of Christ. Let us read this passage carefully
and learn how easily we may be corrupted (Ex. 32:7). Also, let us pray to God that He will aid us to remain honorable
members of His Church and heirs of His Kingdom.
A symptom of which to be wary, one that should alert us to spiritual danger, is impatience with those whom God has
provided to guide the Church. Let us be troubled within ourselves when we find irritation in our hearts toward our Bishops
or Priests. "When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves
together" (vs. 1). They grew restless waiting for the Prophet to return, and so they descended on Aaron like a mob, not to
express fears and concerns, but to demand action. Notice the two imperative verbs, "Arise, make us gods...." (vs. 1). How
ready they were to cast Moses aside rather than to wait until God should send him to them again (vs. 1). "Be subject unto
God, O my soul, for from Him is my patient endurance....I shall not be moved from hence" (Ps. 61:5,6 LXX).
Next, let us be attentive to the subtle temptation of making gods in our own image. There is a special danger for people in
this scientific age to discount the possibility of our falling into idolatry. The action of the Israelites seems so
unsophisticated, demanding "gods who shall go before us" (Ex. 32:1). Yet, the modern mind has proven quite capable of
being captivated by things and ideas and of falling into the trap of giving persons, programs, movements, or theories the
worship and devotion that is due to God alone. Doing so is idolatry, the making of other gods. The temptation is especially
active as men are inconvenienced, feel afraid, or are insecure. "Let the peoples give Thee praise, O God, let all the peoples
praise Thee" (Ps. 66:3 LXX).
Finally, in this reading there is a warning against another sin sure to bring us shame before God: the desire to have our
Faith be nothing but feasting and dancing, craving only the pleasures and being unwilling to undertake any of the efforts
required to remain "on the Lord's side" (Ex. 32:26). What of the four seasons of Fasting, what of self-examination and
confession, what of regular attendance at worship, what of sacrificial giving? Let us beware of the desire to "break loose,
to [our] shame among [our] enemies" (vs. 25).
"O Lord, before Thee is all my desire, and my groaning is not hid from Thee. For in Thee have I hoped, O Lord; Thou wilt
hearken unto me, O Lord, my God" (Ps. 37:9,15 LXX).
Wednesday, December 22, 2004 Nativity Fast
Great Martyr Anastasia & Chrysogonos
Kellia: Leviticus 8:1-9 Epistle: Hebrews 10:1-18 Gospel: St. Mark 8:30-34
Leviticus 8:1-13, especially vs. 12: "And he [Moses] poured some of the
anointing oil on Aaron's head, and anointed him, to consecrate him." As the Forerunner of Christ under the Old
Covenant, Moses provided a high priest to preside over the rites and ceremonies of Israel's worship in the desert tabernacle.
The present passage describes the consecration of Moses' brother, Aaron, the first in the long lineage of Aaronic high
priests who presided for centuries over Israel's worship, both in the desert tabernacles and later in the temples at Jerusalem.
The line of Aaronic high priests continued to serve until the third and last temple was destroyed by the Roman legions in
AD 70.
In three significant ways, Aaron was a type or foreshadowing of our "great High Priest Who has passed through the
heavens, Jesus, the Son of God" (Heb. 4:14). Like Aaron, the Lord Jesus was a flesh-and-blood human being. Christ also
was chosen from among men to act as High Priest. Likewise, He did not take the role upon Himself, but was designated by
God, just as Aaron was. Most important, since no type perfectly represents the fulfillment, there are significant differences
between Christ our great High Priest and the Aaronic high priests. The Lord was not, by any earthly father, of the lineage
of Aaron. He never offered sacrifices for sins in an earthly tabernacle or temple. Instead, He ushered in the age of the New
Covenant, fulfilling the sacrifice for sins by uniting history and eternity in one final act of Divine forgiveness.
From among all the sons of the tribe of Levi, God chose Aaron to be the first high priest in the long line that continued until
shortly after the Lord's Passion and Resurrection, for as the text says: "the Lord said to Moses, 'Take Aaron and his sons
with him....'" (Lev. 8:1,2). Similarly, as the Apostle teaches, Christ "was appointed by Him Who said to Him, 'Thou art
My Son, today I have begotten Thee" (Heb. 5 :5). Nevertheless, Jesus was of the same humanity as the high priests of the
Old Covenant, so that we have "a great High Priest Who has passed through the heavens," and yet is a fellow human being
Who is able "to sympathize with our weaknesses...Who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin" (Heb.
4:14,15). The Lord Jesus, as our great High Priest, was chosen by God to share the same role before God as did the high
priests of the Old Covenant: "to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins" (Heb. 5:1).
Notice that when Aaron was led before the assembly of Israel to be consecrated as high priest, that "the bull of the sin
offering, and the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread" also were brought to the ceremony (Lev. 8:2). Why? So
that he would have gifts to offer and a sacrifice for the people's accumulated sins. Christ, on the other hand, knowing full
well that God takes no eternal pleasure in men's imperfect burnt offerings for sins, came, instead, truly to accomplish
God's eternal perfect will - to offer the one, unique and ultimate sin offering of Himself, once and for all in His Own body
(Heb. 10:6,10).
Just as Aaron did not present himself to serve as high priest but was chosen of God (Lev. 8:1, 2), so also the Lord Jesus
came to do God's will (Heb. 10:7). At that point, however, again ends the likenesses between Aaronic high priests and
Christ. Christ is an eternal High Priest, holding "His priesthood permanently, because he continues for ever" (Heb. 7:24).
Furthermore, our great High Priest's offering for sin was offered not just on earth (on the Cross), and "not into a sanctuary
made with hands, a copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf" (Heb.
9:24).
Glory in the highest to God, the One in Trinity, through Whom goodwill appeared among men to deliver Adam from the
ancient curse; for He is the Lover of mankind!
Thursday, December 23, 2004 Nativity Fast
The Venerable Nahum of Ochrid
Kellia: Numbers 20:22-29 Epistle: Hebrews 10:35-11:7 Gospel: St. Mark 9:10-16
Numbers 20:22-29, especially vs. 24: "Aaron shall be gathered to his people; for
he shall not enter the land which I have given to the people of Israel, because you rebelled against My command at the
waters of Meribah." When the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph, the betrothed of the Virgin Theotokos, he directed
Joseph to take to him Mary his wife, and he explained to Joseph that she would bear an extraordinary son Whom Joseph
was to name Jesus, "for He will save His people from their sins" (Mt. 1:21). By an extraordinary conception "of the Holy
Spirit," this promised child was born (Mt. 1:20) and grew into the extraordinary man, Jesus of Nazareth. This same Jesus
was "attested by God...by miracles, wonders and signs which God did through Him," Whom God also "raised up...being
exalted to the right hand of God" and made "both Lord and Christ" (Acts 2:22, 32-33, 36).
Beloved, through this unique Lord and Christ, God has provided something extraordinary for us (Heb. 11:40): "a kingdom
which cannot be shaken...[and] grace by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear" (Heb. 12:28).
Let us understand further: this extraordinary man, Jesus Christ, because He also is God as well as a man, "the same
yesterday, today and forever" (Heb. 13:8), has enabled a fallible man like Aaron to receive this same "kingdom which
cannot be shaken" (Heb. 12:28), even though Aaron lived centuries before Jesus Christ, even though he "rebelled against
[God's] command at the waters of Meribah" (Nu. 20:24), and even though in his lifetime Aaron was denied entrance into
the Holy Land.
The miracle of the Nativity we are about to celebrate soars not only above those of us who live in this century, but above all
men through all of history with extraordinary power and meaning, exactly because of Him Who was born. Recall the
Apostolic message concerning this extraordinary child and man Whom we call our Savior and Lord. They declare that
"God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them" (2 Cor. 5:19). Hence, the
denial to enter the land which God imposed on Aaron, as it turns out, was nothing in comparison with that which Aaron
now receives along with us. Yet Aaron's failure still is a warning to us not to approach Christmas frivolously, looking only
for brightly wrapped joy under our tree, for we, like Aaron, also shall have to appear before "the dread Judgment Seat" of
this same Christ and answer for our rebellion against His commands.
Let us humbly admit how subtly disobedience can overtake us! When the wandering People of God came to Kadesh in the
wilderness of Zin "there was no water there" and "they assembled themselves against Moses and against Aaron" (Nu.
20:2). Without panic, Moses and Aaron "fell on their faces. And the glory of the Lord appeared to them" (Nu. 20:6). The
Lord told them to take Aaron's rod, "assemble the congregation...and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water; so
you shall bring water out of the rock for them" (Nu. 20:8). And the two brothers gathered the assembly together and Moses
said to the People, "Hear now, you rebels; shall we bring forth water for you out of this rock?" (Nu. 20:10). And Moses
"lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his rod twice; and water came forth abundantly" (Nu. 20.11).
What was wrong in this? Two things: Moses spoke to the People and not to the rock, and he struck the rock instead of
telling it to "yield its water," as commanded. He did not fully trust God. Were these small things? God did not think so,
for He told Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not believe in Me...therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the
land" (Nu. 20:12). What shall we render to Thee, O Christ, for that Thou didst appear on earth as a man for our sake?
Wherefore, O God before the ages, have mercy upon us.
Friday, December 24, 2004 Strict Fast
Ven. Martyr Eugenia of Rome & Companions
1st Nativity Vigil Genesis 1:1-13 Epistle: Hebrews 11:8, 11-16 Gospel: St. Mark 9:33-41
Genesis 1:1-13, especially vss. 1-3: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth
was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the face of
the waters. And God said, 'Let there be light'; and there was light." We are at the threshold of the Feast of the Nativity of
Our Lord and God and Savior, Jesus Christ. At the Divine Liturgy celebrating His birth, we will again affirm our belief in
"the Holy, Consubstantial, Life-giving, and Undivided Trinity." We do this as the Church by taking our part in the prayers
and hymns and actions of the Liturgy, but we also make this commitment to God more personal by saying the Nicene
Creed. Pronouncing the words serves as a declaration of allegiance to "the Father Almighty, Maker...of all things visible
and invisible," which includes ourselves, to "one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God...by Whom all things were made,"
which again speaks of Him Who created us, and to "the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life," which adds to our
affirmation concerning our Creator God, for without the Lord, the Holy Spirit, we would not have existence and life.
Here we come face to face with the great mystery of the birth of Jesus Christ, our Creator Who became one of us. He set
aside the unbounded glory of His heavenly majesty and "made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant,
and coming in the likeness of men" (Phil. 2:7). If we consider the immensity of the universe as men have researched and
described it, then the immensity of the Divine embrace of human limitations becomes even more staggering and difficult
for our finite comprehension, understanding, speech, and thought.
"In the beginning was the Word" (Jn. 1:1), God the Word, saying, "'Let there be light'; and there was light" (Gen. 1:3).
The choosing by God the Father, the uttering of God the Word, and the moving of God the Spirit, yields a result: "there was
light," and water and earth, and living plants and on and on, until our minds realize we exist solely because of His
choosing, uttering, and moving. The delicacy, intricacy, and enormity of the forces, entities, and powers that make up the
creation which God has spoken into existence are awe-inspiring, humbling.
Even more humbling is the condescension of the Word to become one of us in an elemental way, as a babe born of a human
mother into the flux of history at a moment which split time in two, before Christ and the years of our Lord, BC and AD
respectively. Creation is of one piece. We are able to see, touch, taste, smell, and handle the world around us. Sometimes
we feel at home in this creation, settled into it. At other times we are overwhelmed in our tiny self, for we can barely see,
touch, taste, smell, or handle even the tiny piece of the universe immediately before us. Somehow we can declare that
"God created the heavens and the earth" (Gen. 1:1). Well enough. But that He became one of us is mentally staggering.
What is the solution to this overwhelming mystery of Our Creator? Simply, we must go back to the tangible bits and pieces
of the ordinary life which He made, which we can touch and handle every day, and there adore Him by means of these
approachable, understandable realities. "Come, ye believers, let us see where Christ was born. Let us follow the star
whither it goeth with the Magi, kings of the east; for there angels praise Him ceaselessly, and shepherds raise their voices in
a worthy song of praise, saying, Glory in the highest to the One born today in a cave from the Virgin Theotokos in
Bethlehem of Judea. Since God willeth, the order of nature is overcome, as it hath been written, Christ hath been born of
the Virgin in Bethlehem of Judea."
Thy Nativity, O Christ our God, hath given rise to the light of knowledge in the world, for from the east of the Highest Thou
didst come, O Lord. Glory to Thee.
**** The Nativity in the Flesh of Our Lord, God, and Savior, Jesus Christ ****
2nd Nativity Vigil: Numbers 24:2-3, 5-9, 17-18 Epistle: Galatians 4:4-7 Gospel: St. Matthew 2:1-12
Numbers 24:2-3, 5-9, 17-18, especially vs. 17: "I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not nigh:
a star shall come forth out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel...." Israel's years in the wilderness drew to a
conclusion when finally they "encamped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho" (Nu. 22:1). Fearful at the
presence of such a great horde of people, the King and the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian, the two nations east of
the river Jordan, sent emissaries to the famous Prophet Balaam inviting him to come from his home in Mesopotamia near
the river Euphrates and "curse this people...since they are too mighty" (Nu. 22:6). Balaam, after consulting God, refused,
but King Balak of Moab persisted, offering greater honors, after which God said to Balaam, "...rise and go with them; but
only what I bid you, that shall you do" (Nu. 22:20). Balaam tried to oblige Balak in four different oracles, but under
inspiration of God he was not able to curse Israel. The present reading, from his last oracle, in which "the Spirit of God
came upon him" (Nu. 24:2), foretells the coming of Christ.
Balaam foretells the Lord's humanity: "There shall come a Man out of his [Israel's] seed" (vs. 7 LXX). From this oracle,
the expectation was established that the Messiah would be a man, and "when the time had fully come, God sent forth His
Son" (Gal. 4:4) Who was a man like us.
The Lord Jesus' future "rule over many nations" also was predicted by Balaam (Nu. 24:7 LXX), who foresaw that "a
Kingdom greater than Gog's [would] be raised up" (vs. 7 LXX), and the Kingdom of God is greater than Gog's (one of
Scripture's names for Satan).
The Lord Jesus' Kingdom has been "enlarged" or "increased" and will continue to expand until all nations shall come
before Him and worship Him (vs. 7 LXX).
Although the Prophet did not speak of the flight of Joseph, the Virgin and the Christ child from Herod's realm, he did
foresee that "God brings Him out of Egypt" (vs. 8), a vision given to the Prophet Hosea years later (Hos. 11:1), and
fulfilled when Joseph, in Egypt, obeyed the angel, "arose and took the young Child and His mother and came into the land
of Israel" (Mt. 2:20).
Balaam likewise prophesied the Lord's power in overcoming nations and the adversaries of the Gospel through history: "He
shall eat up the nations His adversaries, and shall break their bones in pieces" (Nu. 24:8). This striking prophesy of the
advance of the Lord and His Church over the centuries continues to be fulfilled.
The Holy Spirit revealed to the Prophet how men would respond to the Messiah, and also how their responses to Him
would affect them in turn: "Blessed be every one who blesses You, and cursed be every one who curses You" (vs. 9).
The Prophet foresaw all these things about the Christ Who would come, but he knew it was "not now; I behold Him, but
not nigh" (vs. 17), for it would come in the age of Rome.
Most wonderfully, Balaam was even given a hint of the star of Bethlehem: "a star shall come forth out of Jacob" (vs. 17),
which, indeed, led the Magi from the East to the cave!
In this prophecy also is disclosed that the true Messiah of Israel would "crush" the enemies of the People of God, and all
the traditional enemies of ancient Israel were named - Moab, Edom, and Seir (vss. 17,18). The Church, as the true Israel
which worships Christ, is the living witness to the truth that He Who was born in the cave to the Virgin Mother has
dispossessed His enemies and wrought His People valiantly. How blessed we are, Beloved, for we do not look ahead into
the future as did Balaam. Christ is Born! Glorify Him!
Let us, therefore, praise and magnify Him, the God born in flesh from the Virgin, the King born in a cave, the God
worshiped by the Magi, Who hath delivered us from the curse.
Sunday after the Nativity, December 26, 2004 (Tone Five)
Joseph, David, and James
3rd Nativity Vigil: Micah 4:6-7; 5:2-4 Epistle: Galatians 1:11-19 Gospel: St. Matthew 2:13-23
The Song of the Church: 6-7; 5:2-4 LXX, especially vs. 4: "And the Lord shall stand, and see, and feed His
flock with power, and they shall dwell in the glory of the Name of the Lord their God: for now shall they be magnified to
the ends of the earth." This is the day for the Church to sing, for "now hath come the time for the aforesaid prophecy
mystically uttered to be fulfilled, namely, And thou Bethlehem in the land of Judah art not the least among princes, having
gone before and prepared the cave; for out of thee shall come a Governor of nations, from the virgin Maiden incarnate, by
Whom I mean Christ God Who shall govern His People, the new Israel. Let us therefore, raise unto Him magnification."
In the prophecy before us, Micah referred to a future time: "in that day," he said (vs. 6). Ah, but this is the day! Christ is
born today in Bethlehem! Glorify Him all the earth! By the illuminating grace of the Holy Spirit, the Prophet saw this day
approaching, and he revealed its import for the Church; but his future moment is upon us, for "her that is bruised" (vs. 6)
now is "gathered" into the pasture of the Lord, "beside the water of rest" to be nurtured (Ps. 22:2 LXX). She who was "cast
out," seemingly "rejected" by the Lord (Mic. 4:6), now is received at His table, filled from His cup, anointed with oil, to
dwell in His house (Ps. 22:5,6 LXX).
The Apostles were a tiny remnant, "a brand plucked out of the fire" (Amos 4:11 LXX) by the firm hand of the Lord.
Today, the Church is a torch that burns, but is not consumed, that gives saving light to all the nations. Today, we are "a
mighty nation" (Mic. 4:7) within every nation, desiring to claim no land of our own, for the Lord reigns over us "from
henceforth, even for ever" who are called "Mount Zion" (vs. 7). How tiny was that remnant who began "with one accord in
prayer and supplication with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers....the number of names was
about a hundred and twenty" (Acts. 1:14,15)! Yet, look upon us now, spread over every continent and, if not received, at
least known in every land.
Indeed, the Faithful have a great song to lift up to God, for He is true to His promise. Christ was born in Bethlehem simply
because of a decree issued by Caesar Augustus (Lk. 2:1-5). However, was it only from that birth in Bethlehem that He went
forth in time? By no means! "His goings forth were from the beginning" (Mic. 5:2). "In the beginning," as we know, it
was He Who "created the heavens and the earth" (Gen 1:1), even creating "the beginning" itself since He existed outside
time, "from the days of the age" without beginning or end (Mic. 5:2).
The Church that sings includes not only the Church of this age, but the Church that shall be when "the remnant of their
brethren shall return to the children of Israel" (vs. 3). In that future day, as St. Paul teaches, when all the nations have come
in to share in the Holy Communion of the Body of Christ, then "all Israel will be saved" (Rom. 11:25,26), and even the
Jews shall return to the true Israel and the true Messiah. When? At "the time of her that travails" (Mic. 5:3), when the
Church, that "woman clothed with the sun cries out in labor and in pain to give birth" (Rev. 12:1,2), and He Who created
the beginning brings the end of all things.
On that Day, "the Lord shall stand, and see, and feed His flock with power" (Mic. 5:4). No longer shall the Church live
under the dominion of the prince of this age, under his armies of hate and death. Instead, the Faithful "shall dwell in the
glory of the Name of the Lord their God" (vs. 4). Beloved of God: He Who was faithful to have the eternal Word born in
Bethlehem, will also magnify His glorious Bride "to the ends of the earth" (vs. 4). Christ is Born! Glorify Him!
Let my mouth be filled with Thy praise, O Lord, that I may praise Thy glory all the day long for the greatness of Thy
splendor.
Monday, December 27, 2004
Proto-Martyr Stephen the Archdeacon
4th Nativity Vigil: Isaiah 11:1-10 Epistle: Hebrews 11:17-23, 27-31 Gospel: St. Mark 9:42-10:1
Isaiah 11:1-10 LXX, especially vs. 10: "And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, and He that
shall arise to rule over the Gentiles; in Him shall the Gentiles trust, and His rest shall be glorious." St. Cyril of
Alexandria directs our attention to the newsworthy significance of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ: "since, through the
mercy of God it was necessary for us to be made worthy of the Spirit again by being restored to our earlier condition, then
the Only-Begotten Word of God was made man. He was free from sin so that in His unique triumph of sinlessness the
nature of mankind, now crowned once more, might be enriched with the Holy Spirit, and thus by sanctification it was
refashioned for God....For He was constituted the first new-beginning of the race since, as God, He anointed all those who
believe in Him."
A new beginning has been released into the stream of the human race, that we might be enriched with the Holy Spirit and
refashioned for God. What a news bulletin! Mankind has real access to God! It is now possible to be restored to our
earlier condition before sin and death wreaked universal havoc in creation, corrupted our hearts and souls, and made human
life wretched. To shepherds tending their flocks near Bethlehem, Angels announced the birth of God as man, a Divine
bulletin of unimaginable, worldwide importance. Further statements concerning the significance of this great reversal in
the human condition were released in Galilee and other regions of Palestine. Evidence of the operation of this refashioning
were reported on a worldwide basis, via communiques from all continents and nations.
God released advance information through the Prophet Isaiah about a great upheaval or new beginning with three major
effects: 1) the Virgin-born, Only-Begotten Word of God would not function on the basis of limited knowledge, but with
Divine perception and precision; 2) He would advance the cause of the lowly on a worldwide basis, punishing the earthly-minded and destroying "the ungodly one" by righteousness and truth, and 3) the impact of His rule internationally would
have a transforming effect on the predatory, poisonous, and violent elements of society, turning people into gentle, caring,
innocent persons.
The Holy Spirit rested upon the Lord Jesus as a man. He was filled with "the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the
Spirit of counsel and strength, the Spirit of knowledge and godliness," and "the Spirit of the fear of God" (vss. 2,3). And
while the Spirit accompanied the Lord Jesus as His Equal, Christ our God has made it possible for the same Spirit to come
into men "after Christ, that a Comforter should not be lacking unto us," as St. Gregory the Theologian states it. Thus as
Christ did not "judge according to appearance, nor reprove according to report," but with Divine acuity, so also His holy
ones, through the Spirit, are being enabled to see and speak with insight and accuracy that defies mere human perception.
As we know from the Gospels, the Lord Jesus advanced the "cause of the lowly" (vs. 4) by healing, teaching truth, and
loving sinners. At the same time, He punished the earthly-minded and began the destruction of "the ungodly one" (vs. 4).
And He continues that work through His Church, so that we may share in this transformation until He completes it
supremely at the end. Using the imagery of wild and domestic animals, the Prophet reveals what the Lord does in restoring
human personality: builds up meekness, tenderness, simplicity, and humility (vss. 6-9). Theodoret of Cyrus notes: "we see
the accomplishment of the prophecy in the churches: emperors...soldiers, artisans, servants, and beggars partake together at
the Holy Table."
Listen, O mountains and hills and the regions about Judah: for Christ cometh to save man whom He did create; for He is
the Lover of mankind.
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
The Twenty Thousand Martyrs of Nicomedia
5th Nativity Vigil: Baruch 3:35-4:4 Epistle: Hebrews 12:25-26; 13:22-25 Gospel: St. Mark 10:2-12
Baruch 3:35-4:4 LXX, especially vs. 35: "This is our God, and there shall none other be
accounted of in comparison of Him." St. Basil the Great speaks of God as the "Master of all, Lord of heaven and earth,
and of all creation both visible and invisible; Who sittest upon the throne of glory, and beholdest the depths; Who art
without beginning, invisible, incomprehensible, uncircumscript, immutable, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our great
God and Savior, our hope, Who is the image of Thy goodness, the seal of equal type, in Himself showing forth Thee, the
Father the Living Word, the true God, the Wisdom before all ages, the Life, Sanctification, Might, the true Light, through
Whom the Holy Spirit was manifested; the Spirit of Truth, the Gift of Adoption, the pledge of an inheritance to come, the
first fruits of eternal good things, the life-giving Power, the fountain of holiness; by Whom enabled every rational and
intelligent creature doth serve Thee, and send up to Thee perpetual praises...."
Beloved, at this very moment we are in the presence of this great "Lord of heaven and earth." There is no hiding from
Him, not in the depths of the earth, not in any secret place on this planet, nor in the outermost reaches of the universe,
incalculable light years from this place and moment. We are before Him, as are our thoughts, fears, dreams, hopes,
knowledge, and the movement of every cell and fibre of our being. Nothing escapes His notice.
These verities being the truth of our existence at all times, our present celebration of Christmas, of the Nativity of "our
Lord Jesus Christ - our great God and Savior, our hope, Who is the image of God's goodness"- takes on a very special
significance. Why? Because this incomparable God, as the Prophet Baruch shows us, is the source of all knowledge. He
has shown Himself upon this earth, revealing Himself as the Way, the Truth and the Life with the firm promise that all who
keep His way shall come not just to knowledge, but to Life!
Think closely about the Prophet's declaration that God "hath found out all the way of knowledge" (vs. 3:36). Does this
suggest that God has passed through some infinite course of learning until He found out every approach to knowledge, until
He exhausted the entire process of learning itself, not only learning everything but discovering every existing means of
acquiring knowledge? Not at all! He is eternally at the end-point of knowledge. What is there to learn that He does not
know and has not known always? The significance of the statement is that no matter what avenue you and I may take to
learn, we shall find present there the "Master of all." Pile up your university degrees, your professional seminars, and all
possible learning opportunities, and God is there.
How can we say this? Because God hath given this insight and knowledge "unto Jacob His servant, and to Israel His
beloved" (vs. 3:36) - to us! Those who have united themselves to Him, know that there is nothing He does not know,
including all the ways we learn and discover. We set about learning with confidence and faith, assured that He is there
before us. He alone is all that we need to fear in learning. Hence, let us not learn what offends Him!
How can we avoid false learning? Here is a Christmas present! He has shown "Himself upon earth, and conversed with
men" (vs. 3:37). We have the great evangelical record of that Self-revelation, and the living experience of Him in the life
and worship of His Holy Church. Christ is born! If we will but glorify Him, we shall learn the Way to knowledge,
discover the Truth that undergirds all that is worth knowing, for we shall know Life Himself (vs. 4:4).
Be mindful, O Lord our God, of all Thy people, and upon them all pour out Thy rich mercy, granting to all their petitions
which are unto salvation, O Thou Who knowest every man.
Wednesday, December 29, 2004
Fourteen Thousand Infants Slain by Herod in Bethlehem
6th Nativity Vigil: Daniel 2:31-36, 44-45 Epistle: James 1:1-18 Gospel: St. Mark 10:11-16
Daniel 2:31-36, 44-45, especially vs. 44: "And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will
set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor shall its sovereignty be left to another people." St. Mark reports
that, in the aftermath of the arrest of St. John the Forerunner, "Jesus came into Galilee preaching the gospel of the kingdom
of God" (Mk. 1:14). There was great expectation among God's ancient People: the Lord Jesus would soon "set up a
kingdom which [would] never be destroyed" (Dan. 2:44). He would end the People's long domination by a succession of
great empires - their condition ever since Daniel's time.
There had been freedom for the People briefly under the Maccabees, but then the pagan Romans came and yet another
empire dominated them. Jesus' message of God's kingdom was electrifying. Was the promised kingdom at hand? The
People knew the prophecy: a kingdom which God would introduce would "break in pieces all these kingdoms" under
which they had lived and would "bring them to an end" in a Divine kingdom that would "stand for ever" (vs. 44). The
Baptizer had even foretold the coming of the Messiah, God's ruler, Who would take "His winnowing fan...in His hand,
and...thoroughly clean out His threshing floor and gather His wheat into the barn" (Mt. 3:12). The Messiah would usher in
the great kingdom of God. Did He not?!
Beloved of the Lord, as the People who are united to Christ as both King and God, we understand that we are living in the
age of the Kingdom of God. We understand what the Lord Jesus meant when He said that the Kingdom is "at hand" (Mk.
1:15), for we experience the working of the Kingdom in our lives at present, even as we look for it to be fully realized in
the future. We are blessed with both retrospect and prospect. We know in retrospect what the Lord stated clearly: "My
kingdom is not of this world" (Jn. 18:36), yet in prospect we also pray as He taught us, "Thy kingdom come...on earth as it
is in heaven" (Mt. 6:10).
This present reading is the prophecy of the Kingdom of God which the Lord Jesus actually initiated. The Prophet Daniel
received the first hint of the coming Kingdom from God in the time of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon (605-562 BC). It
happened this way: the Babylonian monarch had a troubling, strange dream which none could interpret until God disclosed
its meaning to Daniel, after which the Prophet was able to explain its interpretation to the king (Dan. 2:31-36, 44-45).
Daniel drew from the imagery of the dream to illumine its historical implications. God would bring an end to the
succession of human kingdoms with His own Kingdom. His Kingdom would be introduced without human agency, like a
stone "cut from a mountain by no human hand" (vs. 45), and thereafter it would stand forever.
Here is the marvel of the Kingdom of God. Already it has a two thousand year history. We can see that it continues
effectively in this world because its dominion is not subject to the limitations of space and time. It has broken many earthly
kingdoms in pieces, letting the wind of history carry them away, "so that not a trace of them [can] be found" (vs. 35). But
the reign of Christ remains, defying human control. His Church, "a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
His own special People" (1 Pet. 2:9), continues to hold dual citizenship in the Kingdom of God while living in a succession
of many nations down through time.
The great Feast of the Lord's Nativity is also a celebration for each of us that we have "a visa" from the "holy nation" of the
King of kings and Lord of lords. "The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure" (Dan. 2:45), for Christ is "born on earth
in Bethlehem for our salvation."
Today, the Beginningless doth begin, and the Word becometh Incarnate. Let us shout ceaselessly, crying, Glory to God in
the highest and on earth peace, good-will towards men.
Thursday, December 30, 2004
The Virgin Martyr Anysia of Thessalonika
7th Nativity Vigil: Isaiah 9:6-7 Epistle: James 1:19-27 Gospel: St. Mark10:17-20
Divine Zeal:6-7, especially vs. 7: "The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this." These two prophetic verses from
Isaiah describe a Divine project that has forever united heaven and earth, glory and humiliation. Eusebios of Caesarea once
took account of the scope of this project of God, and he asked, "What kind of zeal but that zeal, good and befitting Himself,
by which He desired to save all those who were subjected to the devil and dragged down to godlessness?" Do we need to
establish the desperate need for this Holy project of God? Proof lies in the sordid daily news flowing in from every corner
of the globe with reports of children aborted, Christ's Sonship denied by rigorous, sophisticated atheism, governments
shouldering arms against governments, His Name cursed, fallible men taking counsel with other men as flawed as
themselves, might and power sought only in weapons, money, and systems, the adulation of the nasty, sensual, and brutish,
war-making, increasing regulation, domination, injustice and assorted evils - the zeal of mankind assaulting every act of
love, decency, morality, and honor.
These grim conditions are not "daily news," but simply part of the massive evidence which allows our hearts to say,
"Yes," to St. Nikolai of Zica: that "all that is wonderful, all that is new, comes to the human race from Him and through
Him." The "daily news" makes the need for the Divine project obvious. At the same time, the daily news reports, when
exposed to the light of the star over the cave of Bethlehem, only add to our awe and wonder at the depth of the zeal of God.
God has zealously undertaken His Divine project for this sad world which continues generating its terrible conditions year
by year, century upon century, from the murder of Cain to the latest grim dispatch, but glory to God Whose zeal gives us
the Way to Life!
The Holy Prophet Isaiah said, "The zeal of the Lord....'will' do this" (vs. 7), and that holy man saw more than this world.
He saw God "high and lifted up" (Is. 6:1), and the Lord revealed to him, out of time, from eternity, that "to us a Child is
born" (Is. 9:6). Beloved of God, you and I have the privilege of declaring the same truth with the shepherds and the magi,
with the all-pure Mother of God, the Apostles, and all the Saints, because the zeal of God initiated His Divine project into
the world two thousand years ago. "In clear and incontrovertible terms, there is indicated by the prophecy the dispensation
of His humanity," as St. Gregory of Nyssa affirms. God is so zealous to change this world that He became man, forever
uniting Himself to us.
When Isaiah says, "to us a Son is given" (vs. 6), he also is proclaiming the Divinity of the Child Who is born to us. Divine
zeal cannot be restrained because the two natures are united. Rather, it is manifest when the God-man is born. The magi
wisely gave gifts to the Gift Himself.
Human governing is now shown to be in better hands, the Divine hands of Christ. Furthermore, we who "were dead in
trespasses, [God] made...alive together with Christ...and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly
places in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:5,6). The government of the whole universe, including this sordid little planet, is on His
shoulders, our "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, [and] Prince of Peace" (Is. 9:6).
Have no despair at the ugly conditions of this world. The zeal of God is at work now, in human hearts, minds, and lives.
Therefore, "the increase of His government and of peace there will be no end" (vs. 7). The Divine project is underway,
guaranteed by the zeal of God, Who is establishing His kingdom and upholding "it with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and for evermore" (vs. 7). "The zeal of the Lord of hosts will [complete] this" (vs. 7).
I shall return to the bliss of paradise from which I was driven away by reason of iniquity, for the likeness of the Father
hath taken the likeness of a servant for His love of mankind.
Friday, December 31, 2004
The Venerable Theophylact of Ochrid
8th Nativity Vigil: Isaiah 7:10-16; 8:1-4, 8-10 Epistle: James 2:1-13 Gospel: St. Mark 10:23-32
Isaiah 7:10-16; 8:1-4, 8-10 LXX, especially vs. 14: "Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign;
behold, the virgin shall conceive in the womb, and shall bring forth a son, and you shall call His Name Immanuel." This
present passage begins (vs. 10) in the middle of a conversation (Is. 7:3-9) between God the Almighty, "the Lord of Hosts"
(Is. 7:7), and King Ahaz of Judah. The Lord spoke to the king through His Prophet Isaiah. It was a time of national crisis,
an attack on the nation of Judah. Rezin, the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, the king of Israel, had formed a
military coalition and come up "against Jerusalem to war against it" (Is. 7:1). Their intent had been to replace Ahaz as king
of Judah and put "the son of Tabeel" (Is. 7:6) on the throne of Judah. Their motivation was a survival response to the
aggressive Assyrian empire that was threatening conquest of the entire region. The Syrian and Ephraimite kings first tried
to convince Ahaz to join them in an anti-Assyrian coalition, but Ahaz refused, and so they sought to effect a coup d'etat
and establish a friendly government in Jerusalem.
Isaiah reports that the soul of King Ahaz "was amazed, and the soul of his people, as in a wood a tree is moved by the
wind" (Is. 7:2). Very simply, the Lord was seeking to reassure the king: "take care to be quiet, and fear not, neither let your
soul be disheartened because of these two smoking firebrands: for when My fierce anger is over, I will heal again....This
counsel shall not abide" (Is. 7:4,7). However, King Ahaz was not convinced, and so the Lord invited the nervous king,
"ask for yourself a sign of the Lord your God, in the depth or in the height" (Is. 7:11). Ahaz could not see beyond his fear
and evaded in a pious-sounding demur: "I will not ask, neither will I tempt the Lord" (vs. 12).
The Lord's response to King Ahaz touched both the depths of the creation, that is, the lowly earth and all its inhabitants, as
well as the height of God's creation, the very Heavens themselves. By the power of God from Heaven, that which is
impossible in the depths of earth is to occur: "the virgin shall conceive in the womb, and shall bring forth a son" (vs. 14).
And thus, the poor, ineffectual, unbelieving, and timid king of Judah is told of the wondrous Incarnation of God in the
flesh; and, further, he is informed of the child's dual nature (as both God and man), "you shall call his name Immanuel"
(vs. 14), that is, to say, "God with us."
The remainder of the reading focuses on the work of Immanuel - of God with us. First, the reality of the Lord Jesus'
sinlessness is revealed: "before the child shall know good or evil, He refuses evil, to choose the good" (vs. 7:16). In this
prophetic utterance, the Lord declared centuries in advance of the birth of our Savior that which the Apostle affirmed after
the death and Resurrection of Christ our God: "we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses,
but [One Who] was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin" (Heb. 4:15).
Then, God directed His counsel to the immediate circumstances of the Syro-Ephraimite invasion and the looming threat of
Assyria. These were temporal threats with consequences for the nations of mankind at a certain point in history, but in no
way would their plans disrupt the counsel of God. Centuries later the counsel of Herod and Pilate would lead to the
crucifixion of Christ and would scatter the disciples, but those decisions did "not stand...for God is with us" (Is. 8:10).
"Whatsoever counsel [men] shall take, the Lord shall bring it to nought" however it conflicts with His purpose to give
eternal life in Christ Jesus. "For God did not send [Immanuel] into the world to condemn the world, but that the world
through Him might be saved" (Jn. 3:17).
God is with us, understand, O ye nations, and submit yourselves: for God is with us. Hear ye unto the ends of the earth, for
God is with us (Is. 8:10, as used in Great Compline).
Wednesday, December 1, 2004 Nativity Fast
The Holy Prophet Nahum
Kellia: Nahum 1:1-14 Epistle: 1 Timothy 5:22-6:11 Gospel: St. Luke 18:15-17, 26-30
Nahum 1:1-14, especially vss. 7, 8: "The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; He knows
those who take refuge in Him. But with an overflowing flood He will make a full end of His adversaries, and will pursue
His enemies into darkness." The terrorist attacks upon the United States in 2001 required the people of the United States
to consider their place in the history of nations. As ever, the words of the English poet, Sir William Watson, ring with a
new poignancy that lifts up the oracle of Nahum the Prophet for sober thought.
Sir William wrote:
The seasons change, the winds they shift and veer;
The grass of yesteryear
Is dead; the birds depart, the groves decay:
Empires dissolve and peoples disappear:
Song passes not away.
The "song" of Nahum, three short chapters of Holy Scripture, has not passed away. Rather, the Prophet's vision remains the
living voice to God's enemies as well as to His People, Christ's Holy Church. The words of the Prophet are the abiding
prayer of the Church. The message, that "Empires dissolve and peoples disappear," begs reflection both by those who plot
America's demise as well as by the peoples of America, now undergoing historic transformation. While the immediate
conditions from which the Prophet of Elkosh spoke are mostly forgotten, the truth of his inspired words live on with fresh
application for all peoples and nations.
The fierce empire of Assyria, in upper Mesopotamia, rose to international prominence in the "Fertile Crescent" about 900
BC and proved invincible to kingdoms and nations all around its national homeland, including Egypt, and Elam and
Babylonia in southern Mesopotamia as well as Lydia in Anatolia and the tiny kingdom of Judah in Palestine.
Reaching the zenith of its power during the reign of Ashurbanipal (668-627 BC), Assyria suddenly declined and
disappeared forever following the fall of its capital, Nineveh, to the Babylonians in 612 BC. Nahum foretold this ultimate
defeat, echoes of which can be heard even in today's reading.
The opening passage from Nahum's prophecy divides into two parts: the first reveals God's attitude toward His
"adversaries" as well as His attitude toward "those who take refuge in Him" (vss. 2,7). The second section describes how
God takes action toward those who "plot against the Lord" and toward His own who have been "afflicted" by them (vss.
9,12).
"The Lord is avenging and wrathful" (vs. 2), storing up or "keeping" His anger until it bursts like a "whirlwind" on those
guilty of wrong doing, laying them "waste before Him" (vss. 3-5). The "indignation" of God toward His enemies is
invincible, being "poured out like fire" (vs. 6). On the other hand, His attitude toward "those who take refuge in Him" is
"good" (vs. 7), including material enrichment, pleasantness of life, and righteousness in their choices.
When the Lord acts in human affairs, He has no need to "take vengeance twice on His foes," for they simply are "cut off
and pass away," as with the Assyrians (vss. 9-12). "No more shall [their] name be perpetuated" (vs. 14). On the other
hand, those for whom God is "jealous" and provides "stronghold" (vss. 2,7) shall experience affliction for repentance and
growth in this life, yet in the end He will "break [the] yoke" of oppressors and "burst [the] bonds" asunder (vs. 13). Let us
"stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free" (Gal. 5:1).
Holy art Thou, O Master Who lovest mankind, Who hast provided for us the salvation of regeneration, which is in Thy
Christ Himself, Who brought us into a knowledge of Thee our God.
Thursday, December 2, 2004 Nativity Fast
The Holy Prophet Habakkuk
Kellia: Habakkuk 3:1-19 Epistle: 1 Timothy 6:17-21 Gospel: St. Luke 18:31-34
Habakkuk 3:1-19 (the Fourth Ode), especially vs. 1: "O Lord, I have heard Thy report, and I
was afraid; O Lord, I considered Thy works, and I was amazed." The Church places this prophecy of Habakkuk before us
in early December as we turn our attention to the forthcoming Feast of the Lord's Nativity, now rapidly approaching. In
Orthodox Christian interpretation, the passage is read as a vision of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in the flesh. This
is why, for instance, when the Church sings the opening verse of this ode of praise, she hears the Prophet in the very
moment of his enlightenment by the Holy Spirit "when he perceived [Christ's] coming in the last days." She understands
the enlightened Habakkuk to say, "I have heard of Thy might, O Lord [Jesus], that Thou hast come to save all Thine
anointed ones."
The Faithful in the generations since the Lord's coming also are "amazed" at Him "that spake in the Prophets and was
proclaimed through the Law...." All true followers of Christ in these latter days are in awe, for we are more blessed than the
Prophet Habakkuk because we live in the gracious "years of the Lord" following His Incarnation. Our eyes and ears have
arrayed before them the riches of His recorded works for consideration in prayer: "all that Jesus began both to do and
teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles
whom He had chosen to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs..." (Acts
1:1,2,3).
Observe how the Prophet looked forward: "Thou shalt be known, when the years draw nigh, Thou shalt be shown forth"
(Hab. 3:2). Furthermore, Christ's drawing nigh to our benighted race, His manifestation to mankind, actually came as the
greatest of mercies, for our souls were troubled to death at God's righteous anger because of our iniquities (vs. 2). Then, as
Habakkuk foresaw, Christ our Lord came in mercy" to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to
guide our feet into the way of peace" (Lk. 1:79).
The Prophet continues: "God shall come out of Thaeman [Teman]" (vs. 3). How precisely the Spirit opened the Prophet's
eyes! Teman is a name applied to the southern region of greater Israel, and broadly may include southern Judah where
Bethlehem is located, the city of Christ's birth. This mention of God coming from Teman is exactly how St. Irenaeus
perceived these words of the Prophet: "thus [Habakkuk] indicates in clear terms that He is God, and that His advent was to
take place in Bethlehem...which is toward the south of the inheritance."
What is more, the Church understands the "mountain overshadowed and densely wooded" to refer to the Theotokos. Our
hymnody sings: "Habakkuk foresaw as an uncut mountain Thine undefiled womb, O pure One, and so he cried out: 'The
holy God shall go forth from Teman and from a wooded and uncut mountain.'" How prophetic! Recall: the Virgin was
told: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you, therefore, also that Holy
One Who is to be born will be called the Son of God" (Lk. 1:35).
The whole of this prophecy may be "mined" in this way for the prophetic riches which the Spirit of God gave to His servant
Habakkuk. Christ's "virtue hath covered the heavens, and the earth [is] full of His praise" (Hab. 3:4). The Word has come
forth with "instruction at His feet" (vs. 6). Let us sing of the triumph of the Incarnation with the Prophet of God: "Thou
wentest forth for the salvation of Thy people, to save Thine anointed ones art Thou come. Thou didst cast death upon the
heads of transgressors," trampling down death by death (vs. 13).
Today the Virgin cometh to the cave to give birth in an ineffable manner to the pre-eternal Word. Rejoice, therefore, O
universe, when thou hearest the Prophet's message.
Friday, December 3, 2004 Nativity Fast
The Holy Prophet Zephaniah
Kellia: Zephaniah 3:8-18 Epistle: 2 Timothy 1:1-2, 8-18 Gospel: St. Luke 19:12-28
Zephaniah 3:8-18, especially vss. 16, 17: "On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: 'Do not
fear, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak. The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a Warrior who gives victory; He will
rejoice over you with gladness, He will renew you in His love; He will exult over you with loud singing....'" In these two
verses the Lord disclosed to the Prophet Zephaniah a wonderful future age when the entire constitution of the People of
God would be transformed by a sweeping Divine intervention. That fundamental change has occurred already, the result of
the Incarnation of God the Son. The Lord Jesus' birth from the Virgin Mary, His life, ministry, and sacrificial death on the
Cross culminated in His glorious Resurrection and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and these transforming events set in
motion the age of the Church, the wonderful present age in which we are living.
What a blessing to read Zephaniah's prophecy and know that we are actually living in that new era with all its potential
immediately available to us! So many who call themselves Christians fail to realize what is open before them, what is ours
in Christ right now. The failure to grasp this incredible opportunity open before us prompted St. Paul to ask, "do you not
know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death....that our old man was crucified
with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin?" (Rom. 6:3,6). Let us
reflect on seven aspects of the life in Christ which the Prophet Zephaniah described long ago, so that we "may lay hold of
that for which Christ Jesus has laid hold of [us]" (Phil. 3:12).
First, God promised that in the age of the Church He would "change the speech of the peoples to a pure speech" (Zeph.
3:9). In offering the Gospel to all nations, the Church extends to all peoples the pure Word of God, the Incarnate Lord.
Being human in all respects, He is a pure Word Whom all may take upon their lips and call, "My Lord and my God!" (Jn.
20:28).
God revealed that all peoples would be able to "serve Him with one accord" (Zeph. 3:9), or, as the Hebrew idiom has it,
"with one shoulder." All over the world, Orthodox Christians stand shoulder to shoulder, serving the Lord as one holy
People, offering the divided nations the only true way to international harmony - the life in Christ.
As Zephaniah foresaw, God is removing the "proudly exultant ones" (vs. 11) to leave instead, "a people humble and lowly"
(vs. 12). In Christ, we are called not to be troubled when we are wronged, not to say anything to justify ourselves against
injustice, not to reject slander as truth, nor to attempt to persuade men that we are calumniated, but, instead, to beg
forgiveness!
Attaining a humble life is open to all who "seek refuge in the Name of the Lord" (vs. 12). Let us pray that each of us may
"fulfill those things which are well pleasing unto [God]."
Hence, if we follow what the Church teaches, by the grace of God, we "shall do no wrong" (vs. 13), but walk in God's
commandments, finding life in them.
Being fed with both the truth and the life of God in the Church, the Faithful are equipped to "utter no lies" so that there
shall not "be found in their mouth a deceitful tongue" (vs. 13).
In this way, all the terrors of this world are removed for each Christian who becomes fully united to the Lord Jesus,
because, in His pasture, "none shall make them afraid" (vs. 13). Beloved of God, Christ Jesus "has taken away the
judgments against you, He has cast out your enemies. The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst" (vs. 15). Let us so
walk!
O Lord, look upon Thy servants, prove us, search us and root out of us every operation of the Devil and give us victory
over him, that we may be worthy of Thy heavenly Mysteries.
Saturday, December 4, 2004 Fish, Wine, & Oil
Great Martyr Barbara of Heliopolis
1st Vesp of St. Nicholas: Proverbs Selections Epistle: Galatians 5:22-6:2 Gospel: St. Luke 10:19-21
Proverbs 10:7, 6; 3:13-16; 8:6, 32, 34, 4, 12, 14, 17, 5-9; 1:23, especially vs. 1:23: "Behold, I will
bring forth to you the utterance of my breath, and I will instruct you in my speech." In the Christian Church, from the
earliest centuries, wisdom has been identified with the Person of Christ our God. In time, this resulted in the naming of the
Cathedral church in Constantinople, which was dedicated to Christ Himself, "The Church of Holy Wisdom." Similarly,
those who love the Lord Jesus - who especially are committed to His ways and His righteousness - themselves, like the
Lord, "bring forth" in words and deeds "the utterance of His breath," speaking always and only the wisdom and counsel of
Christ, to "instruct" others in His "speech." Nicholas of Myra, whose manner of life and love for the Lord could not be
hidden, was such a man. Wisdom took flesh in his person, so that to encounter Nicholas was to find the compassion,
honesty, and love which abound in the Master Himself.
It is said that Nicholas as a young man left his hometown of Patara and moved to Myra where he would not be known
because of his famous family. His hope was to live in anonymity and a life of quiet prayer and study of the truths of the
Lord. However, when the time came for the election of a new Bishop and chief pastor of Myra, occasioned by the repose
of the previous Archbishop, John, the assembly of Bishops who came to elect and consecrate a new Archbishop for the city
of Myra became hopelessly deadlocked in finding a candidate from among the noble and respected men of the city. But the
Lord "brought forth" to them His choice, instructing the eldest of the visiting Bishops to stand by night in the doors of the
Cathedral at Myra and observe who entered the building first for Orthros - the dawn service. Being a dedicated man of
prayer, the young Nicholas came, as was his custom, to offer prayers at the beginning of the day. God, instructing the
waiting Bishop in Divine speech, said, "That man is filled with My Spirit. Receive him with honor and make him
Archbishop; his name is Nicholas." Thus, the surprised Nicholas was elevated and consecrated to the rank of Bishop for
God's People in Myra.
At the time of the Council of Nicea, when the Bishops of the Church were faced with the popular Priest Arius and his false
teaching that Christ was not God in the flesh but a superior creature of God, Nicholas was aghast at the blatant rejection of
the experience of the Church and his own knowledge of Christ as his Lord and God. In the midst of the proceedings,
moved by the blasphemy of Arius, Nicholas slapped the heretic on his face. His fellow Bishops were horrified by
Nicholas' assault on the person of Arius, despite the Priest's grievous error. They voted to divest Nicholas of his rank as a
Bishop and to ban him from the Council. By the providence of God, several of the Fathers of the Council had a vision of
the Lord and the Theotokos restoring Nicholas as a Bishop. These God-fearing men spoke up and shared their vision and
belief that the Council had acted precipitously in stripping Nicholas of his pastoral rank, and their counsel prevailed. When
Nicholas returned to Myra, he made every effort to stamp out the false teaching of the heretic Arius that had spread even
among his own flock.
There are numerous reports of the Blessed Nicholas appearing to sailors in storms at sea to bring them safely to port, and to
kings to save the innocent from false charges - such things occurring both during his lifetime in the flesh and since the time
of his repose. As a result, Nicholas' fame was spread far and wide among ancient sailors and prisoners, so that he became a
Saint whose prayers were sought by the desperate in countries as far apart as Britain and Russia.
Let us all extol Bishop Nicholas, the great head of Shepherds and leader of Myra; for he saved many who were condemned
to die unjustly and to perish in the difficulties of this life.
Sun., Dec. 5, 2004 Fish, Wine, & Oil (Tone 2)
Venerable Sabbas the Sanctified
2nd Vesp Nicholas: Proverbs 10:31-11:2 Epistle: Ephesians 6:10-17 Gospel: St.Luke13:10-17
Proverbs 10:31-11:12, especially vss. 31, 32: "The mouth of the righteous drops wisdom...." and "the
lips of just men drop grace...." How is it that through the centuries there have been blessed men among our clergy who,
through the laying-on of hands, not only have been elevated to the clerical ranks, but have been so highly lifted up that we
now recognize them as Saints in full assent to the work of God in their lives? The words used at ordinations point us
toward the obvious answer: "the grace of the all-holy Spirit [came] upon them."
The present passage from Proverbs describes exceptional, Spirit-filled men as "righteous" (vss. 31,10), "just" (vs. 32),
"humble"(vs. 2), and "sensible" (vs. 12). While the Holy Spirit makes possible the elevation of men to saintliness, the
interior labors of godly men in this process never should be discounted. Matthew the Poor would assert that it is human
submission to the grace of God that enables a man to become righteous, just, humble, and sensible - "submission of the
human ego to God...effected in such a manner as to release the soul and let it live in total surrender to the will of God."
Indeed, gracious Pastors meet Father Matthew's guidelines for submitting to the Lord: they consistently never rely on their
own wisdom, remain ever wary of thinking highly of themselves, embrace discipline, follow the path of grace as the Spirit
leads, are certain that submission to God is a free gift, ever confess their weakness and ignorance, perceive discipline as a
gift of great profit, and constantly examine their thoughts, intentions, purposes, words, and deeds in the light of God's
word.
Examine the speech - the sermons, the teaching, the counsel, and the writing - of godly Pastors. Being righteous, their
mouths drop wisdom (vs. 31) - not just information nor clever, popular phrases, but wisdom that illumines, transforms, and
guides men toward salvation in Christ. As Saint Demetrius of Rostov sums up the pastoral style of St. Nicholas at Myra:
"His way of life became known to everyone...so that the Christians might be edified and glorify God."
We learn further in this passage from Proverbs that "the understanding of righteous men is prosperous" (vs. 10). We
recognize that the grace of the Holy Spirit and the submission of a Pastor to the will of God often result in a depth of
perception and a grasp of situations that enable the Gospel message to take hold in the hearts of the Faithful. Under such
Pastors, the Faithful often prosper both in the things of the Spirit and sometimes in material projects.
Being true and fair in their spoken defense of the Gospel, "the lips of just men drop grace" (vs. 32), not that their words are
always warmly received. The example of Archpastor Athanasios the Great, who substantially influenced the First
Ecumenical Council concerning the heresy of Arius, comes to mind. St. Nikolai of Zica notes that "his devotion and his
zeal for Orthodoxy...contributed very greatly to the containing of the Arian heresy;" yet, while he was the lawful
Archbishop of Alexandria for forty years, he was exiled most of that time.
Being a humble man, the mouth of a gracious pastor "meditates wisdom" (vs. 2) - in what sense? The verb in this case,
meletao, conveys not only study and reflection into the depths of Scripture, but diligence to put truth into practice. As the
Prophet David says, "My heart grew hot within me, and in my meditation a fire was kindled. I spake with my tongue" (Ps.
38:4,5 LXX).
Finally, being "a sensible man," a gracious Pastor will maintain "quiet" (Prov. 11:12). The word quiet here is hesychia,
which the Fathers have shown us to mean a profound search for Christ the Truth through prayer in the heart. The gracious
Pastor can restrain his tongue.
O God of wisdom, be pleased to enable Thy Pastors to proclaim the Gospel of Thy kingdom and minister the word of truth
to the renewal of Thy People in their walk before Thee.
Monday, Dec. 6, 2004 Wine & Oil
Nicholas the Wonder-worker, Archbishop of Myra
3rd Vesp Nicholas: Wisdom 4:7-15 Epistle: 2 Timothy 2:20-26 Gospel: St. Luke 19:37-44
Wisdom 4:7-15 LXX, especially vs. 12: "For the bewitching of naughtiness doth obscure things that are
honest; and the wandering of concupiscence doth undermine the simple mind." Listen to the wise Solomon warning
against trust in the human heart, soul, and will; for, all around us in this life, naughtiness obscures truth, justice, and
honesty. Do not be misled by this term, naughtiness, as a word limited to the correcting of children. Look at its root,
naught, meaning, nothingness, that which is devoid of truth, justice, and honesty. In this nihilistic age, acting from our
reason, we are forced to grope to get at the truth, and, instead, we are bombarded with cliches, opinions, and the current
wisdom of the street. We are ensnared by an avalanche of words empty of truth, sweeping us away from truth, alluring and
bewitching us. Worst of all, within our own breasts concupiscence lurks to undermine us stealthily whenever we try to
reason out the truth on our own. We defeat our own simple minds. Within and without we are doomed!
Let us not despair, however; for the burden of what God teaches in this present passage is that there is a better way to find
and live the truth, to live honestly, to retain a pure and simple mind. It is possible to attain to old age having an "unspotted
life" (vs. 9). One may reach "honorable age" by living a "righteous" life (vss. 8,7). It is that simple; yet we are tempted to
hopelessness before this assertion, knowing that we have already soiled and fouled our lives. What is worse is that we are
unsure of what soils and disfigures life. Given the naught-producing conditions of this existence, how can we ascertain
what stains the soul?
Listen to Solomon again. The key is to focus our thoughts and acts always to "please God" (vs. 10). Then He will love us;
and He will reveal truth, justice, and honesty even while we are "living among sinners" (vs. 10) so that "wickedness" (vs.
11) will not "alter [our] understanding, or deceit beguile [our] soul"(vs. 11). There is hope in that possibility. Think of it!
Should we see and know the truth clearly, embrace it and practice it, then we could fend off all the assaults of
"bewitching...naughtiness" and our own "wandering concupiscence" (vs. 12).
There's the rub! How are we to please God in thought, word, and deed, given our frailty? The Lord gave Solomon great
wisdom in this matter, so let us listen to him. He notes that the righteous man was "made perfect in a short time" (vs. 13).
The word made perfect in the original is teleiotheis, and means to be made complete. Being completed as human beings is
a work of restoration, a process of putting thoughts, inclinations, desires, and actions back into their intended place and
functioning. And Who does this? God, of course, Who can make perfect "in a short time" (vs. 13).
In the last verse (14), Solomon provides the essential component in the perfecting or completing process - "grace and
mercy" from God (vs. 14). The wise Prophet of God assures us that the Lord "hath respect unto His chosen" (vs. 14). How
do we become the chosen of God? St. Paul teaches us that "without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes
to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." Our Lord Jesus appeals to us
in this matter, Brethren: "you believe in God, believe also in Me" (Jn. 14:1). He begs us to trust Him, surrender our wills to
Him, and submit to Him. You want to know firmly what is true, just, and honest? Hear St. Paul again: "those who are in
the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you" (Rom.
8:8,9). Cry out to the Lord, confess confusion, and He will heal and complete!
O Master, Who couldst not endure to behold mankind oppressed by the Devil, but came and saved us: we proclaim Thy
mercy. We conceal not Thy grace. Save and help us!
Tuesday, December 7, 2004 Nativity Fast
Ambrose, Bishop of Milan
Kellia: 2 Samuel 3:1-6, 20-21, 24-29, 33-34 Epistle: 2 Timothy 3:16-4:4 Gospel: St. Luke 19:45-48
2 Samuel 3:1-6, 20-21, 24-29, 33-34. especially vs. 21: "And Abner said to
David, 'I will arise and go, and will gather all Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that
you may reign over all that your heart desires.' So David sent Abner away; and he went in peace." Two elements are
necessary for the exercise of government: the power to decree and the consent of the governed. The first four chapters of
Second Samuel account for the rise of David as sole monarch over all twelve of the tribes of Israel. In the first chapter, he
is presented as a guerrilla leader, a fighter who survived the wrath of Saul, the first King of all Israel. David survived by
wits, military skill, and prudent hiding in the impenetrable wilderness south of his native territory of Judah.
In the second chapter, David is revealed as obedient to the Lord in returning among the kin of his own tribe of Judah. The
men of Judah crowned him as king at Hebron in Judah while Ishbosheth, Saul's son, was crowned king over the other
eleven tribes with the help of "Abner the son of Ner, commander of Saul's army" (2 Sam. 2:8). Inevitable war broke out
between the military forces of the two kings (2 Sam. 2:12-32), "a long war between the house of Saul and the house of
David" in which "David grew stronger and stronger" (2 Sam. 3:1).
The present reading from the third chapter captures the essence of the bitter feud between the commanding officers of the
armed forces of the two kings, Abner who was Ishbosheth's commander, and Joab, the head of David's army. The
subsequent chapter will detail the assassination of King Ishbosheth by two officers in his own army. These two murdered
their king in his sleep in the hope of gaining David's favor, but only gained his wrath and their own execution (2 Sam.
4:11,12). The intrigue and struggle within and between the two royal houses would lead finally to David's reign "over all
Israel and Judah" (2 Sam. 5:5).
In this reading, one can readily detect the interplay of the two essential elements required for governing: power and consent.
The shift of power in David's favor occurred as the result of a falling out between King Ishbosheth and his commander,
Abner (2 Sam. 3:7-11). Not only had Abner been the chief instrument of Ishbosheth's anointing as King (2 Sam. 2:8,9),
but also subsequently for two years he made "himself strong in the house of Saul" (2 Sam 3:6). Abner may well be
characterized as a "king-maker." Notice what he promised to David during his meeting with him: the gathering of "all
Israel to my lord the king, that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your heart desires"
(vs. 21).
Sad as was the treacherous murder of Abner by Joab (vss. 26,27), still it was Abner's death and the regicide of Ishbosheth
that made sufficient power available for David so that he could be acclaimed as king over the whole nation. With Joab as
the sole commander of all his armed forces, David of Judah could rule all the tribes of Israel with a single center of
command and control. It would only be conjecture to consider how affairs might have gone had Abner survived after
agreeing to deliver the other eleven tribes to David.
As events unfolded, the consent of the governed continued to accrue to David. His fervent disavowal of the murder of
Abner by Joab (vss 28,29) and his evident grief at the death of Abner (vs. 33) certainly gained him the support of the
people. When he lamented, "all the people" joined him and "wept again over [Abner]" (vs. 34). Considering the rise and
fall of world leaders, one may learn much concerning power and consent from David's rise to rule.
Preserve well Thy holy Church, O all-good Master, strengthening and confirming by the might of Thy hand the rulers of
the nations, that Thy kingdom of all ages may come upon us.
Wednesday, December 8, 2004 Nativity Fast
The Venerable Patapios of Thebes
Kellia: 2 Samuel 5:1-5 Epistle: 2 Timothy 4:9-22 Gospel: St. Luke 20:1-8
2 Samuel 5:1-5 RSV (2 Kings 5:1-5 LXX), especially vs. 3: "So all the
elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron; and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and
they anointed David king over Israel." Following the murder of Ishbosheth, the son of King Saul and the ruler of the tribes
north of Judah (2 Sam. 4:4-8), the people of all the tribes of Israel recognized that David of Judah was God's evident
choice to rule as king over them. How widely it was known among the people that David, while still a boy, had been
anointed years earlier by the Prophet Samuel (1 Sam. 16:1-13), is not stated explicitly in Scripture. It does appear that there
was a widespread awareness of David's special favor in God's eyes, for the people said to him: "the Lord said to you,
'You shall be shepherd of My People Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel'" (vs. 2).
The present short passage sets out, in a compact form, the solemn, royal covenant between David and the twelve tribes of
Israel. In the action recorded here, David's rule which had been limited to the tribal area of Judah was now extended over
the entire country, "from Dan to Beersheba," as the Hebrew idiom puts it (2 Sam. 3:10). The expression refers to the
settlement of the tribe of Dan in the far northeast corner of Palestine, in the city they named Dan (formerly called Laish)
and to Beersheba, a city at the far southern extremity of Judah's tribal area on the edge of the Negeb desert, close to the
stream called "the river of Egypt." Hence, "from Dan to Beersheba" is simply a way of referring to the whole country,
from north to south.
Three elements common to the covenants of the People of God should be noted in the coronation of David as king of Israel.
Covenants, in the Biblical sense, differ from the more common contracts or agreements that people make routinely for
business and social purposes. Covenants express a deeper, more intimate relationship between the parties. Covenants
explicitly involve the action of God as the sanctioning party in a relationship, and they express the action of God the Holy
Spirit in sealing the union of the partners.
The people came to David at Hebron and declared to him, "we are your bone and flesh" (2 Sam. 5:1). This metaphor was
first used in mankind's history by Adam when he beheld for the first time the woman taken from his side (Gen. 2:23). The
words express a union of essential being between two parties to a covenant, man and woman in marriage, a sovereign and
people in a nation, and God and His People in the Old and in the New Covenants. Hence, the Lord Jesus says to us His
people, "This is My Body which is broken for you" (1 Cor. 11:24) and "This cup is the New Covenant in My Blood" (1
Cor. 11:25), expressing His profound union with us.
In the declaration of the people at Hebron, they acknowledged to David that it was the Lord Who had said to him, "You
shall be shepherd of My People Israel" (2 Sam. 5:2). Thereby, they included the Lord as the active and sanctioning party to
the bond being established. Many of the same prayers which are used in the Orthodox Betrothal service could apply
equally and would be appropriate in the Coronation of a monarch: that God will send down upon them (ruler and people)
"perfect and peaceful love...oneness of mind...steadfastness of faith...a blameless life." Blessed is the nation that lives in
such a covenant and relationship with its national leader.
Ceremonially, all the elders of Israel "anointed David king over Israel" (vs. 3). As with Orthodox Christians today,
anointing with oil was used to express the action of God the Holy Spirit - as the One forming the covenant. Hence in
Chrismation, He Himself is the gift received.
O God and King of all, the Superior of every sovereign, enable all the rulers and peoples of this world to shelter the
humble and meek and live according to Thy holy Commandments.
Thursday, December 9, 2004 Wine & Oil
The Conception of the Theotokos
Kellia: 2 Samuel 5:6-25 (2 Kings 5:6-25 LXX) Epistle: Titus 1:5-2:1 Gospel: St. Luke 2:20-21, 40-52
2 Samuel 5:6-25 RSV, especially vs. 12: "And David perceived that the Lord had
established him king over Israel, and that He had exalted his kingdom for the sake of His people Israel." David's
coronation as king over all the tribes of Israel (2 Sam. 5:1-5) imposed a rigorous course in national security upon the young
monarch (2 Sam. 5:4). He, however, proved to be an outstanding learner in the field of statecraft, principally because he
recognized that it was the Lord Who "had established him king over Israel" (vs. 12).
Each of us, Beloved in Christ, has similarly been anointed as a servant of the true Ruler "established by the Lord" over the
unruly inner kingdom of our hearts and souls. Will not the Lord Who established David also aid each of us in the task of
extending the gracious rule of our Sovereign, the Son of David (Mt. 22:41-45), over our rebellious selves? So then, as we
read this passage and observe David strengthening his nation's security, let us heed how we may foster the Lord's dominion
over our inner realm with His unfailing help, so that Christ may be all in all.
A sovereign nation must have control of its entire territory, yet King David faced an enclave within his borders that was not
submitted to his government - a city of Jebusites, a people who did not hesitate to say "to David, 'You will not come in
here'...." (vs. 6). Likewise each of us, as St. John of the Ladder says, "must renounce all things, despise all things, deride
all things and shake off things" that will not submit to Christ and His will within our hearts. A functional nation must
have a defensible "stronghold" for its government (vs. 9). Let each one who loves the Lord say, "the Lord is my
foundation, and my refuge, and my deliverer...I will hope in Him, my defender" (Ps. 17:1,2 LXX). We have a secure inner
Stronghold.
To prosper, a nation needs good working relationships with other countries, especially those who are willing to furnish it
with resources for building (2 Sam. 5:11). We have, as fellow laborers in the Church, Priests, Confessors, all the Saints,
the Holy Fathers, the Liturgy and other services which can well supply us with all we require to secure our inner house.
A nation needs many "sons and daughters" to increase its population and settle its land (vss. 13,14). We, too, must nurture
a large household of virtues if we are to further our inner realm, turn words into deeds, and populate our inner and outward
life with useful offspring.
Nations must have basic defenses against external enemies who "[come] up in search of" its leaders with the intent to
conquer its people. Therefore, when the Philistines sought King David, he "went down to [his] stronghold" (vs. 17). We
too can resort to God our "Stronghold," and seek from Him, as David did, His all-wise counsel how best to ward off the
assaults of temptations, the passions, and the demons that attack our hearts and souls.
With each invasion of the Philistines, David prayed to the Lord and set before Him his battle plan for approval and
correction (vss. 19,23). Pity the nations whose leaders do not seek Divine guidance and direction in their strategic
planning. Likewise, God pity us if we do not "inquire of the Lord" (vs. 19), so that our almighty Ally and Security
Advisor can guide us in breaking "through [our] enemies before [us], like a bursting flood" (vs. 20).
Observe that David maintained national security by doing exactly "as the Lord commanded him" (vs. 25). Since, as St.
John of the Ladder says, "Obedience is the tomb of the will and the resurrection of humility," let us unquestioningly
beseech the Lord for grace to defeat our own will and always to follow His directions for attaining dominion over our inner
life.
O Lord, reveal to us the word of truth, reveal the gospel of righteousness, unite us to Thy holy Church, and have mercy on
us, save us, help us and keep us, O God, by Thy grace.
Friday, December 10, 2004 Nativity Fast
Angelina of Albania, Mother of Blessed John
Kellia: 2 Samuel 6:1-15 MT (2 Kings 6:1-15 LXX) Epistle: Titus 1:15-2:10 Gospel: St. Luke 20:19-26
2 Samuel 6:1-15, especially vs. 7: "And the anger of the Lord was kindled
against Uzzah; and God smote him there because he put forth his hand to the ark; and he died there beside the ark of
God." In the Divine Liturgy, at the conclusion of the Prayer of the Anaphora, after the offering of the Lord's Prayer, "the
Priest takes up the Lamb (the holy Bread) in both hands and makes therewith the sign of the cross over the diskos, saying,
'The Holy Things are for the holy,'" to which the choir and people respond, "One is Holy, One is Lord: Jesus Christ, to the
glory of God the Father. Amen." In these liturgical statements, holiness is understood to pertain to the "Lamb, the holy
Bread," to the holy People of God for whom the gifts are intended, but supremely and uniquely to the One Who alone is
Holy, the "Lord Jesus Christ." The hymn is quite explicit in asserting that "One is Holy, One is Lord," implying that all
else that is called "holy" derives its holiness from God Who alone is truly Holy.
For the ancient People of God, the holy presence of God was closely associated with the ark of the covenant, a rectangular
box made of acacia wood, all overlaid with gold, in which was kept the two tablets on which the Lord had inscribed the
Ten Words (or Commandments, Ex. 25:22), the pot with a bit of manna in it and Aaron's rod (Heb. 9:4-5). This chest and
its contents served as the unique, visible sign of the presence of the invisible God among His People.
In recognition of the holiness of God, the ark itself was treated with particular reverence. This "holiness" of the ark was
symbolized by its placement within the national center of worship. Overall, the plan for the tabernacle provided a large
area where the people could gather for worship, and a "holy place" for the priests in which they conducted the worship.
The "holy place" was equipped with an altar, tables and other furnishings. In addition, screened off from the holy place by
a heavy veil, there was a small room called "the holy of holies," or "the most holy place." This inner sanctum was reserved
just for the ark which resided on a special table. The ark's holiness was demonstrated when the People crossed the Jordan
to enter the Holy Land for the first time (Josh. 3:14-17). Afterwards, it was kept at the national shrine at Shiloh until God
allowed it to be captured by the Philistines, "because of the wickedness of [the] People of Israel" (Jer. 7:12). However, the
Philistines became "terrified and afflicted" by having the ark among them (1 Sam 5:6). They hastened to send it back to
Israel in a cart drawn by milk cows (1 Sam. 6:10-12). After seventy men were slain at Beth-shemesh by the Lord "because
they looked into the ark" (1 Sam. 6:19), it was removed to Kiriath-jerarim "to the house of Abinadab" (1 Sam 7:1). It
remained there until King David determined to move it to his capital.
Capturing the ark, peering into it, or touching it inappropriately were acts fraught with dangerous consequences. The point
is: among the People of God, all holy things should be treated with very great respect. Hence in Orthodoxy, icons,
Scriptures, vestments, and above all, the Holy Gifts of the Lord's Body and Blood are touched only in ways that display
respect, are appointed, and honor the Presence of God Who is known in and through these created things. Beloved of the
Lord, let these accounts of the touching of the ark remind us to approach everything associated with the presence of the
Lord with the "honor...due unto His Name" (Ps. 95:8 LXX). Let us extend every reverence toward our marriages, all
persons who are Baptized into Christ, our church buildings, ordained persons and sacred furnishings, for "Christ is in our
midst!" "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory" (Is. 6:3).
Holy is the Lord our God. Holy is the Lord our God. Holy is the Lord our God. Exalt ye the Lord our God and worship at
His footstool, for He is holy.
Saturday, December 11, 2004 Fish, Wine, & Oil
Venerable Daniel the Stylite
Kellia: 2 Samuel 7:1-4, 8-16 (2 Kings 7:1-4, 8-16 LXX) Epistle: Ephesians 1:16-23 Gospel: St. Luke 12:32-40
2 Samuel 7:1-4, 8-16, especially vs.16: "And your house and your kingdom
shall be made sure for ever before Me; your throne shall be established for ever." Considering all the royalty that have
come and gone on earth, the many nations that have seen the light of God's sun, and the crowns that have tumbled into the
dust, one can see that God's promises to King David are most remarkable when measured against history. In fact, the
Kingdom of the Son of David has an ineffable significance, for the eyes of faith know that all the kingdoms of this world
shall "become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ and He shall reign forever and ever" (Rev. 11:15). That
knowledge gives this passage from 2nd Samuel (2nd Kings LXX) an importance far beyond an interesting study in Hebrew
antiquities!
The Lord promised David: "Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure for ever before Me" (vs. 16). In the
Septuagint (LXX), the word is "oikos," which connotes "household," or in the case of a king, implies his "dynasty," as the
"house of Romanov" or the "house of Tudor." The implication of the term promises a continuity of blood lineage. Both
St. Matthew and St. Luke, with variations in what they report, carefully place the Lord Jesus within the blood lineage of St.
Joseph, the spouse of the Theotokos, which they trace back to King David.
Of greater significance, however, is the lineage of the Virgin Mary since the Lord was conceived in her without earthly
father. In the tradition of the Holy Fathers: "she, being like a precious stone, was of royal lineage, having descended from
David, who placed a stone in his sling and with it killed Goliath, which stone foreshadowed the Rock that is Christ. And
she was fashioned, as it were, from aromatic woods of cedar and cypress, being of priestly ancestors as well, who offered
God sweet-smelling sacrifices. Her father, the holy righteous Joachim, was the son of Barpaphira, who traced his ancestry
to Nathan, the son of David" (see 2 Sam. 5:14). Second, God promised David "that I will raise up thy seed after thee, even
thine own issue, and I will establish his kingdom...and I will set up his throne for ever" (2 Sam 7:12,13 LXX). Measured in
historical terms, the dynasty of David apparently ended with the Babylonian exile, for the Hasmonean kings did not lay
claim to Davidic ancestry, yet the Apostolic witness is careful to declare such a bloodline for the Lord Jesus. Even if the
Hasmoneans had claimed to have Davidic blood, their throne was superseded by Idumeans in the Herods, and all kings of
Judah were abolished by the Romans. Rome settled her doubts about Jesus, for Pontius Pilate believed that he had
eliminated Him as a royal threat. How the Lord of history thwarts empires! "Come, let us all extol David...the grandparent
of God; for from him...did shine forth Christ!"
Most wonderful is the final element in the Divine promise to David, for the Lord promised David that his Son, Who would
establish an everlasting kingdom, would have an enduring love relationship between Himself and God His Father. God
specifically promised David: "I will not take My steadfast love from Him" (vs. 15). The Lord Jesus, great David's greater
Son, in His prayer to His heavenly Father, affirmed an eternal loving relationship between Himself and His Father for all to
consider forever: "I have declared unto them [the Disciples] Thy Name, and will declare it, that the love wherewith Thou
hast loved Me may be in them, and I in them" (Jn. 17:26). Who could doubt that the essence of the relationship between
the Lord Jesus and God the Father was and is and shall always be anything but love?
Let us celebrate the memory of David the Prophet-king of true worship, so that being saved from error by his teachings,
and by God's true promises to him, we may glorify Christ Who shone forth Incarnate from the Virgin to save our souls.
Sun., Dec. 12, 2004 Fish, Wine, & Oil (Tone 3)
Sunday of the Holy Forefathers of Christ
Kellia: 2 Samuel 8:1-15 MT (2 Kings 8:1-15 LXX) Epistle: Colossians 1:12-18 Gospel: St. Luke 14:16-24
2 Samuel 8:1-15, especially vs. 6: "Then David put garrisons in Aram of Damascus; and the
Syrians became servants to David and brought tribute. And the Lord gave victory to David wherever he went." The
present passage demonstrates the policy of Israel's ancient king, David, to extend the borders of his nation to encompass all
the lands which the Lord had initially promised to His People in the days of the Prophet Joshua: "from the wilderness and
this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, to the Great Sea toward the going
down of the sun shall be your territory" (Josh. 1:4). This ancient policy concerns present-day Syrians, Lebanese, and
Palestinians with regard to modern Israel. The Book of Judges discloses that the people of Israel did not fulfill what the
Lord required in order for them to receive the Holy Land: to "make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land" and to
"break down their altars" so that only true religion would flourish throughout the whole country (Jdg. 2:2). Rather, for
several hundred years, they "went after other gods from among the gods of the peoples who were round about them" (Jdg.
2:12), and the Lord "gave them over to plunderers who plundered them; and He sold them into the power of their enemies
round about, so that they could no longer withstand their enemies" (Jdg. 2:14). Then how they longed for a strong leader,
anointed of the Lord, to gain victory "wherever he went" (2 Sam. 8:6).
The Book of First Samuel (1st Kings LXX) describes how God raised up the great Prophet Samuel, who "judged Israel all
the days of his life" from his home in Ramah administering "justice to Israel" (1 Sam. 7:15-17). It also reveals that when
Samuel grew old, the Lord directed him to "hearken to the voice of the people" in their desire for a king and at the same
time solemnly to "warn them, and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them" (1 Sam. 8:7,9). As the Lord
directed, Samuel anointed the two men who were to serve as the nation's first kings: Saul the son of Kish (1 Sam. 10:1)
and, when Saul proved disobedient to the Lord, then David, the son of Jesse (1 Sam. 16:12,13).
The Second Book of Samuel reveals that David was a strong ruler who meted out both tough justice and gracious mercy.
Today's reading provides a glimpse into the methods he used to extend the borders of Israel out to those limits which God
had promised to Joshua centuries before. It is an account of the use of uncompromising warfare to assert national
sovereignty, with the goal of subduing Israel's neighbors, incorporating territories which God intended to be part of greater
Israel, and administering "justice and equity" to all of the People.
The Philistines, an aggressive sea people established along the coastal plain of Palestine, were the first major nation to be
subdued by David. The battles with them described in earlier chapters (2 Sam. 5:17-25) revea