Tuesday, January 20, 2004
The Venerable Euthymios the Great
Kellia: Isaiah 55:1-13 Epistle: Hebrews 10:21-33 Gospel: St. Luke 6:17-23
Isaiah 55:1-13, especially vs. 1, "Ho, every one who thirsts, come to the
waters...." This passage is all about Christ Jesus. He is the message delivered to us from the
Holy and life-giving Trinity by the Prophet Isaiah, for God the Lord speaks to concerning Christ,
our Incarnate God and Savior, imploring us to come to Him, to "come to the Waters." Christ
speaks here much in the same manner that He spoke to the woman at the well: "If you knew the
gift of God, and Who it is Who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and
He would have given you living water." God's invitation through Isaiah parallels the admonition
of St. Ambrose of Milan: "Buy Christ for yourself, then, not with what few men possess, but with
what all men possess by nature, but few offer on account of fear."
First, the Lord Jesus is Bread without price offered freely, the Bread that truly does satisfy, for
He is "the Bread of life [and] he who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me
shall never thirst." (Jn. 6:35).
In addition, those who partake of Him, "eat and drink wine and fat without money or price" (Is.
55:1, 2 LXX). In the sacrifices of ancient Israel, the fat of the animal was considered the best
portion. Therefore the fat was reserved exclusively to God as a holocaust (Lev. 3:16). Christ
Jesus offered Himself entirely to God and is the best portion we may ever offer to God.
Understand from this reading that the soul that comes to the Lord Jesus and hears Him, lives (Is.
55:3), a truth which Christ God Himself reiterates: "come to Me that you may have life" (Jn.
5:40), and "have it more abundantly" (Jn. 10:10).
The prophecy of Isaiah calls the Lord Jesus "an everlasting covenant" (Is. 55:3). For the Faithful,
baptized and united to Christ, who remain united to Him, He is eternal life: "this is the will of
Him Who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting
life" (Jn. 6:40). Pray that Christ may give you light (Eph. 5:14).
Also, Christ is the fulfillment of the promise to King David (Is. 55:3), for at one time God
promised David "I will not lie; his seed for ever shall abide, and his throne shall be as the sun
before Me, and as the moon that is established for ever" (Ps. 88:34, 35 LXX: Ps. 89:35, 36 MT).
And now this is fulfilled, for Jesus is, indeed, "exalted to the right hand of God" (Acts 2:33).
Being seated at the right hand of God, the Lord Jesus will one day be blessed as "a Prince and
Commander to the nations" (Is. 55:4). The word used in the Septuagint is "ethne," referring to
peoples and nations other than the Jews. Already today the Lord is the Divine, historical Witness
to the true nature of the Godhead to all nations (vs. 4). As a result, for several of the world's
peoples He has become Prince and Commander (vs. 4). Nations that He did not know have
turned to Him, because "the Holy One of Israel...has glorified [Him]" (vs. 5).
Therefore, we are to seek Christ "while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near" (vs.
6), that "He may have mercy on [us], and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon" (vs. 7). Let
us not hesitate to do this for, as Theodoret of Cyrus admonishes: "He will give you a portion in
His mercy and make you a gift of deliverance from your sins."
Above all, let us be confident in all this, for the message from the Father is that Christ our God is
the eternal Word "that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, but it shall
accomplish that which I purpose" (vs. 11), a fact beyond all human thought (vss. 8, 9).
The Lord Jesus has accomplished, is accomplishing, and will accomplish that for which God the
Father sent Him (vss. 10-11), a fact that should give us great joy and peace (vs.12).
Great art Thou, O Lord, and no word sufficeth to hymn Thy wonders.