Sunday, October 17, 2004 (Tone 3)
Holy Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council
3rd Vespers, Fathers of 7th Council: Deuteronomy 10:14-21 Epistle: Titus 3:8-15
Gospel: St. Matthew 5:14-19
Deuteronomy 10:14-21, especially vss. 20, 21: "You shall
fear the Lord your God; you shall serve Him and cleave to Him, and by His Name you shall
swear. He is your praise; He is your God." There are those in this generation who are deeply
intrigued with the idea of "reinventing" themselves, society, and the world. They see few limits
or restraints upon their lives and what they can do. They encourage themselves, and they urge
others, to "be everything you can envision." In point of fact, this ideology of self-defining is as
old as the history of the human race. The illumined Christian, however, sees immediately that it
is the age-old song of the serpent who used the identical ploy to lure our first parents into the idea
that they might "be like God" (Gen. 3:5), which they believed to the havoc of all mankind.
How different is the voice of the Prophet Moses who urges us to "fear the Lord your God...serve
Him...cleave to Him" and "swear by His Name" (Deut. 10:20). Let us not pass over this
admonition through God's Prophet because he spoke these words to the ancient People of God
ages before the Incarnation of our God and Savior Jesus Christ. The words apply to us just as
they did to our forerunners in Faith. Yes, they were Jews and we are Christians, but God is the
same yesterday, today, and forever. The Prophet's words are for us. Let us see how this is so.
Since the God of Whom Moses spoke is the same God to Whom we direct our prayers in the
Divine Liturgy, He has not changed. No matter how different the world of the ancient Near-East
may appear in its tangible and material culture from the technological environment that spins
around us, God is unchanged. The Lord of Whom the Prophet spoke still is the God to Whom
belongs "heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it" (vs. 14).
As Christians, we have a greater certainty that "the Lord set His heart in love upon...[us] above
all peoples, as at this day" (vs. 15). Who can look upon Christ our God in His Extreme Humility
or at His Harrowing of Hades and doubt that God has set His heart in love upon us - and such
love, such extraordinary love, for us above all peoples and yet for all peoples?
Yes, in the age of Christ, Baptism has replaced Circumcision among the People of God, but the
issue of stubborn hearts (vs. 16) is ours as it was for the People of Israel. Thus, we pray God to
expel from our hearts "every evil and impure spirit" that would make a lair within us.
Moses makes much of the connection between the nature of God and the manner in which we are
to respond to the defenseless around us. God is great, mighty, and terrible, yet He is never
"partial and takes no bribe," but rather "executes justice for the widow, and loves the sojourner,
giving him food and clothing" (vss. 17-18). Likewise, as People of God, we are to "love the
sojourner, for [we] were sojourners in the land of Egypt" (vs. 19).
Christ has shown us that, as He is the image of the invisible God, so are we, but though we are
made in God's image, we manifest our true nature only as we act as God does. Hence, the
Apostle John urges us to remember that only he who "loves is born of God and knows God" (1
Jn. 4:7). As God is impartial, so we are not to show "partiality among [ourselves]" (Jas. 2:4).
Moses reminded the ancients that they were to fear the Lord [their] God...serve Him and cleave to
Him" as their praise and God, remembering, especially, all He "has done for you these great and
terrible things which your eyes have seen" (Deut 10: 20,21). How much more has God done for
us in Christ: "the Cross, the Grave, the Resurrection on the third day, the Ascension into heaven,
the Session at the right hand and the second and glorious Advent."
"Come let us worship and fall down before Christ. Save us O Son of God, Who art risen from
the dead, who sing to Thee: Alleluia."