Wednesday, January 14, 2004
Nina, Enlightener of Georgia, Equal-to-the-Apostles
Kellia: Exodus 2:5-10 Epistle: James 1:1-18 Gospel: St. Mark 10:11-16
Exodus 2:5-10, especially vs. 10, "And the child
grew, and she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. So she called his
name Moses, saying, 'Because I drew him out of the water.'" The deliverance of the infant
Moses from death by exposure or drowning invites us to consider the astounding nature of our
God - to contemplate Him Who acts beyond all expectation to shape contrary events to His
sovereign will. We, especially, who have been drawn out of the waters of Baptism, must agree
with Moses, "A helper and protector was He unto me for salvation. This is my God, and I will
glorify Him; the God of my father, and I will exalt Him" (Ex. 15:2 LXX). Our God does not
abandon those who trust in Him, crowning their faith with salvation, receiving them "out of many
waters" (Ps. 17:16 LXX), and turning their condemnation into glory.
Dependent and helpless, like the infant Moses, most Orthodox Christians are brought to the
waters of Baptism by their parent. They come to the font borne in the arms of godparents,
unaware of what is taking place, quite without understanding of the riches and blessings that
being bestowed, but upheld by the faith of their parents, their godparents, and the whole of the
Body of Christ. Even those who have come as adults to the Mystery of Baptism only partially
understand what God is accomplishing. Truly, who does understand? Who comprehends what
God has done, is doing, and will do for us whom He has drawn out of the water?
Moses' parents were people of such faith. By faith they disobeyed the command of the Pharaoh.
As the earlier verses in the chapter explain, when they "saw that he was a goodly child" (Ex. 2:2)
they hid their infant, not foolishly showing him off in public and inviting death. Rather, they
resisted the natural delight of parents, for they saw "that he was fair"(Ex. 2:2 LXX).
Let us understand that their vision was not simply physical, but a perception with eyes of faith.
When Moses' mother looked on him she saw his comeliness as a sign that God had a special plan
for her child's life. Therefore, as he outgrew the capacity of his parents to hide him in their
home, they acted again in faith and placed the babe in a little ark woven of reeds and caulked to
keep it afloat (Ex. 2:3). All these actions, like the efforts of modern parents who bring their
children for Baptism, were carried out with deep faith in the God of astounding love.
Repeatedly God astounds men and reveals Himself as their Savior, delivering them through many
waters. He saved our entire race by means of an ark floating on the great worldwide flood
waters, keeping Noah and his family safely while most other men drowned (Gen. 6-8). He saved
His chosen People through the obedience of Moses at the crossing of the Red Sea, another
baptism, thwarting again yet another Pharaoh. Our astounding God still saves all who call upon
His Name in the waters of Holy Baptism.
What today's reading particularly reveals is that the God Whom the Church proclaims is
astounding in His capacity to contravene the very worst of human intentions. Through history,
God has transformed what men mean for evil and turned our sinful acts into life-bestowing
blessings "in order to...save many people alive" (Gen. 50:20).
It is astounding that it was the daughter of Pharaoh who contravened her father's efforts to
destroy Israel's newborns by saving Moses. God astounds us in His response to our sin-induced
death, by becoming our Savior. Truly, God is most amazing, for He became sin for us in His own
Baptism "that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor 5:21).
O Christ our God, save Thy world which Thou has sanctified in the waters of Jordan: crush the
might of sin, and save mankind from error.
