Tuesday, September 14, 2004 Strict Fast Day
The Elevation of the Holy Cross
3rd at Vespers, Elevation of Cross: Isaiah 60:11-16 Epistle: 1 Corinthians 1:18-24
Gospel: St. John 19:6-20, 25-28, 30-35
Isaiah 60:11-16 LXX, especially vs. 15: "Because thou hast become
desolate and hated, and there was no helper, therefore I will make thee a perpetual gladness, a
joy of many generations." In English usage the personal pronouns, "thee" and "thou" and
"thine," are largely unused in everyday speech, although they are retained in many of the
Church's hymns and liturgical texts. With the loss of these forms to English speakers came the
loss of that ready ability to distinguish between "you" designating an individual and "you" when
including two or more persons. In everyday speech, we compensate for the loss by adding "all
of"or "both of" before "you." The retention of the intimate personal forms in the Church's
Scriptures and prayers helps in two ways: in praying to the Lord our God more reverently and in
discerning who is being addressed in passages such as today's reading from Isaiah the Prophet.
Read again this passage from Isaiah and consider: "Who is speaking?" and "Who is being
addressed?" In studying the passage, one sees that verses 13 and 15 lead finally to verse 16
where the question, "Who is speaking," is answered: "the Lord that saves thee and delivers thee,
the Holy One of Israel." Then the question remains "To whom is God speaking?" All the verses
which have "thees" and "thous" point to verse 14 for the answer. There God declares: "thou shalt
be called Zion, the city of the Holy One of Israel." When the Prophet Isaiah penned these words,
being a Prophet of "the Holy One of Israel," he was referring to the ancient People of God, Israel,
and to their capital city, Jerusalem, built around the Temple Mount, called "Zion." In Hebrew,
the word "zion" or "tsiyon" means variously "a bare height, a bald spot, a waterless land, or the
specific location called Mount Zion"- depending on how the vowels are marked. Hence, "Zion,"
as a proper name, came to be used in Scripture, meaning, the vicinity of the Temple, the city of
Jerusalem where the Temple is located, or the entire covenant community of God's People (for
examples, see 2 Sam. 5:7; Is. 1:27; or Ps. 96:8 LXX).
Orthodox Christians, however, recognize the use of Zion as a reference to the Church, the
present day People of God: consider the Ninth Ode of the Paschal Canon: "Shine, shine, O new
Jerusalem; for the glory of the Lord hath risen upon thee. Rejoice and exult now, O Zion...."
Therefore, the Faithful understand that this passage from Isaiah is addressed to them as the
Church, the People of the Life-giving Trinity. Herein, our Blessed and Holy God is speaking to
us, His beloved ones in Christ; and He speaks to us in a most personal and loving manner.
Look again at the passage: we are the community whose gates are open continuously, day and
night, for all mankind, so that the strength of all the nations of the earth may be brought to Christ
our God, so that their rulers, captivated by His truth and love, may serve Him (Is. 60:11). Sadly,
those who will not do so shall perish ultimately (vs. 12). The substance of all the trees of
Lebanon, and of every land for that matter, shall be honored by the wood of that "throne" upon
which our King reigned for our salvation - the Tree of the Cross, His most holy place (vs. 13).
The history of the Church supports the prophecy that even "them that afflicted thee...shall come
to thee" in reverential fear as the city of God (vs. 14). Yes, the Church has been hated, but it
lives eternally and proclaims the blessings of salvation for all peoples. Therefore, its glory and
destiny is "a perpetual gladness, a joy of many generations" (vs.15). The unique gifts and riches
of all the nations feed the life of God's People. We know the One among us, the One Who says,
"I Am the Lord that saves thee and delivers thee, the Holy One of Israel" (vs. 16). I have heard,
O Lord, the mystery of Thy dispensation, and have contemplated Thy works. Wherefore, have I
glorified Thy Godhead.