Thursday, January 8, 2004
The Venerable George the Chosebite
Kellia: 4 Kings 2:19-22 Epistle: Hebrews 10:35-11:7 Gospel: St. Mark 12:38-44
4 Kings 2:19-22 LXX (2 K 2:19-22 MT), especially vs. 21, "Thus saith the
Lord, I have healed these waters; there shall not be any longer death thence or barren land."
The Great Blessing of the Water is appointed twice at the Feast of Theophany. The first takes
place on the paramon (the day of preparation for the Feast), and the other takes place on the day
of the Feast itself. There is no difference between the two services. Where both Blessings are
celebrated, some among the Faithful have adopted the pious custom of drinking the waters of the
first blessing for health and spiritual refreshment (since the Fifth is a strict fast day), and then of
sprinkling their homes with the water from the second blessing. However, the distinction between
these blessed waters is purely customary and not a canonical requirement. The water from either
service may just as well be used for both purposes.
The present Old Testament reading draws our hearts to a consideration of the Great Blessing of
the Water and of its meaning, as do also the three Old Testament lessons appointed for reading at
the blessing: Is. 35:1-10 (see Jan. 4), Is. 55:1-13 (see Jan. 20), and Is. 12:3-6 (see Jan. 5). The
present passage focuses on the importance of water spiritually and physically, its place in hearts
and souls and as a medium for God's cleansing, renewing, and healing work.
Much could be said about the general necessity of water for human communities and for all other
living creatures who share the earth with us. When the Prophet Elisha cleansed the springs which
served as Jericho's water supply, he pronounced the will of God: that all water should be health-giving and never the cause of any "death thence or barren land" (4K 2:21). This explicit
declaration of the will of God surely remains as a motivation compelling us to cooperate with the
goals of public legislation such as the United States Clean Water Act of 1972.
As stewards of the earth's rivers, lakes, and coastal waters, Orthodox Christians anywhere in the
world have an obligation to bend our energies to assure the future of the world's water resources
for drinking, fishing, and swimming. Yes, we are not free to turn on the water tap, mindless of
our stake in all efforts to clean up pollution and to pass on a heritage of clean, potable, life-supporting water to the human generations and all the other life forms after us.
The men of Jericho approached the Prophet Elisha for his help with the city's springs, for they
realized that their water supply problems were not merely an issue of physical contamination but
were a difficulty having a spiritual dimension as well (vs. 19). There will be no instant solutions
to the rapid degradation of the world's waters so long as human hearts and souls are not healed.
Until we approach the basic elements of earth with reverence, we labor in vain to heal the springs
of our cities and lands. The Great Blessing calls water "a gift of sanctification, a deliverance
from sins unto healing of soul and body and unto every expedient purpose."
Let us realize our relationship with water as a fellow 'creature' upon which we depend both
physically and spiritually. May God also open the eyes of our hearts to the sacramental role of
water. In the great mystery of His infinite love, God cleansed the water of Jericho in a rite of
blessing for life in that city and for the whole ecosystem within which it was situated. So let us
also drink the Divinely blessed waters of Theophany and sprinkle them upon our homes,
rejoicing as the Priests bless our homes. God, the Holy and Life-giving Trinity is among us
giving "redemption, the blessing of Jordan," providing for the "remission of sins...protection
against disease...destruction of demons" unto the cleansing of our hearts and souls.
Great art Thou, O Lord, and wondrous are Thy works and no words sufficeth to hymn Thy
wonders. Glory to Thee O Lord. Glory to Thee.