Monday, May 16, 2005
CHRIST IS RISEN!
The Venerable Theodore the Sanctified
15th Vigil of Pascha: Song of Three 23-68 Apostle: Acts 6:8-7:5, 47-60 Gospel: St. John 4:46-54
46-54, especially vs. 53: "So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus
said to him, 'Your son lives.' And he himself believed, and his whole household." In commenting on this passage, St. John
Chrysostom advances an especially arresting thought: "For here He healeth the father, sick in mind, no less than the son, in
order to persuade us to give heed to Him, not by reason of His miracles, but of His teaching. For miracles are not for the
Faithful, but for the unbelieving and the grosser sort." Taking Chrysostom's thought in account, let us note how the Lord
Jesus enlarges this father's understanding in three steps, each step healing the man more deeply than the previous one.
At the beginning of the account, the son of the nobleman was "at the point of death" (vs. 47). The father did not ask, he
implored, revealing a natural fear in the face of imminent death. He swiftly tied information he already had about the Lord
Jesus to the news that Jesus was now come into Galilee. Small rural communities have rapid communication networks for
passing news. There was no reflection on the man's part. The anxious father, mobilized by hearing that Jesus was near,
"went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son" (vs. 47).
Consider the father's situation when he left for Cana. Many remedies had proven useless. His child was dying (vs. 47),
and so the loving parent was open to any solution. Normal cures had failed. Since Jesus had been in Capernaum with His
family and His disciples after His first sign, the nobleman likely knew about Him (Jn. 2:12). More so, reports existed of
Jesus' effective spiritual power (vss. 45,47), and therein the father perceived a solution. Now, Jesus was nearby in Cana
(vs. 46) where He had supplied wine in abundance merely by commands (Jn. 2:7-9).
In addition, there had been other signs while the Lord Jesus was in Jerusalem (Jn. 2:23). Many Galileans already believed
the Lord was a Prophet (Jn. 4:44,45). Word was out. As a court official, the nobleman was in close touch with events in
the Capital. At the least this father exhibited a "try-anything," pragmatic form of "faith." His spiritual state at this point
was based on objective action and physical presence. He could not imagine "long distance" healing. He wanted Jesus in
Capernaum - at the place where the boy lay dying (Jn. 4:47).
Next observe how the Lord began to heal the father. First, He chastened him, but He did so in general terms, for in
responding to the father, the Lord framed His comments about signs and wonders to include all who are spiritually
dependent on tangible evidence. Still, in times of real need there is openness to change, so the official spoke to Jesus,
showing high respect, even calling Him "Kyrie," "Lord" or "Sir" (vs. 49). Thus the father pressed his need, not defending
his shallow faith, but taking one more step toward deeper faith. Note that his trust grew when the Lord said: "Go, Thy son
lives." The father obeyed (vs. 50). Be sure to observe what St. John adds: "the man believed the word that Jesus spoke"
(vs. 50). Spiritually, the nobleman had begun to trust in the unseen, spiritual powers lodged in Jesus' spoken words.
The third phase of the nobleman's healing came when he realized that his son's health had improved "at the same hour in
which Jesus" had declared the boy well (vs. 53). A third advance occurred in his faith development. The father moved
from trust in the Lord's words to trust in the Lord Himself, in His Person. The nobleman became one of the Faithful, a
believer, a Christian, a disciple of Christ, and more! He became a man of contagious faith. He drew his entire household
into the Church (vs. 53). May God heal each of us with such faith!
O Master, Who lovest mankind, grant me the healing of my soul and body, a faith invincible, a love unfeigned, unto the
fulfilling of wisdom, and growth in Thy divine grace.
Tues., May 17, 2005
CHRIST IS RISEN!
Apostles Andronikos & Junia of the Seventy
Kellia: Deuteronomy 1:1-5 Apostle: Acts 8:5-17 Gospel: St. John 6:27-33
St. John 6:27-33, especially vs. 33: "For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives
life to the world." To be an Orthodox Christian is to accept a life-long series of surrenders through which I am weaned
away from this seemingly normal, material-centered life into which everyone is born, in order to be reshaped into a very
different person. I am called to gain a brand-new life-purpose, a primary commitment for measuring all claims and
loyalties, and an unshakeable bond with every sort of human being throughout the world. Weaning, changing, and being
reshaped do not come easily for earth-bound people. Observe a child during the months when it is being taken away from
the breast or the bottle and is gaining a minimum facility with cup, plate, and table service. During such a time one may
discern in microcosm something of the spiritual struggle required by the life in Christ. No easy task!
In the present passage, the Evangelist John introduces his readers to the personal realignments that Christ our God requires
of those who approach Him for whatever reason. The key to understanding these verses as well as to appreciating how
revolutionary it is to be a Christian, is to grasp the profound conflict inherent in the interaction between the Lord Jesus and
the multitude who had pursued Him ever since He had fed them (Jn. 6:1-14). First, they determined to "take Him by force
to make Him king," an act which He resisted by departing "to the mountain by Himself alone" (Jn. 6:15). When they
caught up with Him, He confronted their search for Him by pointing out that they had failed to see the point of His
miraculous signs but instead sought Him only because they "ate of the loaves and were filled" (Jn. 6:26).
On the basis of His diagnosis of their purpose in life, the Lord Jesus advises them - and us - to change basic purposes and
"not labor for the bread which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life" (Jn. 6:27). Being an authentic
follower of Christ Jesus is to abandon the commonplace purpose which underlies the lives of the vast majority of people in
the world in favor of laboring for a spiritual bread which not only "endures to everlasting life," but also which the Son of
Man alone can and will "give...because God the Father has set His seal on Him" (vs. 27). For fallen creatures, dominated by
cravings for material returns, His demand is quite a reversal.
According to our Lord Jesus, what then is the guiding commitment around which people should organize their energies?
What ought to be the undergirding goal determining all of one's loyalties and priorities? Christ our God states it very
simply: "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him Whom He sent" (vs. 29). Believing in Jesus Christ must be first
and foremost. What is more, as the Evangelist shows us, this demand of the Lord was and is difficult for many to grasp.
The mob quite missed the point: "What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You" (vs. 30). Still
thinking in material terms, they hold up to Jesus the miracle of the manna in the wilderness which "our fathers ate...in the
desert" (vs. 31) - a challenge that He top that ancient miracle. Ironically, their challenge was quite ill-informed, for the
Christ had already fed them, five thousand strong, with fives loaves and two fish (Jn. 6:9). The Lord Jesus is very blunt
concerning the manna, or bread, which the people received under Moses. It was "not the bread from heaven," but material
food that fed physical bodies. Still, there is a "bread from heaven" which God the "Father gives...the true bread from
heaven" (Jn. 6:32), and that is "He Who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world" (vs. 33), Jesus Himself.
How He strove to give them and us Himself - the true, eternal blessing of God! O taste and see that the Lord is good,
Who for our sake was made like unto us of old and once for all offered up Himself...sanctifying those who partake of Him.
Wed., May 18, 2005
CHRIST IS RISEN!
Stephen the New, Patriarch of Constantinople
Kellia: Deuteronomy 1:5-18 Apostle: Acts 8:18-28 Gospel: St. John 6:35-39
St. John 6:35-39, especially vs. 35: "...He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he
who believes in Me shall never thirst." Receiving Holy Communion appears to be simple and straightforward enough: the
communicant approaches the Holy Chalice, the Kalymma, or Holy Napkin, is placed under his chin, and he receives the
Holy Gifts from the Labis or Eucharistic Spoon. Without doubt, the spiritual act of Holy Communion is far more complex.
Spiritual realities flash and radiate within and around each communicant as he receives: worthiness, fear, love,
condemnation, mystery, conscience, forgiveness, the Holy Spirit, the Kingdom of Heaven, Divine Mercy, Holy Fire from
God, purification of sins, enlightenment of the soul, the Church, the indwelling of Christ, and the Last Great Judgment.
The poor human mind, heart, and soul cannot comprehend all these realities, and yet they impinge upon each of us as we
receive. Consider just three aspects of Holy Communion which the Lord sets forward in today's reading: receiving the
Body and Blood of Christ takes away hunger forever (vs. 35), Holy Communion satisfies a thirst which is otherwise
unquenchable (vs. 35), and partaking of the Holy Gifts tenders Resurrection to the one who communicates (vs. 39). First,
the Lord says, we must "come to" Him when we receive (vs. 35). So much is imbedded in this tiny phrase. Yes, we
approach on our feet and draw near the Chalice with our bodies, but so often our souls and hearts are very greatly scattered!
How we need to gather up the disparate elements of our being into a concerted, focused reception! Still, Christ our God
will help us as we exert ourselves to meet Him. So, let us cry out from our hearts, that the Lord Jesus will open the eyes of
our hearts to see Him, so that we may approach Him not wandering. Observe how the Lord reminds us to come to Him:
He says, "I Am the Bread come down from Heaven" (Jn. 6:33) that your spiritual hunger may be taken away. Notice that
He separates spiritual hunger from spiritual thirst. What is the meaning of this distinction? Taking earthly food supplies
different physical processes than does the drinking of liquids, even though the two are closely related. Solid food
"nourishes;" drink "quenches."
To receive His Immaculate Body nourishes the whole of our being. If we set our hearts and minds on the "simplicity that is
in Christ" (2 Cor. 11:3), striving to drive off all else that intrudes, then, by God's grace, we shall be fed with Him and by
Him Who is eternal Truth and Life. Let us seek Him alone and "apply [our] heart to understanding.... [that we] procure not
the reproaches of bad men [nor] covet their ways" (Prov. 2:2; 3:31 LXX). Let us be assured: the Lord will nourish our
flagging spirit, and we shall find the strength to do His will. Let us say, "O Lord, have mercy on me, heal my soul, for I
have sinned against Thee" (Ps. 40:4 LXX), then will our mouth be "filled with joy, and our tongue with rejoicing" (Ps.
125:2 LXX).
As we set our hearts upon Him and open to Him Who knocks, He comes to sup with us and dwells with us (Rev. 3:20).
Truly, "my soul thirsted for God, the mighty, the living" (Ps. 41:2 LXX), "my throat is become hoarse from my hoping in
God" (Ps. 68:4 LXX), yet He promises, "when their tongue is parched with thirst, I the Lord God...will not forsake them,
but open rivers on the mountains, and fountains in the midst of plains" (Is. 41:17,18 LXX).
Finally, when we "see" Him in the Holy Gifts and believe in Him, then, in receiving His Immaculate Body and Precious
Blood, we are infused with the Risen Lord Himself Who imparts everlasting life to us (Jn. 6:40). Let us not doubt that He
will raise us up on the last day!
Even unto my last breath, may I worthily partake of Thy Holy Things, unto the remission of my sins and unto life eternal, O
Thou Who art the Bread of Life and the Fountain of holiness.
Thursday, May 19, 2005
CHRIST IS RISEN!
Hieromartyr Patrick, Bishop of Prussa
1st Vespers Constantine & Helen: 3 Kings 8:22-23, 27-30 Apostle: Acts 8:18-25 Gospel: St. John 6:40-44
St. John 6:40-44, especially vs. 44: "No one can come to Me unless the Father Who sent
Me draws him...." Most Christians have friends or family members like the people of Capernaum: those who stand off
from the Faith and resist the claims of Christ on their lives (vss. 41,42). We yearn for them to know the joy of our Holy
Faith, but they do not "see." They do not "believe in" the Lord. Still, the Lord speaks of others who do see "the Son and
believe in Him." (vs. 40). Why the difference? In today's reading, the Lord addresses several aspects of the answer to this
question: 1) failure to see (vs. 40), 2) failure to believe in Him (vs. 40), and 3) resisting the Father Who draws men to
Himself (vs. 44).
Undeniably, God has all the power needed to draw men to Christ. The case of Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus is
famous (Acts 9:3-8). Also, there have been historical periods when God appears to have created widespread willingness to
see and believe in Christ. During such seasons, multitudes of men and women have flocked to the Good Shepherd. Why
then, at present, are so many not coming, so many showing no signs of being drawn? Let us recall that God's gift of
freedom to mankind includes the freedom to resist Him. Judas Iscariot was drawn to Christ but not forced to honor Him.
Ananias and Sapphira were drawn to God, yet they turned aside (Acts 5:1-10). God's love does not fail. Rather, men are
free to turn aside, refrain, and hold back from love. Still there is the wonder: God does draw men and women to Himself!
The Lord describes the Faithful as those "who see the Son" (vs. 40). Some perceive within themselves that Jesus is the Son
of God. We describe such persons as believers. Those who do not "see" are not believers. Such perception is called
illumination. Because seeing is essential, we pray that those who come into the Faith may "know that Thou art the only
true God with Thine Only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ." About those who do not see, St. Paul observes: "the god
of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not" (2 Cor. 4:4). The Lord continues describing the Faithful
as those who, having seen the Son, "believe in Him" (vs. 40). A critical step must be taken after agreeing with the idea that
Christ might have a claim on one's life. To say that "Jesus is God" may be either "an interesting idea," or perhaps "a
ridiculous idea." The issue of commitment is put before candidates at Baptism: "Dost thou unite thyself unto Christ?" If
one agrees, then he is challenged yet again: "Dost thou believe in Him?"
One may easily believe that a person like Hitler or Stalin was a great leader. Historically, it was quite another matter to say,
"I believe in Hitler," or "I unite myself to Stalin." Wherever the Gospel of Christ has been preached there have been those
who have "begged that these words might be preached to them" (Acts 13:42), and there have been "those who were filled
with envy, and contradicting and blaspheming...opposed [to] the things spoken" (Acts 13:45). Ultimately, one chooses to
submit to Christ as Lord and God, or one does not. God does not force Himself.
A constant factor that applies to every person who "hears" the Gospel, is the love of God the Father Who draws all men to
Himself through Christ. The Lord says explicitly: "God [the Father] so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son
that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (Jn. 3:16). The Christian knows that "the spirit of
error, the spirit of guile, the spirit of idolatry and of every concupiscence" operates through the prompting of Satan to blind
men's perception of the Son, to prevent them from believing in Him, thereby making them enemies of God. Let us pray for
those who are resisting the Lord.
O Master, Lord our God, call to Thy holy Illumination Thy children who see Thee not and who believe Thee not, and grant
them great grace to be renewed unto life everlasting.
Friday, May 20, 2005
CHRIST IS RISEN!
Ethelbert, Martyr & King of East Anglia
2nd Vespers Constantine & Helen: Isaiah 61:10-62:5 Apostle: Acts 8:40-9:19 Gospel: St. John 6:48-54
St. John 6:48-54, especially vs. 54: "Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has
eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." By speaking of Holy Communion as the Mystic Supper or as the Holy
Mysteries, and especially by referring to the Holy Gifts as the Bread of Life, let us be careful not to reduce the Eucharistic
elements by spiritualizing them. Orthodox Christians mean exactly the words we confess: "I believe that this is truly Thine
own immaculate Body, and that this is truly Thine own precious Blood."
Father Anthony Coniaris disabuses all notions which stray in the direction of reducing the bread and wine to allegories,
emblems, representative symbols, or a "pure," immaterial, spiritual substance. He exhorts us to be forthright: "The bread
and the wine that are received at Communion are literally His Body and Blood. They are not merely symbols. For Jesus
Himself said, 'For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed'" (Jn. 6:55). These words of the Lord stand as
the touchstone of the Faithful as we receive Holy Communion.
We are always correct in referring to the Holy Gifts as the "Mysteries" of Christ's immaculate Body and precious Blood.
The Church steadfastly resists using feeble human words to define precisely how the elements of Bread and Wine are the
Body and Blood of Christ. The account of Uzzah's destruction serves as a warning against all attempts to depend solely on
human thinking to clarify what Faith declares about Holy Communion. That sad man "put forth his hand to the ark of
God," to steady it, thinking he could save it from falling when the oxen stumbled. For that act he was stricken dead
because of his presumption (2 Sam. 6:6,7).
On the other hand, we are not wrong to reflect upon what the Lord says in these verses from St. John. Let us, then, begin
with His statement, "I Am the bread of life " (vs. 48). As God, the Lord Jesus unquestionably is the source of all life - the
tree that buds, the tiniest baby in the womb, the vibrant presence we touch in a gifted artist, the faintest heartbeat we hear in
the breast of one near death. To partake of Holy Communion is to join ourselves to the Bread of Life Himself and to be
strengthened and renewed both for this life and for that life which shall be.
Notice in this passage that the Lord distinguishes sharply between Himself as "the Bread that comes down from Heaven"
and the "food which the fathers ate in the wilderness" (vss. 50,49). Both surely should be categorized as "miraculous"
food. Similarly may we understand the rich wine made from water at the wedding feast at Cana (Jn. 2:11) or the bread
multiplied by the Lord by fiat on the mountain by the Sea of Tiberias (Jn. 6:1-14). However, the Body and Blood received
in the Divine Liturgy stand apart even from these other miraculous foods.
The manna, the wedding wine, and the multiplied bread were time-limited. One ate or drank of them, and they nourished,
but only for a moment. When we partake of the Lord's Body and Blood we partake of eternity, that we "may eat of it and
not die" (vs. 50). To Commune is to trust in the Lord's promise that "Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has
eternal life" (vs. 54). All other "miraculous" foods, like all foods we receive, come from the hand of God, but they remain
types and shadows of the true life-giving Bread of Eternity.
Let us agree with St. John Chrysostom and "be blended into that flesh. This is effected by the food which He hath freely
given us....He hath mixed up Himself with us; He hath kneaded up His Body with ours, that we might be a certain One
Thing, like a body joined to a head." Christ Himself is received. We are united to His glory and become a terror to the
demons.
As I am become Thy Tabernacle through the reception of the Holy Communion, may all evil and all passion flee away from
me as from fire, O my Creator.
Sat., May 21, 2005
CHRIST IS RISEN!
Constantine & Helen, Equals-to-the-Apostles
3rd Vespers Constantine & Helen: Isaiah 60:1-16 Apostle: Acts 26:1, 12-20 Gospel: St. John 10:1-9
St. John 10:1-9, especially vss. 4, 5: "...the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice. Yet they
will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him...." By sure and certain steps, the Emperor Constantine turned
from the pagan heritage of his father, Constantius Chlorus, and heeded the voice of the Great Shepherd of the sheep, the
God and Savior, Jesus Christ, Him Who his mother Helena devoutly served. The Lord Jesus clearly spoke to Constantine
in his heart prior to the battle at the Milvian bridge in Rome; and, like others before him, Constantine "was not disobedient
to the heavenly vision" (Acts 26:19). He obediently followed the sign of the Cross into battle that day in 312 AD, and he
did so thereafter.
In the contemporary world, secularism, neo-paganism, along with eastern spiritualities, abound in the market-place of
ideas, confusing many so that they neither hear nor heed the voice of the Lord. On every side, we find those who assert
"This Man is not from God" (Jn. 9:16), "this man is a sinner" (Jn. 9:24), or "we do not know where He is from" (Jn. 9:29).
Beloved of the Lord, let us flee from such strange voices and follow Christ Who "calls His own sheep by name and leads
them out" (Jn. 10:3). His promise upheld Constantine and it extends to us: "If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and
will go in and out and find pasture" (Jn. 10:9).
How may we confidently know the voice of the Great Shepherd? He enters openly, candidly, without deception, "through
the door" (vs. 2). The doorkeeper, the Church with her Holy Tradition, opens to Him (vs. 3). The sheep follow Him, for
they know His voice (vs. 4). The Lord Jesus comes openly and directly to the sheep, to the People of God, unlike other
secular and religious teachers or authorities. Those climb "up some other way" (vs. 1), like thieves and robbers. Instead,
the Lord calls upon Moses and all the Prophets as His witnesses (Jn. 5:39; Lk. 16:31). He rejects any approach to God
which makes "the commandment of God of no effect by" insinuating one's own ideas or traditions into the plain word of
God (Mt. 15:6). The true Shepherd commands all men to honor God from the heart, and not to teach "as doctrines the
commandments of men" (Mt. 15:9). "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to
destroy but to fulfill" (Mt. 5:17). The Lord is ever open and faithful. He never swerves from Divine precepts in His
teaching, nor does He expect outward compliance, but an inward response from a pure heart: "You have heard that it was
said to those of old, 'You shall not murder'....But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall
be in danger of the judgment" (Mt. 5:21,22). Let us heed Him with our hearts.
Second, let us be confident that Jesus is the true Shepherd for "to Him the doorkeeper opens" (Jn. 10:3). St. John
Chrysostom observes that "the door" alluded to in this instance is the Holy Scriptures: "for they bring us to God, and open
to us the knowledge of God, they make the sheep, they guard them, and suffer not the wolves to come in after them. For
Scripture, like some sure door barreth the passage against the heretics, placing us in a state of safety as to all that we desire
and not allowing us to wander." In this vein, St. John continues, "there is nothing to hinder thee from supposing Moses to
be the doorkeeper, for to him were intrusted the oracles of God," which the Lord so clearly and plainly opened for us in His
teaching.
Finally, as the Lord proves Himself to be the Good Shepherd, "the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice" (vs. 4).
They know that the One Who calls them, leads them, as no other ever has or ever will, to true salvation, to "find pasture"
(vs. 9). In others, one can discern the marks of rebellion and sin, those deadly evils that infect the race of Adam, but in
Christ is life!
Thou hast anointed my head with oil, and Thy cup which filleth me, how excellent it is!
Sunday, May 22, 2005 (Tone 3)
CHRIST IS RISEN!
The Sunday of the Paralytic
Kellia: Deuteronomy 2:24-37 Apostle: Acts 9:32-42 Gospel: St. John 5:1-15
St. John 5:1-15, especially vs. 14: "...See you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing
come upon you." In the course of readings, this passage stands apart from the rest of chapter five from St. John's Gospel;
for the Spirit led the Church to place this account on a Sunday to draw our attention to the relationship between healing and
the Resurrection. In the healing of the paralytic, we are called to glorify our risen Savior, the Life-Giver, Who restores us
to wholeness. This passage celebrates the Lord Jesus' healing, His boundless mercy, and all that He gives to those who are
raised with Him to the new life.
"Jesus saw [the man] lying there..." (vs. 6). How was it that the Lord went to that place? He went deliberately. The
Healer of all went where there "lay a great multitude of seriously sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed" (vs. 3). As from
eternity, our compassionate Lord determines to enter this life which is filled with sickness, sin, and death (Titus 3:4-5), and
thus, on this particular occasion, at the Pool of Bethesda, a famous gathering place for the desperately ill, the Healer of all
came purposely. Now Bethesda serves as a type of the entire healing work of God. The maladies named in this reading
cover a great variety of the physical diseases common to mankind, but observe: later the Lord sought the man healed of a
physical paralysis, and cautioned him about spiritual sickness (Jn. 5:14). The scope of God's concern covers all
dimensions of our existence. He wills health for us in body, soul, and spirit: "But seek first the kingdom of God and His
righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you" (Mt. 6:33). Notice also the Lord's tenderness and the care for the
man. He "knew that he already had been in that condition a long time" (Jn. 5:6). God permits us to remain in our
debilitated states if we so choose. He has great respect for our freedom. Some paralytic might lose his "reliable" income
from begging if he chose to be healed, so the Lord Jesus asked this man, "Do you want to be made well?" (vs. 6).
Sometimes we prefer our "conditions" rather than full health. Even with infinite power available, the Lord of the Universe
does not force people to be healed, to abandon temporal securities, to give up special sins that feed their passions. We may
choose. What irony there is in the paralytic's answers! He vacillates, offering "reasons" (vs. 7). He could not see any
path to health except getting into the water at a critical moment, yet "Health Himself" stood before him! Even so, one can
detect a desire for healing in the man. The Lord, therefore, healed him instantly (vs. 8). God entered the arena of the sick
and sought faith among the porticos. Though not finding much faith, still the Merciful healed the paralytic.
Finally, follow the Lord Jesus' actions carefully: having "begun" the healing of this man, next He sought him out once
again in the Temple. This second time, He directed the man forward to full health, to abandon his far more serious moral
and spiritual illness: "Sin no more," the Lord commanded him (vs. 14). The foremost aspect of the new life in Christ is the
healing of our hearts and wills and minds. As these are healed, which God intends, then our bodies draw fresh vigor from
the better, firm, and certain health of the Holy Spirit. As St. Paul says, "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things
which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the
earth" (Col. 3:1,2).
Let us not leave this account without noticing those who were the "most debilitated," those paralyzed by their rules - the
"religious authorities." They saw the man carrying a pallet, "working" on the Sabbath, and this they "knew" was against
the Law of God (Jn. 5:10). Really?!
O Lord, have mercy upon me; for my bed hath become my grave. Of what use is my life? I have no need of the sheep's
pool. I come to Thee, O Fountain of all healing. Glory to Thee!
Monday, May 23, 2005
CHRIST IS RISEN!
Michael Confessor & Bishop of Synnada
Kellia: Deuteronomy 3:1-11 Apostle: Acts 10:1-16 Gospel: St. John 6:56-69
Receiving Life: 56-69, especially vs. 56: "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in
him." St. Basil shows us how to pray to our Lord Jesus: may I "receive a portion of Thy Holy Gifts, and be united to Thy
Holy Body and Precious Blood, and may [I] have Thee, with Thy Father and Holy Spirit, dwelling and abiding in me."
Truths found in St. Basil's prayer are also present in today's Gospel. Furthermore, they are true each time we receive the
Holy Gifts: that which we receive is not ordinary human flesh and blood, but the "deified and glorified" Body and Blood of
God Incarnate, no less. Many people, including disciples of the Lord, have found that "This is a hard saying" (vs. 60).
Hence, in today's reading, to strengthen all who approach the Holy Gifts, the Lord imparts six facts about His immaculate
Mysteries.
"As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me" (vs. 57).
When we receive the Holy Gifts, we receive "Life," we are joined to "Life," true "Life" enters into us. God the "living
Father" sends God the "living" Son into this world, the One Who bestows "life" on all who will receive Him (Jn. 1:12).
The Life in the Gifts is uncreated "Life," eternal "Life," Life Himself. As St. John of Kronstadt says, "in each smallest
particle of the Body and the Blood rests the entire Christ-God, filling every part." "This is the bread which came down
from heaven....He who eats this bread will live forever" (Jn. 6:58). An aspect of the Life we receive in the Holy Gifts is a
Mystery: He imparts eternal life, so that one "will live forever." We do not simply "meet" eternal Life. We are "united to"
the Lord's Holy Body and Precious Blood. We have the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit dwelling and abiding in us, so
that we are joined to the eternal, undying Life of God. "This is the bread which came down from heaven - not as your
fathers ate the manna and are dead" (vs. 58). In the course of history, God has given other food to His People
supernaturally. In Paradise, all that was needed He freely provided, even the tree of Life was there, as was the tree of
"learning the knowledge of good and evil" (Gen. 2:9 LXX), concerning which the Lord commanded "ye shall not eat"
(Gen. 2:17 LXX). The children of Israel received quail and manna in the wilderness (Ex. 16). God caused ravens to feed
Elijah with bread and flesh (3 K 17:4-6 LXX), and He sustained both the Prophet and a widow at Zarephath with meal and
oil through the days of a famine (3 K 17:13-16 LXX). None of these gave eternal life.
"When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, Does this offend you?" (Jn. 6:61).
Men have long sought to "explain" the Life-giving Mysteries. In doing so they have erred in two ways: by attempting to
explain Christ's presence in precise, rational, human categories of thought, or by reducing the essence of the Mystery of the
Lord's Body and Blood to "reasonable" symbolism. Both efforts derive from human reasoning and the desire to make the
reality of the Holy Gifts into something understandable. In actual fact, they are covert attempts to make God
"manageable," rather than One to Whom we should submit, One beyond human control, and One dangerous when
approached improperly (1 Cor. 11:29-30).
"It is the Spirit Who gives life" (Jn. 6:63). God the Holy Spirit unites us to Eternal Life, which is why, in the Liturgy, the
Church beseeches God to "send down Thy Holy Spirit upon us and upon these Gifts here spread forth," that He may unite
us to Life through the Holy Gifts.
"No one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father" (vs. 65). We are united to Life by His grace,
"and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship
created in Christ Jesus" (Eph. 2:8-10). "May Thy holy Body and Thy precious Blood, O Lord, be unto me for Life
Eternal."
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
CHRIST IS RISEN!
Vincent of Lerins, Protomartyr of Spain
Kellia: Deuteronomy 3:12-20 Apostle: Acts 10:21-33 Gospel: St. John 7:1-13
St. John 7:1-13, especially vs. 12: "And there was much complaining among
the people concerning Him...." In Chapter Six of St. John's Gospel, one finds hints of growing resistance to the Lord
Jesus. Many who had been drawn to Him "went back and walked with Him no more" (Jn. 6:66). Chapter Seven opens on
the chilling note that "the Jews sought to kill Him" (vs. 7:1). The details of this emerging hatred serve as windows for
examining what leads people to oppose the Lord, His Church, and our Holy Faith. In today's reading one finds three of the
common reasons for opposition: 1) refusal to accept Jesus as God, 2) moral hostility to Him, and 3) the belief that He and
His Church are frauds.
Today's reading discloses that the Lord's relatives did not believe He was a Prophet, much less God Incarnate. "For even
His brothers did not believe in Him" (vs. 5). Similar doubt is reported by St. Matthew on the occasion when the Lord Jesus
preached in his home synagogue at Nazareth. In responding to such doubt, the Lord made His famous statement, "A
prophet is not without honor, save in his own country, and in his own house" (Mt. 13:57). Familiarity can indeed influence
some people to dismiss truths which otherwise might evoke faith in them.
St. John portrays these "brothers," relatives of Jesus' extended family, as chiding and taunting Him and His works. Their
argument followed a simple logic: "obviously you want to influence the world. So, why remain in the 'backwaters' of
Galilee. Go up to the Capital. See how you do there" (vss. 3,4). They were having trouble accepting "Cousin" Jesus even
as a Prophet, much less as God Incarnate. Of course, their doubt preceded His Crucifixion and Resurrection, for afterward
at least two of them, James and Jude, would become leaders of the Church after the Lord arose from the dead (Acts
15:13ff., Gal. 1:18,19, 1 Cor. 15:7; Jude 1).
Resistance to accepting Jesus as God Incarnate, as the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, has a long-standing history.
Early Gnostic heretics claimed that Simon of Cyrene was actually the person crucified while Christ returned to Heaven
(believing God never could become a creature in material form). Since then there have been many famous efforts to deny
Christ's Divinity: Arius, Mohamed, the Unitarians, the secular humanists of this century, and others.
A second type of opposition may be identified readily when the Lord says, "The world... hates Me because I testify of it that
its works are evil" (Jn. 7:7). The resistance to which the Lord Jesus refers is moral reaction against His demands for ethical
purity. Christ, both by His teaching and His life, goads like a thorn in sinful flesh to condemn those who oppose God's
life-giving ethical demands. Moral opposition may be either spoken or unspoken and it may take one of two forms: some
individuals know they are doing wrong, enjoy the way they live, and therefore resist changing. Others have intellectually
rejected the reality of sin and embrace an "adjustable," relative morality as more suitable to their lives, believing that it is
all right to do what one wants as long as it doesn't hurt others and one does not get caught by the law or in a social gaffe.
Finally, the reading discloses a third form of opposition to Christ: "He deceives the people" (vs. 12). Some see Christian
Faith as a total fraud, while others view it as a socially useful myth, which creates a degree of ethical restraint. Such
opponents view the Church as a moral educator, a social club, or a cultural opiate. If pressed, some of these may admit that
greater claims concerning the Lord Jesus are "useful" myths to manage the unthinking and uncritical. To the contrary, we
affirm that, since "grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" (Jn. 1:17), we are to repent of all intellectual, moral, and
spiritual opposition, and seek Him in purity.
Remove from us all delusion and fill us with that faith, hope, and love which are in Thee.
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
CHRIST IS RISEN!
The Feast of Mid-Pentecost
1st Vespers Mid-Pentecost: Micah 4:2-3;5:2-5, 8 Epistle: 2 Corinthians 4:6-15 Gospel: St. John 7:14-30
St. John 7:14-30, especially vss. 25, 26: "Now some of them from Jerusalem
said, 'Is this not He Whom they seek to kill? But look! He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him." Today's reading
adds three more reasons to those examined yesterday why people resist submitting to Christ: 1) holding assumptions that
militate against belief in Christ as God and Savior; 2) being convinced that while the Lord Jesus was kind and insightful,
He actually was deluded or insidiously insane; and 3) being satisfied with one's existing beliefs and therefore setting one's
heart against the truth that is in Christ Jesus.
In today's world many extol education as the cultural engine for creating openness and tolerance to new ideas. The truth is
that much which poses as education actually is training in contemporary bias and prejudice. "Popular wisdom" in this
century accepts the "truth" of the theory of evolution and upholds it unquestioningly as scientific fact. Great leaders among
the "educated" will not even consider the validity of other alternatives. Hence the luminaries of the day suggest the
teaching of creation is simply blind, misinformed, religious bigotry.
The Lord Jesus faced just these same sort of closed, "educated" assumptions. Religious authorities in the first century
accepted the standards and "givens" provided in the training of the official schools of the day. Jesus of Nazareth was a
shock to such people, as were His Apostles after Him (Acts 4:13). The Jewish teachers marveled, "How does this Man
know letters, having never studied?" (Jn. 7:15). In many other places in the Gospels, evidence of shock at the Lord's
wisdom abounds (e.g., Mt. 13:54; Lk. 20:26), for regularly He silenced His educated opponents with His answers and
questions (Mt. 22:32).
It was unthinkable that anyone not trained under famous Rabbinic instructors could possibly have true knowledge of Holy
Scripture. Yet the educated were confronted with a Man of Wisdom. Let us not quail before the experts. Let the Lord's
answer be ours: "My doctrine is not Mine, but His Who sent Me" (vs. 16).
In St. John 7:19 the Lord poses a question which seems to appear out of the immediate context: "Did not Moses give you
the law, yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill Me?" No direct words had been said about killing Him,
yet He brings up the plan and potential as if it were common knowledge. Clues concerning a deadly opposition do appear
earlier in this Gospel (7:1,11; 5:16; 3:14). It would be fair to say there was a veneer of polite tolerance and acceptance for
Him, while underneath far more sinister forces were at work.
The Lord understood the social processes of the time, for He knew "what was in man" (Jn. 2:25). Notice the response
when He stripped away the veneer by His question about killing Him. They accused Him of being demon-possessed, and
flared up in "innocence," "Who is seeking to kill You?" (Jn 7:20). Do you see? They thought Him crazy and dangerously
deluded. Later the High Priest would say "that it was expedient that one man should die for the people" (Jn. 18:14).
Dostoevsky placed this theme of "dangerous insanity" in the mouth of the Grand Inquisitor in The Brothers Karamazov. In
the past century, likewise, Marxist ideology vigorously took a similar position against the Church and Christian Faith.
Do men harden against the Faith? Study Romans 1:20, 21 along with vs. 28 of today's reading. Something in the people
who resist the Lord knows that He is true and comes from above, and yet, in darkness they "do not know." In the end,
"they sought to take Him" (vs. 30).
I have no life, no light, no joy or wisdom; no strength except in Thee, O God. Because of my unrighteousness I dare not
raise my eyes to Thee." Archimandrite Sophrony Sakharov
Thursday, May 26, 2005
CHRIST IS RISEN!
Augustine of Canterbury, Evangelizer of England
2nd Vespers Mid-Pentecost: Isaiah 55:1-3, 6-13 Apostle: Acts 10:34-43 Gospel: St. John 8:12-20
St. John 8:12-20, especially vs. 12: "...I Am the Light of the world: he that followeth Me shall
not walk in darkness, but shall have the Light of life." God is Light, a claim and vision concerning God which Holy
Scripture, the Fathers, and countless Orthodox Christians fully accept. This is the Faith of the Holy Apostles who declared,
"God is Light, and in Him is no darkness at all" (1 Jn. 1:5). Earth-born mortals that we are, let us all take care as we speak
of God as Light, for He is not the ordinary light to which we are accustomed.
The light most of us know is created, the sort of light that casts illumination, but God is Light Himself, the One Who
creates light and lights. All created lights came into being out of nothing when God said, "Let there be light: and there was
light" (Gen 1:3). The Uncreated Light of God is not sensible material to make Him visible to our physical eyes. God is
quite separate from and Other than His creation, including all its forms and types of created light. In Himself, from His
Divinity, apart from all created lights, God is Uncreated Light. Still, men have known for ages that God is Light, like the
Prophet David: "The Lord is my light..." (Ps. 26:1 LXX).
However, let us not rest after this basic assertion. Let us go on, for while we know of God as Light, in order to be faithful,
and state our Faith fully, we must add that God also has directly revealed Himself as Light, even though no eyes shall ever
see Him; for no man may see nor hath seen God at any time (Jn. 1:18). Rather, the Son of God, the Eternal Word of God,
God of God, Light of Light, became Man. Incarnation was the first means by which men were able to "see" Divine Light.
And those who saw Him declared, "The Dayspring from on high hath visited us" (Lk. 1:78), "the true Light which lighteth
every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world" (Jn. 1:9,10). When He came, He Himself declared openly, "I
Am the Light of the world..." (vs. 12). In what way did they see the Divine Light? Those who believed in Him said, "God,
Who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, shined in our hearts" (2 Cor 4:6). Thus God gave the light of the
knowledge of His glory in Jesus Christ, in men's hearts.
There is more: the Incarnate God gloriously revealed Himself as Uncreated Light to the physical eyes of Peter, James, and
John on Mt. Tabor. The whole body of the Lord was transfigured, and the mortal eyes of the disciples saw the radiance of
Divine Light (Mt. 17:1-9). He "was transfigured before them: and His face did shine as the sun, and His raiment was white
as the light" (Mt. 17:2). What happened when the Lord Jesus was transfigured? He did not lay aside His humanity. Rather
He illumined His humanity with His Divinity. This they saw.
Such transfiguration of human nature has important consequences for all men. The nature of all men has a capacity to be
illumined by the Divine Light! The Lord has demonstrated the possibility that a person who acquires the grace of the Holy
Spirit can himself become an actual participant in the Divine radiance. As St. Simeon the New Theologian says, "The
Father is light, the Son is light, the Holy Spirit is light....And by contemplating it, we can receive it."
Iron is not fire, but fire transmits its effects into iron. The Divine energies as Light can illumine men with the light that was
seen on Mt. Tabor. Such illumination of humanity we call "theosis," or "deification." Also, Light Incarnate has made it
possible for us to be "the light of the world" (Mt. 5:14), "in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation [to] shine as
lights in the world" (Phil. 2:15). Let us arise and turn to Him, that Christ may give us light (Eph. 5:14). Illumine our
hearts, O Master Who loveth mankind with the pure light of Thy Divine knowledge, that we may enter upon a spiritual
manner of living, both thinking and doing such things as are well-pleasing unto Thee, for Thou art the illumination of our
souls and bodies.
Friday, May 27, 2005
CHRIST IS RISEN!
Venerable Bede, English Church Historian
3rd Vespers Mid-Pentecost: Proverbs 9:1-11 Apostle: Acts 10:44-11:10 Gospel: St. John 8:21-30
St. John 8:21-30, especially vs. 24: "...You will surely die in your sins unless you come to believe that I AM."
[NAB] Orthodox Servant of the Lord Jesus, consider the blessing offered to us if we receive this declaration of our Master.
Be assured that the Church is prepared to help each of us grapple with the inner meaning in this statement of the Lord and
with the issue He raises. Truthfully, the Church alone is able to assist us in doing this rightly. Careful analysis shows that
herein the Lord actually is posing a question that requires an answer from every human being, everywhere, at all times,
under all circumstances - whether he heeds what is asked or not. The Lord's statement consists of a set of seven closely
woven proposals asserted as fact. So, let us consider the Master's words and the issue He sets before us.
1) You will die. This is an incontestable, universal assertion of human existence. In mentioning death, the Lord wants us
to face His claim on our life, a claim that can be addressed only while one is in this present existence. He gives this
existence very great significance.
2) You commit sins and have done so all your life. The word "sins" as used here, refers to any thoughts, attitudes, or
behaviors that are contrary to the will of God. The Orthodox Christian accepts without question the view of the Lord and
His Apostles that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23). Therefore all people are, or have been,
"in their sins."
3) "Dying in your sins" is a dread condition, for after death there comes the judgment for each one of us when we shall
have to give account to God for every thought, word, and deed. To live in sins is to live deliberately in opposition to God
as a matter of choice and preference. Now we can repent, but those who die in their sins shall remain in them eternally.
After death, as the Church teaches, one enters a "...state of unchangeable things; no alterations whatever happens then, only
developments in the state chosen by free personalities" (Alexandre Kalomiros).
4) It is possible to have your sins "covered" or "forgiven" in this life (Ps. 31:1 LXX) so as not to enter life-after-death "in
your sins." The Lord's remark concerning 'dying in sins' is not absolute but conditional: "You will surely die in your
sins..." unless you believe in Me (vs. 24).
5) Jesus is God. This fact may not be immediately apparent in many translations of this verse, for they render it: "...if you
do not believe that I Am 'He.'" The "He" does not exist in the original. Look at the translation given above. In the original
Greek the Lord says, "ego eimi," which may be translated either as "I Am" or "I Am He." The burden of this whole
passage points to Ex 3:14 and, therefore, favors "I AM." Look at vss. 23, 28, 29, and later, vs. 58, all of which stress the
Lord's Divinity, His unity of essence and will with God the Father.
6) You are free to believe in Jesus as God or not. The verb, "believe" in this verse, includes assent to the idea that the Lord
Jesus is God. More important, "believe" in this instance carries the more significant meaning of belief "in" Him, that is, in
commitment to Him and submission to Him - what we expect of those who are Baptized. "Belief in" Him includes
obeying, following, and looking to Him for direction in life. It certainly includes worship.
7) This is the Lord's point: if we believe in Him, we will NOT die in our sins. "...Christ Jesus came into the world to save
sinners" (1 Tim. 1:15). However, if we believe in Him, let us hasten to add, we are to assume a lifelong struggle, to
manage our inner life, to control the passions, to rebuff the appeals of Satan and of our fallen flesh, to confess our sins, to
repent, and to work at putting an end to sinful habits, to live rightly, as He gives us strength (Jas. 2:14ff).
THE ISSUE: Hast thou renounced Satan? Dost Thou unite thyself unto Christ? Hast thou united thyself unto Christ?
Dost thou believe in Him as King and God?
Saturday, May 28, 2005
CHRIST IS RISEN!
Hieromartyr Eutychios, Bishop of Rostov
Kellia: Deuteronomy 3:21-29 Apostle: Acts 12:1-11 Gospel: St. John 8:31-42
St. John 8:31-42, especially vs. 31: "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed." This
passage from St. John's Gospel details the steps which Christians undertake by committing themselves to the Lord Jesus.
A sequence follows the commitment to be united to Christ; that holy choice is revealed in St. John 8:21-30. First, one
commits himself to Christ as King and God in the Christian Mystery. This begins a lifelong labor to grow in one's
relationship with the Lord. Traditionally, the Fathers call such work a "struggle," and a battle it is! Many forces work
against our drawing closer to Christ. The most difficult aspect of this battle is that it is a struggle within one's self to
submit all choices and actions to the Lord.
Sustaining the struggle to be united to the Lord is what He calls "abiding in His word." He illumined what "abiding"
means when confronting a group of "Jews who believed Him" (vs. 31). Just a little later in the Gospel, these believers
would be called those who sought "to kill" Him (vss. 37,40). Is this surprising? St. John amply portrays how those who
believed Him could soon after seek His death, sternly warning us against a superficial Christian commitment. Beloved, let
us consider prayerfully how we may "abide" truly in the word of the Lord.
First, the Lord says "If you abide in My word...you shall know the Truth" (vs. 32). Let us remember that Scripture typically
uses the word "know" to express relationship - as in knowing someone rather than for acquiring information. Since the
Lord calls Himself "the Truth" (14:6), knowing the Truth essentially means knowing the Lord Jesus - being in relationship
with Him. The Holy Fathers teach us that the more we know Him, the more we are changed into His likeness. Thus, to
know Christ our God is to think, feel, desire, reason, and will as He does. In submitting in this way, one becomes like Him
which results in freedom (vs. 32), but this is not freedom politically, economically, or socially, but inward freedom of the
heart, soul and mind.
The Lord next refines our understanding of the nature of the inward freedom He imparts. It is release from domination of
the passions that invariably accompany our sin. For the Orthodox Christian, "to abide in Christ" is to repent, develop the
virtues, and acquire the Holy Spirit, since one is no longer a "slave of sin" (vs. 34). As this happens, one is set free from
bondage to sin, slavery to the passions, servitude to the desires to indulge in and live for the flesh. One's impulses become
stilled so that he is even free from the pressures of others who are controlled by sin. The Lord frees: "if the Son makes you
free, you shall be free indeed" (vs. 36).
Abiding in the word of the Lord also means to "give place" to His words, that is, to His teachings and doctrines (vs. 37).
As one grows in the Lord, one's vision of reality is conformed to the Lord's mind, until, at last, one finds himself thinking
the Lord's thoughts after Him. One develops what Fr. Florovsky called "the Scriptural mind," a mind wholly attuned to
God's heart.
Finally, abiding in the word of Christ means to "do the works of Abraham" (vs. 39). The ancient Patriarch consistently
trusted God, always walked before Him blamelessly, and in all that he did, he worshiped and honored the Lord reverently
and in complete humility.
What then shall we say of "abiding in Christ"? The soul that abides in the Lord strives to obey His word, to cultivate
relationship with the Lord, to throw off bondage to sin by repentance and the cultivation of the virtues. The Faithful who
abide gain moral and spiritual freedom and grow to think God's thoughts after Him, ever trusting in God unquestioningly.
They become those for whom God truly is Father through love for the Son (vs. 42) in the Holy Spirit. O Lord, Thou has
permitted us to partake of Thy holy, divine, and life-giving Mysteries. Also establish us in Thy Sanctification, that we may
meditate upon Thy righteousness. Alleluia!
Sunday, May 29, 2005 (Tone 4)
CHRIST IS RISEN!
Sunday of the Samaritan Woman
Kellia: Deuteronomy 4:1-9 Apostle: Acts 11:19-30 Gospel: St. John 4:5-42
St. John 4:5-42, especially vs. 38: "I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others
have labored, and you have entered into their labors." The risen Lord has commissioned us, His Body, the Church, to
"disciple the nations" - all the peoples of earth (Mt. 28:19). Today's reading overflows with counsel for accomplishing this
task for which He has commissioned all His People through His Apostles. Observe how the Lord teaches us about His
Mission through the example of St. Photeini (Jn. 4:7-30), by His discourse on the mystery of salvation (vss. 31-38), and in
the results He achieved among the Samaritans (vss. 39-42).
St. Nikolai of Zica describes the Samaritan woman as one with "rare skill and...modesty," by which she caught "the
attention of all the citizens of Sychar." Thereby she proved herself to be gifted with both true missionary zeal and also
abilities. Tradition records that in the decades following the Lord's Resurrection, by skill and winsome efforts, she testified
to the Faith, impacting many within the Imperial household of the infamous, early enemy of Christians, Nero (65-66 AD).
Photeini is reputed to have won Nero's own daughter, Dominina, to confess Christ. St. John Chrysostom observes of
Photeini's evangelism that her speaking was offered "with the same condescension by which Christ had netted her,"
thereby drawing the men of Sychar out to hear Him. She declared the good news of Christ, carefully attracting others to
"Come and see!" With possibilities of truth, she led others to hear the Lord for themselves. And notice that she used her
own life as the means to capture others for Him (vs. 29).
Not only does the Lord reveal how natural and simple it is to reach out to others, but also He discloses the vast scope of
mankind's salvation by simple proverb and familiar example. He leverages a mundane question about food into a talk
about the central purpose of His Incarnation, death, and Resurrection - "the will of Him Who sent Me, and to finish His
work" (vs. 34). As St. John Chrysostom notes: "He here calleth the salvation of men 'meat,' showing what an earnest
desire He hath of providing for us; for as we long for food, so He that we may be saved." See how the Lord lifts up our
eyes to see the fields of men's souls "already white for harvest" (vs. 35). He urges us not to delay but to enter into God's
plan alongside the Prophets and all the Saints, that we "may rejoice together" with them (vs. 36).
Who is the One Who sows that others may reap (vs. 37)? Is it not God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit? Are not
others sowing the message of the blessing all around us? Let us enter into the work and make disciples of the nations. It is
not overwhelming for any one of us, for, wherever we are, there is opportunity to enter "into their labors" (vs. 38) in simple
ways. Should we doubt how significant the work is, or whether we are suited to take part in the greatest world enterprise,
the Lord demonstrates how every honest effort may become part of the process of gathering "fruit for eternal life" (vs. 36).
Simply on the word and testimony of Photeini, "many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him" (vs. 39). Her
straightforward, honest testimony, of which her neighbors had abundant knowledge (vs. 18), led the others to urge Christ
"to stay with them; and He stayed there two days" (vs. 40).
Thus the harvest was extended to many more. God Himself fills in our imperfections, flaws, and omissions by "His own
word" (vs. 41). Note the climax which the reading reaches as the Samaritan villagers say, "Now we believe, not because of
what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ the Savior of the World" (vs.
42). Lord in Thy mercy grant us the peace from above, the salvation of our souls, the peace of the whole world, the good
estate of the holy churches of God; and the union of all men.
Monday, May 30, 2005
CHRIST IS RISEN!
Isaac, Founder, Dalmaton Monastery
Kellia: Deuteronomy 4:15-24 Apostle: Acts 12:12-17 Gospel: St. John 8:42-52
St. John 8:42-51, especially vs. 44: "You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your
father you want to do...." Many observers might find three recent news events unrelated, for they occurred in different
parts of the world and concerned very different experiences. They do share a superficial connection in that they all
involved Orthodox Christians: a group of Islamic militants burst into a village church in Egypt and machine gunned a
young peoples' meeting, leaving at least a dozen dead; American Orthodox missionaries in Romania attending Divine
Liturgy at a local Cathedral found scores of people amazed that there were Americans who were Orthodox, who cared
about them, and who did not think Romanians were pagans needing to be converted; and, finally, an article in a major
national news magazine reported the details of Mafia-type operations plaguing Russia, but, strangely, the report was
bannered with a picture of a high-level United States official greeting the Patriarch of Moscow. For those ready to indulge
in "conspiracy" theories, the three events could be seen as illustrations of a worldwide, anti-Orthodox plot. However,
looking at these events through the lens of today's Gospel, a deeper, more troubling connection emerges. The Lord points
out in today's reading that there is a "conspiracy," but He traces it to the devil; and He identifies four kinds of opposition to
Himself, all of which Orthodox Christianity confronts today.
First, there is hatred. The Lord said to His opponents, "If God were your Father, you would love Me....You are of your
father the devil...." (vss. 42,44). They hated Him, and true Christians should expect the same (Mt. 10:22-24). Let us never
be deceived because people are "tolerant" or "polite," nor simply because the Church currently enjoys a certain freedom to
teach and preach the great truths of the Faith. The present cultural tide is running against Christianity throughout much of
the world, and Orthodoxy, as the staunch guardian of the fullness of Apostolic Faith, readily serves as a target for hatred, as
the incident in Egypt demonstrates.
Second, those in the first Century as well as today who oppose the Lord and His Church "do not hear" His words, because
they "are not of God" (vs. 47). How often even the mention of the Name of Jesus evokes offense or "blank" stares? The
reason is not hard to discern. Today, a generation has come of age ignorant of the essentials of Christianity, "...foolish,
disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasure, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another" (Titus
3:3). It makes perfect sense to such secularists, as they write about crime in Russia, to use an obviously "Russian"
photograph in order to "catch their readers' eyes," and so they paste in a colorful picture of the Patriarch of Moscow.
"What's the contradiction?" Third, the Lord said, "...the desires of your father you want to do....there is no truth in
him....But because I tell you the truth, you do not believe Me..." (vss. 44,45). Brethren, how great are the temptations to
follow pleasant lies, to "enjoy" temptations, to adapt the Faith, to accept watered-down Christianity as the whole truth!
Many advocates of some of the current expressions of "Christianity" actually think they will save the world, including the
poor, deluded Orthodox Christians. The devil was and "...is a liar and the father of it" (vs. 44).
The final form of opposition to the Lord is to dishonor Him. "...I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me" (vs. 49).
Remember how the devil dishonored the Lord, insinuating what was contrary to fact: "If Thou be the Son of God..." (Mt.
4:6). He knew Christ was God, yet he vainly hoped to cast a shadow of doubt into His Incarnate human mind. Absolutely
insulting!
O God Who dost guide the meek, grant us, Thy people, grace in all our uncertainties to ask what Thou wouldest have us to
do, and save us from all false choices by Thy pure Light.
Tuesday, May 31, 2005
CHRIST IS RISEN!
The Martyrs Hermias and Eusebios
Kellia: Deuteronomy 4:25-31 Apostle: Acts 12:25-13:12 Gospel: St. John 8:51-59
St. John 8:51-59, especially vs. 54: "...If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father Who honors
Me, of Whom you say that He is your God." St. John of the Ladder, speaking of the craving to receive honors and
adulation from others, said, vainglory "...abounds till the very grave in clothes, oils, servants, perfumes and...beams on all
activities." In the present day, we have a curious and deadly inversion: true humility and self-denial are typically despised
while self-esteem is exalted as the great salve for the psyche. Beloved, as Christians, we do well to reflect prayerfully on
the dialogue recorded in today's reading. Unimaginable as it may seem, the Lord's opponents accused Him of evincing the
sin of unholy self-esteem (vs. 52,53). Let us pray that embracing our Savior's self-denying and self-giving grace, we may
learn something of the ways to overcome the dread, ubiquitous, and soul-destroying sin of vainglory.
The Lord prefaces His remarks with the expression: "Amen, Amen" (vs. 51). The solemn double Amen is a speech form
peculiar to Christ, used to arrest attention and awaken His hearers to truth. Vital life-saving truths follow His double
Amens. In addition, the Amens themselves remind us that there must be no dissimulation or coloring of truth in the
struggle to attain self-denial, to reach true humility, and to defeat vainglory. We must consciously forsake all efforts to
"look good." St. John of the Ladder says, "Vainglory...though full of pride...feigns humility. It checks manner and voice,
and keeps an eye on the hands of visitors in order to receive something." Instead, one's inner intent needs to be truthful, for
only a pure heart can rightly shape behavior and live openly within the blazing light of the Lord's truth - truth about any
and everything, who we are and what we are in the eyes of God and not in the eyes of men.
Following the Amens, the Lord declares the importance of "keeping His word" (vs. 51). The declaration contains a second
essential truth for defeating vainglory: obedience. This phrase of the Lord has two dimensions: first to believe in Him, and,
following from such faith, to obey Him. For Christians, obedience arises from a deep, inner trust in the Lord. Life in
Christ begins and flowers only when we commit ourselves to Him: "I believe in Him as King and God." This surrender of
self to the Lord must be with all the heart and soul and mind (Mt. 22:37), for only thereby do we become united to Christ.
As we are truly joined to Him, He gives us grace to obey Him. Let us strive for personal unity with the Lord Jesus, like
that union He has with His Father, in which He knows His Father and keeps "His word" (vs. 55).
Next, the Lord teaches us to shun honors from men and to seek only honor from God: "If I honor Myself, My honor is
nothing. It is My Father Who honors Me" (vs. 54). Only honor from God is worth attaining, for such honor defeats
vainglory, while honor from men often makes us the prey of vainglory. Listen to St. John of the Ladder again, "There is a
glory that comes from the Lord, for He says: Those who glorify Me, I will glorify (1 Kngs. 2:30 LXX). And there is a glory
that hunts us down through diabolic intrigue, for it is said: Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you" (Lk. 6:26).
Whenever we do anything, however trifling, if we do it to be observed of men, vainglory conquers us, and we are instantly
separated from the Lord.
The Lord concludes with an allusion to Abraham, who "rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad" (vs. 56).
Abraham saw the promises in Christ long beforehand and he confessed that he was a stranger and pilgrim on earth (Heb.
11:13). Ardent seeking after well being from on high defeats vainglory and receives the genuine glory of God. As St. John
of the Ladder says of the glory from above: "he who has tasted that will despise all earthly glory."
Preserve me from every word or deed that corrupts the soul and save me, O Savior.
Great, Holy, and Glorious Pascha
The Resurrection of our Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ
1st Vespers Palm Sun: Genesis 49:1-2, 8-12 Apostle: Acts 1:1-8 Gospel: St. John 1:1-17
St. John 1:1-17, especially vs. 14: "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His
glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." "Let God arise, and let His enemies be
scattered! Today a sacred Pascha is revealed to us. Pascha new and Holy, Pascha mystical, Pascha all laudable, Pascha
which is Christ the Redeemer." What a blessing to celebrate this bright and beautiful season by reading through St. John's
Gospel, for this mystical work is a Feast to satisfy the insatiable hunger of our spirits, a luminous banquet of joy.
St. John's Gospel opens with a magnificent Prologue that announces Pascha as light and life. It discloses the fulfillment of
the Forerunner John's testimony and illumines the nature of grace and truth as the Person of Jesus Christ. "Come let us
drink from the fount of incorruption!"
Notice that the Prologue begins within eternity, exactly where the Word or Logos, the eternal Word of God, is and was and
shall be forever (vss. 1,2), for in the Logos, in Him, lies the source of "light and life." The Evangelist John declares that
everything that can be called "light and life" wells up and flows out from Him: "All things were made through Him, and
without Him nothing was made that was made" (vs. 3). It is clear - God the Word is no creature, nor a product of God's
fashioning. He is God, the One alone Who creates and fashions. And on this Day of Resurrection, when the world is made
new, we discover once again that He is Light and Life Who creates, illumines, and re-generates us in His image (vs. 4).
St. John the Forerunner was the last of the Prophets of the Old Covenant to bear witness to the Light (vss. 6-8). He was
also herald of the New Covenant, one who introduced the themes of the "great symphony" which the Master Musician then
executed on behalf of all nations. The Lord Jesus developed His message from St. John's first statement of the theme:
"Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand" (compare Mt. 3:2 and 4:17). Pascha is the Kingdom which St. John
declared to be "at hand" and which the Lord of Life brought "upon" all mankind (Mt. 12:28).
In the Prologue, take note of the frenzy of denial and ignorance which was raised against the Lord and culminated in His
Crucifixion: "He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to
His own, and His own did not receive Him" (Jn. 1:10,11). However, there were, as there still are, the humble and the meek
who, by the grace of God, hear the great theme. These understand the life-giving message. These embrace Incarnate Life
and Light. "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the authority to become children of God" (vs.12). Pascha holds
an irony: for the People who were "His own" rejected their Passover from God. Children of God, receive your living
Pascha!
Pascha, above all, "is Christ the Redeemer." He is no ideal, nor a metaphor, nor a spiritual truth. Pascha is the Person of
God in the flesh, the Lord Jesus Christ. O Faithful, let us touch Him (1 Jn. 1:1), for "The Word became flesh and dwelt
among us" (Jn. 1:14). This same Word has burst forth from the tomb, for death cannot hold "His glory, the glory as of the
only begotten of the Father" (vs. 14). The Apostles received His fullness, "grace upon grace," overflowing (vs. 16). Christ
is risen, and, like them, we are endowed with Life Himself. Let us love and serve Him Who first loved us, "for grace and
truth" have come to us. Christ is risen!
It is the Day of Resurrection, be illumined for the Feast and embrace one another. Let us speak, brothers, even unto those
who hate us, and forgive all for the sake of the Resurrection. And together let us cry out: Christ is risen from the dead,
trampling down death by death; and, upon those in the tombs, bestowing life.
Bright Monday; Holy Great Martyr George
CHRIST IS RISEN !
May, 2, 2005
1ST Hour, Great Friday: Zechariah 11:10-13 Apostle: Acts 1:12-17, 21-28 Gospel: St. John 1:18-28
St. John 1:18-28, especially vs. 26: "John answered them, saying, 'I baptize with water, but there
stands One among you Whom you do not know.'" On a moonless night in the dark of open country, should someone strike
a match, the brief flare of light catches the eye and discloses that there "stands one among you." Had the person striking
the match been close by he would have been unknown, because of the darkness. His presence would have remained hidden
except for the flare of match-light. During the days when the Forerunner John the Baptist preached in the wilderness, and
the Lord Jesus emerged from the quiet of Nazareth into public life, the single, most unique flash of God's uncreated Light
blazed across the landscape of human history. The Light shone "in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it" (Jn
1:5).
Later, in the years immediately after the Lord Jesus' Ascension into Heaven (following Acts 1:9), the Apostles, who knew
the Lord intimately, longed for all men everywhere to "receive Him" and become "children of God" (Jn.1:12). Guided by
the Holy Spirit, they lovingly passed on to faithful men (2 Tim. 2:2) all the essential details of what they saw and learned
during the three years the Light blazed up among them. Their message began from a well-known Biblical truth: "No one
has seen God at any time" (Jn. 1:18). However, they modified this general truth with a rich, new array of gleanings from
their experience with the Light, and so they added: "The only begotten Son, Who is in the bosom of the Father, He has
declared Him" (Jn. 1:18).
The host of details recorded in the Gospels is best understood from the perspective of experience. God the Son, living as a
man, redefined the meaning and value of every person and action. John, a fisherman, became the Apostle, Evangelist, and
Theologian John. The Jewish Passover Seder, celebrating liberation from Egypt, became the Holy Mystery of the Body and
Blood of Christ (Jn 6:51-58). John the Baptizer became St. John the Forerunner.
John the Forerunner knew that he was "sent from God....to bear witness of the Light" (Jn. 1:6,7). His preaching and
manner of living caught the attention of the religious authorities. They sent priests and Levites to ask, "Who are you?"
(Jn.1:19). John's answer set the record straight in two ways. First, in terms of what was not, he made three negative
statements: No, I am not the Messiah, the Christ. No, I am not Elijah the Prophet come back to prepare for the Messiah's
arrival. No, I am not the Prophet that Moses had predicted, who would foretell the Messiah's arrival. John drew definite
boundaries around himself: "I am not He."
Second, John affirmed the arrival of a great, "true Light" (Jn. 1:9). Who? John said: "It makes no difference how one
labels the One Who is coming. His arrival brings a demand from the Lord God Himself. All men had best cleanse
whatever in their lives might be standing between them and God their Creator." For his part, John added, "I am just the
voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare!" (vs. 23). Brethren, note carefully: John knew by the Holy Spirit what we
know from the record of the Apostles: that He Who came is greater than all the prophets. And we know why. Christ is the
Life-Giver, the Light of the World, God in the flesh.
It is instructive that the "investigation team" from the authorities was not satisfied with John's answer. "What is your
Baptism all about?" they asked. St. John took the opportunity to underline his message: "there stands One among you
Whom you do not know" (vs. 26). He continued: "make the path in your heart ready now" (vs. 23). "You think I am a holy
man? Hear me: the One to Whom you will give account for your life stands among you." Beloved, the situation between
God and mankind has not changed. We, too, shall one day give an account.
Have mercy on us, O God, according to Thy great goodness, we pray Thee!
Bright Tuesday
CHRIST IS RISEN!
Tuesday, May 3, 2005
1st Vigil Pascha: Isaiah 60:1-16 Apostle: Acts 2: 14-21 Gospel: St. Luke 24:13-35
St. Luke 24:12-35, especially vss. 30, 31: "...as He sat at table with them...He took bread,
blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him...." The Church knows the
risen Lord above all when she gathers, takes bread, blesses God, breaks the bread, and partakes of the Holy Gifts. We
manifest the Church when we fulfill these simple actions, which is why we declare "Christ is among us!" and reply "He is
and ever shall be!" Today's Gospel amply reveals the relationship between the Divine Liturgy and Christ's presence, for in
the meal which the risen Lord shared with Cleopas and Luke at Emmaus, we encounter the nascent Divine Liturgy: two
were gathered, and the One joined them, fulfilling the Lord Jesus' words that, "...where two or three are gathered together
in My Name, there Am I in the midst of them" (Mt. 18:20). Hence, the Resurrection, the first day of the week, and the
Holy Liturgy inseparably foreshadow the glorified Church, gathered on the Eternal Eighth Day with her Lord, in the
timeless assembly called the "supper of the Lamb" (Rev. 19:9).
The Divine Liturgy is offered as the Church journeys through time, even when a gathering of God's People consist of only
two disciples, as with Cleopas and Luke. To the end of the present age, whenever there are gatherings of the Church, and
wherever they are held, Christ is among us. The Evangelist Luke tells us that the two set out walking to a village 60
Roman "stadia" from Jerusalem, that is, seven miles in distance (Lk. 24:13). Notice: in the language of Scripture, the life-journey of the Faithful Christian often is called a "walk," just as when the Lord tells Moses that He will try the people
"whether they will walk in My law or not" (Ex. 16:4 LXX). The Lord reveals Himself in the breaking of the Bread to
sustain us in our walk.
St. Luke continues: "And they talked together of all these things which had happened" (vs. 14). These "things which had
happened" continue to preoccupy the Church. All through Great Lent, and then with deep devotion during Great and Holy
Week, we reenter the very same events which these two disciples discussed. In those moments when "...the chief priests
and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him" (vs. 20), the Faithful encounter the living
Mystery of Jesus of Nazareth. We read about and sing and pray to Him "...Who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word
before God and all the people" (vs. 19).
We do not limit such recall to the annual Feast of Pascha. We reenter those events continually, week by week, fasting on
Wednesdays and Fridays, because He was betrayed and crucified on those respective days. Furthermore, we come together
each First Day of the week, holding the same hope, "...that it [is] He who [is] going to redeem Israel," and we share the
same wonder at the news from the Myrrh-Bearers, that "He [is] alive" (vss. 21-23). Behold, Christ joins us! Worship Him
Who opens Holy Scripture for us (vs. 27). Most of all, through His Priests, He takes the Bread of the Table, blesses God,
breaks the Bread and gives it to us (vs. 30).
Beloved brethren, their eyes were opened when He did these things with them (vs. 31). The actions have not changed.
They are what He does each and every time we assemble during our walk through life. Of course our hearts burn within us
while He talks with us on the road of life. Remember that He said, "Lo, I Am with you always even to the end of the age"
(Mt. 28:20). Rejoice! "Christ is among us. He is and He ever shall be."
We thank Thee, O our Father, for the life and knowledge which Thou hast revealed to us through Jesus Thy Servant. Glory
is Thine through all ages. Just as the bread broken was first scattered on the hills, then was gathered and became one, so
let us Thy Church be gathered from the ends of the earth into Thy kingdom, for Thine is glory and power through Jesus
Christ.
Bright Wednesday
CHRIST IS RISEN!
Wednesday, May 4, 2005
4th Vigil of Pascha: Jonah 1 Apostle: Acts 2:22-38 Gospel: St. John 1:35-51
St. John 1:35-51, especially vss. 35-37: "Again the next day after, John stood, and two of his disciples;
and looking upon Jesus as He walked, he saith, 'Behold the Lamb of God!' And the two disciples heard him speak, and
they followed Jesus." The word translated here as "followed" has a twofold sense: 1) that the two disciples of John started
down a path after Jesus, and 2) that they committed themselves to be His disciples. Notice also that it was the remark of
the Forerunner John which impelled them, "Behold the Lamb of God!" St. John Chrysostom characterizes the response of
these two disciples of the Baptist in a powerful analogy: "So it was with Christ. He came to join to Himself the Church; He
said nothing, but merely came. It was His friend, John, who put into His the bride's right hand, when by his discourses he
gave into His hand the souls of men."
The two disciples "followed," and in that moment the Church came into existence, the Head and two members were joined
for eternity, the Bridegroom and the Bride. Ever after the souls of the Faithful have been placed one by one in His loving
and gracious hand, and He has never refused, receiving them as His own forever. This is how the Holy Church grows, each
one commits his hand to the Bridegroom. The ceremonies of the Holy Mysteries, the celebrations and receptions follow;
but at some point there must be such a personal surrender.
Beloved, do you remember when you placed your hand in His? Perhaps it was in the sacred Mysteries. Perhaps the
celebration of the Mysteries came before or after you chose to follow Christ. The issue is: do you remember the moment
when your soul went out to Him, when you put yourself in His hands? For each one there comes a moment to accept or
decline betrothal. Let us consider what led the first six members of the Church to accept betrothal.
The first was Andrew, who now is known as "Andrew the First-Called." He and his companion, before their "betrothal,"
were disciples of the Forerunner. During the days before these two turned from John to follow Jesus (Jn. 1:29,35), the
Prophet was preparing them for "the Lord Who was coming" (vss. 25,27). In verses 25-34, the Forerunner designated the
Savior eight different ways: as Christ, as One among you, as the Lamb of God, etc. After these revelations, it took only one
final remark to complete the Forerunner's work. Many of us, after receiving sound and careful teaching, subsequently
chose to commit ourselves to Christ.
Tradition holds that Andrew's unnamed companion was John the Beloved Disciple, the very Evangelist whose account we
are reading. His modesty to name himself in his record is evident several times: at the Last Supper (Jn. 13:23), at the Cross
(Jn.19:26), at the empty tomb (Jn 20:2), and by the sea (21:7, 20). Like Andrew, He came at the Forerunner's disclosure.
Peter came because he trusted the testimony of his brother Andrew. "We have found the Messiah!" (vs. 41). How
important is the witness of family members! Let us remember that God can and does use us to bring our loved ones to
betrothal. Let us never prevent them!
Friendship brings many to Christ as Philip and Nathanael demonstrate. Philip was a "hometown" acquaintance. The Lord
Jesus touched his heart through his prior relationship with Andrew, Peter, and John. They all were from Bethsaida (vs. 44).
Similarly, our witness in the community as Christians is spiritually significant. Neighbors see the value or the lack of
worth in our Faith. We serve either as barriers or as bridges for others who live down the street, for one we know on the
job, for one who sees us at play, or for one in community gatherings.
O Blessed Master Who hast called us to Thyself, inspire our witness to Thee that all may know the power of Thy
forgiveness and the hope of salvation which is found in Thee alone.
Bright Thursday
CHRIST IS RISEN!
Thursday, May 5, 2005
4th Vigil of Pascha: Jonah 2 Apostle: Acts 2:38-43 Gospel: St. John 3:1-15
John 3:1-15, especially vs. 11: "Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify
what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness." The conversation between Nicodemos and the Lord Jesus in
this passage contains a stylistic feature of the Evangelist John, often found in his Gospel, that might be described as "a
deepening of the issue." When the Lord "deepens an issue," He transforms the initial subject. In some instances, He
changes the topic profoundly, so that His answer appears to leap from the initial topic into a wholly unrelated subject. In
other instances, His change of subject is rather more developmental, enabling one to trace the conversation in steps from
the starting topic into the deeper subject.
A review of the early chapters of St. John's Gospel discloses four instances of this deepening. The startled Nathanael is
confronted by the Lord's knowledge of him, and confesses, "You are the Son of God!" (vs. 1:49). In this instance, there is
an important reframing in the Lord Jesus' response, "...do you believe?....You shall see heaven open, and the angels of God
ascending and descending upon the Son of Man" (vss. 1:50-51). In a second example, the Lord's Mother informs Him at
the wedding in Cana, "They have no wine" (Jn. 2:3). The Lord's reply seems to take a much greater leap from her
comment, "My hour has not yet come" (vss. 2:4). Again, the Temple authorities challenge Him for driving out the money
changers, "What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?" (Jn. 2:18). In this case, the Lord deepens the issue
by referring to His mission: "Destroy this Temple, and in three days I will raise it up" (Jn. 2:19).
As suggested already, there is a profound deepening in the Lord's conversation with Nicodemos. This "ruler of the Jews"
came speaking about the Lord's signs or miracles; but Christ responded by plunging the conversation into a discussion of
spiritual regeneration (Jn 3:5-8) and followed up by presenting the grand design underlying His Incarnation (vss.11-21).
The first step in the deepening comes in vs. 3. At that point the Lord took control of the discussion: one must be "born
again" to "see the Kingdom of God." Nicodemos understood the Lord's miracles or signs as a function of God being "with
Him" (vs. 2). "Rather," intervenes the Lord, "the Kingdom of God is present, but is not seen nor perceived," because those,
like Nicodemos, who see only results or effects are not "born again." Hence, because they are not spiritually regenerate,
they do not see the Kingdom. Nicodemos completely fails to understand.
The Lord then proceeds to deepen the topic of regeneration further, by speaking of "how" one becomes spiritually
regenerate. New birth is required by "water and the Spirit" (vs. 5), by receiving what we have learned to call the Christian
Mystery: Holy Baptism, Holy Chrismation, and Holy Communion. Subsequently, the Lord Jesus explains how it is that
these Mysteries transform a person spiritually. Rebirth is an action of the Holy Spirit: "that which is born of the Spirit is
spirit" (vs. 6). It is beyond human manipulation or management. "So is everyone who is born of the Spirit" (vs. 8).
Nicodemos is utterly baffled and perplexed (vs. 9).
The Lord Jesus continues into the depths of spiritual regeneration: He Himself is the One by Whom men are reborn, and it
is He Who teaches men how to receive the Mysteries of regeneration (vs. 11). These "earthly things" by which men may
find the "heavenly things" must be learned from the One "Who came down from heaven, that is, from the Son of Man" (vs.
13). The Lord concludes this teaching with the life-giving message that Nicodemos and all men need: "whoever believes in
Him should not perish but have eternal life" (vs. 15).
In Thy mercy, O Lord, may I ever preserve my baptismal garment and the earnest of the Spirit, keeping them pure and
undefiled unto the dread Day when Thou shalt come in Glory.
Bright Friday
CHRIST IS RISEN!
Friday, May 6, 2005
4th Vigil of Pascha: Jonah 3 Apostle: Acts 3:1-8 Gospel: St. John 2:12-22
St. John 2:12-22, especially vs. 19: "Jesus answered and said to them, 'Destroy this Temple,
and in three days I will raise it up.'" The long history of ancient Israel's national shrines spans a turbulent 1500 year
period from the time of Moses in the fifteenth century BC, until the third Jerusalem Temple, built by Herod the Great, was
destroyed by Roman armies under Titus in AD 70.
Services offered in the successive Temples were established by God at Mt. Sinai (see Leviticus). At first, these sacrifices
were conducted in a portable Tabernacle, a tent described in Exodus (Ex. 25-31). Later, a permanent national shrine,
patterned after the desert Tabernacle, was built by king David's son, Solomon, in 960 BC. Babylonian armies razed that
Temple in 586 BC, but construction of a second Temple was begun by Jewish exiles from Babylon in 536 BC under the
leadership of Zerubbabel. That Temple, finished in 516 BC, was in nearly constant use thereafter until it was replaced by
Herod in a mammoth building project started in 20 BC. The new inner sanctuary for the services, a shrine of immense
proportions, was completed in18 months. Its outer porticos, courts, and surroundings, however, were finished just two
years before the Jewish revolt in AD 66. It was the largest and most imposing of all the Temples (Mk. 13:1). It was this
Temple from which the Lord Jesus drove the merchants "doing business" (Jn. 2:14). No Jewish Temple has ever been built
on Mount Zion since AD 70.
Of course, the Lord's challenge to "destroy this Temple" as recorded in today's reading, referred to Himself and not to any
building. When the Temple authorities thought they had effectively destroyed Him, the Lord kept His promise. He
restored in three days "the Temple" which they destroyed. When one fully appreciates what Christ our Lord meant by
saying He would "raise up" this Temple, one touches both the inner mystery of His "cleansing" of the old Jewish Temple
and "the power of His Resurrection" (Phil. 3:10). Let us consider the role of the various Temples under the Old Covenant
and how the Lord forever replaces them.
The desert Tabernacle and all the subsequent Temples were created to serve as a single holy place for God's Covenant
People to worship, a common shrine where all the tribes could gather, "the tribes of the LORD, as a testimony for Israel, to
give thanks to the Name of the Lord" (Ps. 121:4 LXX). At times God indicated His presence with His People by visible
manifestations (Ex. 19:18-20; 1 Kngs 8:10-11). However, His abiding concern was that their lives be pure in His sight.
Therefore, through His Prophets, God declared that He would not accept their sacred assemblies if the people permitted evil
and injustice to exist (Is. 1:12-17). Most of all, God opposed false, alien, or pagan worship mixed with true worship (Ezek.
8:13-18). The unity of the People with God had always to be "in truth" (Josh. 24:14).
In the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ, God became man. At that moment, the conditions for the worship of God were
radically revised: "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His People,
and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God" (Rev. 21:3). The Lord has never removed His demand for holiness
of life. Thus, He acted to purify a building dedicated to His worship, driving out the money changers. Later, He would
make a perfect offering of Himself for all the sins of all mankind, eliminating forever the need for any blood-sacrifice of
animals, for His Passion and Resurrection opened the gates of Heaven to all who truly repent, unite themselves to Him, and
walk in His ways.
O Lord, save Thy people and preserve the fulness of Thy Church, sanctify those who love the beauty of Thy house and
forsake us not who put our trust in Thee.
Bright Saturday
CHRIST IS RISEN!
Saturday, May 7, 2005
4th Vigil of Pascha: Jonah 4 Apostle: Acts 3:11-16 Gospel: St. John 3:22-33
St. John 3:22-33, especially vss. 31, 32: "He Who comes from heaven is above all. And
what He has seen and heard, that He testifies and no one receives His testimony." Recent archaeological explorations
have unearthed hundreds of first-century tubs or pools built in Jerusalem for ritual baptisms. Scrolls found at Qumran
reveal that the Essene community forcefully promoted ritual bathings and cleansings during this same era. In today's
lesson, observe that the disciples of the Forerunner, as well as the community gathering around the Lord Jesus, actively
practiced baptisms.
It is not surprising that St. John's disciples should become involved with other devout Jews in "disputes about purification"
(vs. 25). Notice also the competitive spirit they displayed on behalf of St. John. They worried about the growing
popularity of the Galilean Who had come down into Judea: "behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!" (vs. 26).
As he had earlier, the Forerunner humbled himself in relation to Jesus (1:19-34): "He must increase, but I must decrease"
(Jn. 3:30). In this vein, St. John made three assertions: He comes from heaven. He ranks in authority above all on the
earth. He speaks heavenly truth He has seen and heard.
The Forerunner asserts a qualitative distinction between his own relationship with God and the Lord's: "...I have been sent
before Him....He...comes from heaven..." (vss. 28,31). St. John coupled these two remarks with a contrastive explanation:
"He Who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth" (vs. 31). Thus, he
proclaimed the Faith of the Orthodox, asserting the very truth the Church affirmed against Arius and so many other
heretics. Christ our God is no mere creature, not even a superlative, special Creation of God through Whom the Lord
created the universe [Arius' view]. Even as a man, being God Incarnate, He remains God of God, one in essence with the
Father, from before time and forever.
The contrastive images of the Bridegroom and the "friend of the Bridegroom" draw out the same point. The relationship of
God's People with the Lord is cast in terms of marriage: "...and it shall come to pass that as a bridegroom will rejoice over
a bride, so will the Lord rejoice over thee" (Is. 62:5). As St. John Chrysostom says, St. John was consoling them,
"...showing them that it was not a man, but God, Who surpassed them in honor; and that, therefore, they must not wonder
if...all men came unto Him: for...this was the nature of divine things."
The Lord's inherent identity led the Forerunner to affirm Jesus' greater rank and higher authority "ahead" of his own or of
any other human being. "He Who comes from above is above all" (Jn. 1:31). St. John Chrysostom has the point: "...Christ
hath need of nothing, but is Himself sufficient for Himself, and incomparably greater than all." St. John the Baptist
consistently labors to direct all glory and respect to Him Whom he already has identified as "the Lamb of God" (vs.1:29),
as "He Who baptizes with the Holy Spirit" (vs.1:33), as "the Christ" (vs.3:28).
The issue of truth concerning the Lord Jesus dominates this Gospel passage. What the Lord Jesus says, but even more so,
Who He is, is Truth. Neither the Lord nor His words are mere information. They and He are Truth providing eternal
salvation for anyone who "has received His testimony" (vs. 33). The Forerunner emphasizes that anyone who receives the
Lord's testimony (vs. 32) has also "...certified that God is true" (vs. 33). Reflect on "certified" (vs. 33). This word refers to
placing of one's seal on a document. St. John's point is this: when a man receives Christ, he does not merely agree with a
human being. Rather, he embraces what God says. He affirms Jesus' Lordship and commits himself to Christ as God.
Dost thou believe in Him? I believe in Him as King and God.
Sunday, May 8, 2005
CHRIST IS RISEN!
Sunday of Thomas; John the Theologian
5th Vigil of Pascha: Joshua 5:10-15 Apostle: Acts 5:12-20 Gospel: St. John 20:19-31
St. John 20:19-31, especially vs. 31: "...but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the
Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His Name." It is worth the effort to examine closely our
own willingness to believe in the Lord Jesus as the One in Whose Name is Life. The Forerunner John challenged men to
accept Jesus as God, as the One Who is above all men by nature, the living Truth of God embodied as man.
This passage from the end of St. John's Gospel records events toward the end of the Lord's earthly ministry, but the issue
raised by the Forerunner remains. Yes, it remains for us: will we commit ourselves to Jesus as Thomas did, crying out "My
Lord and my God" (vs. 28)? The Forerunner's challenge came before the healings, the teachings, the Cross and the
glorious Resurrection. Yes, Thomas had time to "think over" the issue, but his confession of the risen Lord delivers that
issue to us. The One Who was dead stands before each of us, challenging us: look at My wounds, touch Me. I have
trampled down death by My death. "Do not be unbelieving, but believing" (vs. 27). What will it be for us - acceptance or
avoidance?
There is an easy way to avoid Christ, to evade His claim on one's life: stay away from the Church and her worship. It is the
"method of choice" for many. Out of sight, out of mind! The disciple Thomas "was not with them when Jesus came" (vs.
24). What did he know of the gladness, the joy when Life touched and renewed them (vs. 20)? Their story was "all right
for them," but Thomas demanded tangible proof (vs. 25). When he rejoined the other Disciples, the Resurrection was for
him hearsay - the experience of others and without personal vitality for him. Beloved, the appearance of the Lord, His
living presence, happens whenever the Church gathers for the Liturgy. When we stay away, the clamor and claims of the
world deaden our hearts to the Lord's presence. Of course He is everywhere, yet how shall we hear Him, or how shall we
"taste and see that the Lord is good" (Ps. 33:8 LXX) apart from the Liturgy? The world supports not being with the
Church, not being forgiven (vs. 23), not hearing His peace (vs. 21), not being filled with the life-giving Spirit (vs. 22), not
receiving His true Body (vs. 27).
Instead, the world offers pleasures, and in ample abundance: sleeping in, sports, travel, work, hobbies, entertainment,
family-time, and chores. One chooses whether or not to join in the action of the Body of Christ, a decision avoided once
and then repeatedly. St. Ignatius said clearly: "Unless a man is within the sanctuary, he lacks the Bread of God...Therefore
he who does not come to the assembly is already proud." The world corrupts. The Lord heals and cleanses.
There is another method for avoiding the Lord's claim. The technique is to set up one's own conditions for submission to
the Lord: "Unless I see...and put my hands into His side, I will not believe" (vs. 25). Such an assertion is fueled by
arrogance and pride. The demand for objective, verifiable evidence sounds entirely reasonable at first blush, but it is
human "wisdom." The contemporary world is filled with people who brush the Lord aside with worldly wisdom. Be
advised: God will not stop the person who tosses aside the claim of the Person and ministry of the Lord Jesus. He allows
us to set our standards of evaluation, to "reduce the size of the playing field," and to "prove" what pleases us at the
moment. The results are materialism, self-indulgence, and the passions. When God is addressed as an hypothesis, where is
the mystery that humanizes life? Listen to St. Paul: "Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the
wisdom of this world?" (1 Cor. 1:20). Let us join Thomas and let us all say:
Turn my obstinate soul with fervor to true Faith, for Thou art my Master and my God Who didst rise from the dead. Glory
to Thee!
Monday, May 9, 2005
CHRIST IS RISEN!
Translation of the Relics of Nicholas of Myra
7th Vigil of Pascha: Zephaniah 3:8-15 Apostle: Acts 3:19-26 Gospel: St. John 2:1-11
St. John 2:1-11, especially vs. 11: "This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and
manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him." The first eleven chapters of St. John's Gospel comprise a
distinct unit, being structured around seven "signs" or miracles wrought by the Lord: 1) changing water to wine (2:1-11), 2)
curing a nobleman's son (4:46-54), 3) healing a paralytic (5:1-15), 4) feeding 5,000 (6:1-14), 5) walking on water (6:15-21), 6) giving sight to a blind man (9:1-41), and 7) raising Lazarus - four days dead (11:38-44).
In St. John 2:11, the Evangelist states the two purposes of these signs: to fix attention on the Divinity of the Lord Jesus as
He manifests seven aspects of the glory of God, and to evoke commitment and submission to Christ as Lord. The sign
which is the focus of the present account occurred at a wedding reception, and involved a significant verbal exchange
between the Lord and His Mother. He converted a large volume of water into premium quality wine.
First, we do well to examine the setting of this first sign: a wedding celebration to which Christ was specifically invited.
However, the presence of the Lord at a wedding changed the entire "equation" of marriage. As Father John Mack says, "In
being at this wedding, and in performing His first miracle there, Jesus forever blesses marriage and sets it apart as a
'sanctified' way of life." The divine glory of the Incarnate God and Savior manifested in the marriage at Cana proclaims
the Divine potential of all marriages everywhere.
Christ expanded the foundational truth of the Old Testament, that God creates mankind as male and female to "Be fruitful
and multiply" (Gen. 1:28). Marriage no longer is limited to a legal contract between a husband and a wife, for all the glory
of God revealed in Christ is now manifested in, through, and for marriage. Christian marriage is a call to manifest the
entire redemption, salvation, love, forgiveness, and knowledge of God's glory which are ours in Christ. This enlarged
mission leads the Church to call Holy Wedlock a Mystery or a Sacrament.
As Father John Meyendorff says, Christian marriage is "a unique union of two beings in love, two beings who can
transcend their own humanity and thus be united not only 'with each other' but also 'in Christ.'" The Lord Jesus makes His
glory available to all marriages. When the Evangelist says that Jesus' disciples "believed in Him," it means that Christian
faith now includes the Lord's expanded redefinition of marriage as Holy Mystery.
Next, consider the exchange between His Mother and the Savior. She initiated a glorious spiritual action by her words,
"They have no wine" (vs. 3). In identifying a need, she manifested one of her major roles - as intercessor. Further, the
Lord's response must not be read as a harsh rebuttal of her. Rather, He clarifies that He is no longer under her authority nor
subject to her wishes, something she still might well have expected (Lk. 2:51 and Mt. 12:47,48). His formative years were
over. Note well, she took no offense at His words, but continued in her role as intercessor: "Whatever He says to you, do
it" (vs. 5). Here again the glory of God is disclosed in magnifying the role of His Virgin Mother as first among intercessors
for those in need.
Finally, there was the changing of water into wine. The failure of human beings to provide was contravened by the grace
and love of Christ our God. The Incarnate Lord revealed the glorious truth that God transforms earthly things into Life-giving, heavenly, good things filled with His Spirit. Behold, in becoming Incarnate, God has given us His Holy Mysteries.
O Lord, Thou wonderful Turner of water into wine, bring Thy divine flame to our extinguished fire. Turn the water of our
being into divine wine, that we may be like to Thee; and, being so, may live in Thine immortal Kingdom with Thy glorious
angels. (St. Nikolai of Zica)
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
CHRIST IS RISEN!
The Holy Apostle Simon Zelotes
8th Vigil of Pascha: 3 Kings 17:8-24 Apostle: Acts 4:1-10 Gospel: St. John 3:16-24
St. John 3:16-21, especially vs. 16 : "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." Today's passage from St. John's Gospel is the
concluding portion of the Lord's conversation with Nicodemos. The first part of the conversation is read on the Thursday
of Bright Week (Jn. 3:1-15). The present passage begins with an often-quoted verse of Holy Scripture (Jn. 3:16), which
summarizes the message of the reading: God loves every one of His creatures, each of us, and He has affirmed this love in
Christ in a most tangible, direct manner. The verse declares that God, from the depth of His Being, is love. His love is not
limited to a single action, nor confined by any conditions, nor bound within any time-frame. God's love flows out from
Who He is essentially. As St. John declares elsewhere, "God is love" (1 Jn. 4:8). On one hand, the word of the Lord in
today's opening verse flavors the meaning of the rest of the reading, enhancing every word and verse. Conversely, the
reading itself serves as detailed exposition by the Lord Jesus Christ of the message stated in this key verse.
First, the Lord Jesus declares that God is concerned to "save," not to "condemn" (vs. 17). Why then does Christ our God
speak mostly of condemnation here (vss. 17-20)? The answer is quite simple: God looks upon a condemned race, a
creation of His own making that is perishing, sentenced to the oblivion of death. The loving Source of Life looks lovingly
upon His creation, filled with this death, and this entire creation affronts His nature. However, let us have the humility to
acknowledge: we have brought and we bring the condemnation upon ourselves. Condemnation hovers over us as the over-arching tragedy of our human life-experience.
Death negates all of human history and every single human being. How is it that we cause such a condemnation? We
stand apart from God's outstretched, loving, life-giving hand: "men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds
were evil" (vs. 19), but our loving Lord is Light. He comes to illumine the world, and still we love darkness rather than
light (vs. 19)! That is our self-defeating choice, and our practice of evil demonstrates our love of darkness (vs. 20). From
Adam to the present, we have loved darkness (compare Gen. 3:8 and Jn. 3:20).
As it was in the beginning, when God first gave us life and breath (Gen. 2:7), so it was with the coming of God in the flesh:
Christ our God strives lovingly to woo us away from death, that we might have everlasting life (Jn. 3:16). He only asks
that we believe in Him, trust Him, and commit to Him, so "that the world through Him might be saved" (vs. 17).
In Genesis, God reveals that we are made in His image (Gen. 1:27). We have the basis for love in our inmost essence.
When the Only-Begotten Son of God came into the world, He exposed our potential to love, and He did more than display
an ideal. In a supreme act of love, He directly attacked the evil and death that negate our capacity to love. Most assuredly
the Lord Jesus is all about love, for He Himself lovingly embraced even death to give us life in Himself.
In the Gift of the Only-Begotten Son, God acts to restore us to Himself, that we may live in Him and love Him in His
eternal Kingdom. He does not leave us in condemnation. Rather, He has made His grace and forgiveness tangible (1 Jn.
1:1), so that we who are dependent upon what is concrete may trust in Him. By becoming Incarnate and being one of us,
Christ our God has historically and physically given us a discernible basis to trust in Him (vs. 18), to do the truth (vs. 21),
to come to the light (vs. 21), and avoid condemnation. God loves His world. The Lord Jesus is palpable proof, so that
none need perish, so that all may have everlasting life in Him. Save us O Son of God, Who art risen from the dead, who
sing unto Thee, Alleluia.
Wed., May 11, 2005
CHRIST IS RISEN!
Cyril & Methodios, Equals-to-the-Apostles
12th Vigil of Pascha: 4 Kings 4:8-37 Apostle: Acts 4:13-22 Gospel: St. John 5:17-24
St. John 5:17-24, especially vs. 24: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, 'He that heareth My word,
and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death
unto life.'" In this final verse from today's reading, the Lord describes the spiritual state of a person who will not be
condemned on the Day of Judgment. The one of whom He speaks is not consigned to death. Why? He already has
attained everlasting life. Notice therefore that this "life" of which the Lord speaks is a present reality. The one who
believes "hath everlasting life." The "life" of the believer is not reserved solely to the future in eternity. It is a state within
which one may live now. "Life" results from moving out of a former mode of existence, one called "death," into a
qualitatively different state called "life." What is the character of this "life?" Let us explore the Lord's words and see.
"Life" is a gift. Christ, the Son of God, is the Giver of the gift of Life, a function of His Divine nature, since God has the
power to give "life" to the "dead." "For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to
whom He will" (vs. 21). However, the Son observes two conditions in giving "life" to mortal men. One must "hear" the
word of the Son, and he must "believe in" the Father Who sent the Son (vs. 24). Notice, however, that most of today's
passage is devoted to revealing the invariable unity that exists between the Father and the Son (vss. 17-23). Hence, the
Son's capacity to give "life to whom He will" (vs. 21) is shown to arise directly from His unity with the Father. The Jewish
authorities who opposed the Lord did not miss the implication in Jesus' emphasis upon His unity with the Father (vs. 18).
Since hearing is a condition of "life," let us understand the sort of listening that is required. Holy Scripture consistently
speaks of hearing not as mere audition. Much more it is "obedient action." One who "hears" God, obeys what he hears
from God (Eccl. 5:1; Lk. 8:15). The often repeated remark of the Lord Jesus, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear,"
contains this imperative (Mt. 11:15; 13:43). Many behavioral ramifications flow from "hearing."
When one reads the word of God, let him do it with longing and deliberate attentiveness, with intent to heed and to apply
what God says. Urgency to listen to the Lord also encompasses the Divine Liturgy and the other Mysteries of the Church.
Likewise, constancy in prayer may be measured by consistent action. As St. Gregory Palamas teaches: "impassibility does
not consist in mortifying the passionate part of the soul, but in...directing its energies to divine things."
In verse 17 the Lord speaks both of His work and of the Father's. To heed God is to enter into the work of the Holy Trinity
as we are able. The Son watches the Father and does nothing of Himself. We in turn must watch the Son and do "...what
He does...in like manner" (vs. 19). Then God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit will show us greater works, that we
may marvel (vs. 20). How is this ? God the Father would have us believe in Him and honor Him. Thus by believing in
Him Who sent Jesus into the world to save us, we gain life (vss. 23,24).
As with "hearing," the true mode of "believing in" God always impels one to obedient action. While believing in God is an
act of the heart and soul, invariably belief in Christ leads to action, to behavior that is in concert and harmony with the
Father and the Son in Their loving work. Once one crosses the line into pro-active hearing and obedient belief in God, he
has "passed from death into life" (vs. 24). This transition is possible even for us who are mortal, as the Apostles and the
Fathers have amply taught. By God's grace, let us hear and believe.
O Thou Who hast given unto us, Thy servants, remission of sins, and a life of regeneration, illumine our hearts with the
light of Thy countenance, that we may maintain our faith unassailed.
Thursday, May 12, 2005
CHRIST IS RISEN!
Germanos, Patriarch of Constantinople
13th Vigil of Pascha: Isaiah 63:11-64:5 Apostle: Acts 4:23-31 Gospel: St. John 5:24-30
St. John 5:24-30, especially vss. 28, 29: "Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all
who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth - those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those
who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation." The term, "everlasting life," denotes the present spiritual
condition of all those who "hear" and "believe in" the Lord Jesus, for as He Himself teaches, even before a person's
physical death, if he unites himself to the Incarnate One, he "has passed from death into life" (vs. 24). The devastating
power, the negation of all meaning, and the tyranny of physical death for human life are undercut in receiving the gift of
everlasting life (1 Cor. 15:54,55), which explains why this particular passage is read at the funerals of Orthodox Christians.
In this portion of St. John's Gospel, the Lord develops His teaching about life and death, but shifts His focus slightly from
"everlasting life" as a reality to be experienced in this present existence, to a consideration of life and death within the
larger, ultimate context of universal judgment. Already the Lord has made the point that the person who "has everlasting
life...shall not come into judgment" (vs. 24), revealing that after physical death the "everlasting life" which God gives to
the Faithful operates decisively to affect one's eternal standing with God.
The Lord continues making two additional, related points: 1) spiritually dead people are able to hear His voice and thereby
may gain everlasting life well before physical death. This is the truth and hope of all who, by God's grace, have united
themselves to Christ as their "King and God." 2) Also, the Lord reveals that there will come a moment when all the
physically dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God when He calls them before Himself (vs. 25).
Thus the Lord begins a focused consideration of eternal life as it relates to universal judgment (vss. 26,27). First, He
speaks of His Divine nature as Son of God (vs. 26), and draws out the implication of His Divinity as it bears on the final
Judgment of all men. Being One with the Father, the Son, like God the Father, has life in Himself. The Lord Jesus is the
Source of all life. Hence, if He calls one of His dead creatures to life, that creature lives. The dead can live, as may
anyone, but at God's good will and pleasure.