Thurs, Nov. 18, 2004 Nativity Fast
Martyrs Platon, Romanos, Zacchaeos & Anastasios
Kellia: Judges 19:22-28 Epistle: 2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5 Gospel: St. Luke 13:1-9
Judges 19:22-28, especially vs. 22: "And they [the old man and his
guests] were comforting their hearts, when behold, the men of the city, sons of transgressors,
compassed the house, knocking at the door; and they spoke to the old man the owner of the
house, saying, 'Bring out the man who came into they house, that we may know him.'" In his
essay, Terrorism: The Ritual of the Devil, Harun Yabya, says plainly that "the Devil....is often
behind certain events which impel human societies into disaster and which cause harm to the
innocent." Could this grizzly instance of violated hospitality have been anything less than a work
of Satan? Only those who already have wholly given over control of their lives to the enemy
could even consider such actions as the men of Gibeah carried out.
What light does God reveal to our hearts from this terrible record of despicable events? First is
the knowledge that the revulsion and grief which arises in us as we read of blatant evil is ours by
the grace of God through Whom "we have the mind of Christ" (1 Cor 2:16). Second, our Lord
kindly is warning us to turn away from the first hints of craving by our passions, for He knows
well the weakness of our flesh before the power of the evil one. Being Lover of mankind, He
would save us from maniacal corruption. Third, the Lord contrasts the beauty and warmth of
genuine hospitality with a most terrifying account of violated hospitality so that, anticipating
sudden reversals in this life, we may receive whatever happens with peace of heart and soul,
knowing that even the worst comes to us by Divine allowance.
Horror and repugnance are healthy responses to unbounded depredation. If a hostage is beheaded
by a fanatic, the feelings of grief, loathing, and anger are God-given. They are evidence of His
grace at work in us. However, if we couple the revulsion, which God in His grace places in our
hearts, with hatred toward the killers, we spoil and waste the grace by which we are able to detest
evil. And if we are proud that we never would participate in violent acts of savagery, let us
reconsider and confess our sin of pride to God and acknowledge the weakness in our flesh that
could allow us to join in some vicious mob action. The gift of the "mind of Christ" is just that - a
gift, a blessing from God to keep us far from terrible feelings and actions engendered by Satan.
We think of St. Paul as an example and proponent of every effort to attain "love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (Gal 5:22-23) , yet he
calls himself "chief" among sinners (1 Tim. 1:15). Are we better than the great Apostle to the
Gentiles? It is fearsome to face one's capacity for barbarity and mania, yet blessed is the
Christian who encounters the power of evil to stir the heart and repents for his own readiness to
take up "the first stone" (Jn 8:7).
Let us pray for the grace of God to keep us from every sin and to be unceasingly watchful over
our hearts, ready to reject every suggestion from the Devil to indulge our passions. The old man,
who provided hospitality to the travelers who came in innocence, was ready even to offer his
virgin daughter, but the Levite intervened to save the maiden by "[laying] hold of his concubine,
and [bringing] her out" to the crazed men of Gibeah (Jdgs 19:25). Both the old man and the
Levite knew that hospitality is sacred and inviolable.
Finally, let us ever be aware of how quickly pleasantry and good times can become shattered and
thrown into the past, as when a terrorist walks into a wedding party and blows himself up. The
comfort of heart enjoyed by those in the old man's home was rudely ended by the demands of the
mob at the door to "know" the stranger (vs. 22). Still, as Metropolitan Philaret has taught us,
when reversals intrude, let us pray God to "teach us to treat all that comes to us throughout the
day with peace of soul and with firm conviction that Thy will governs all."