Thursday, January 22, 2004
The Holy Apostle Timothy
Kellia: Wisdom 5:15-6:3 Epistle: James 4:7-5:9 Gospel: St. Mark 11:27-43
Wisdom 5:15-6:3, especially vs. 16, "Therefore they will
receive a glorious crown and a beautiful diadem from the hand of the Lord, because with His
right hand He will cover them, and with His arm He will shield them." In another reading for the
Vespers of Holy Monks (Wisdom 3:1-9), Solomon reveals the source of the strength of all great
monastics for facing pain and death - their disciplined, ascetic lives characterized by prayer,
fasting, godly reading, and the practice of the virtues. This Orthodox manner of living, as St.
Thalassios asserts, calls the righteous to "the forceful practice of self-control and love, patience,
and stillness [to] destroy the passions hidden within us." Moreover, God blesses His Saints who
labor to unite themselves to Him, for He makes them "partakers of the divine nature" (2 P. 1:4) -
despite all that this life may bring against them.
In this present reading for the Feasts of Holy Monks, Solomon shows further that God works
through the social, natural, and political orders of this present age to shield the righteous and
intervene for them in their struggle to obtain "a glorious crown" (Wis. 5:16).
First, Solomon portrays a frequent theme of Holy Scripture - the Lord as a warrior putting on His
armament: "righteousness as a breastplate...impartial justice as a helmet...holiness as an
invincible shield...and stern wrath for a sword (vss. 18-20). The imagery is echoed in Isaiah:
"The Lord saw...that there was no man...then His own arm brought Him victory, and His
righteousness upheld Him. He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation
upon His head; He put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and wrapped Himself in fury as a
mantle" (Is. 59:15, 16, 17). And St. Paul draws upon this same imagery (Eph. 6:13-17).
Isaiah himself saw the Lord act in this manner, actually forcing the withdrawal of the siege forces
of Sennacherib, King of Assyria, from the fortress walls of Jerusalem (2 K 18:13-19:37). During
the siege, God led Isaiah to counsel the King of Judah: "Therefore thus says the Lord concerning
the king of Assyria, he shall not come into this city or shoot an arrow there, or come before it
with a shield or cast up a siege mound against it" (2 K 19:32); and he saw "the angel of the
Lord...slew a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the camp of the Assyrians; and when men
arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies" (2 K 19:35). God is quite capable
of intervening in the affairs of nations to achieve His will in men's actions.
In addition, Solomon reveals how the Lord may use any of the forces of nature to effect His will
on behalf of His righteous ones; for He can employ "Shafts of lightning...as from a well-drawn
bow of clouds, and hailstones full of wrath...as from a catapult [or] the water of the sea ...and
rivers" to overwhelm, as well as mighty winds and tempests to winnow His mortal enemies (Wis.
5:21, 22, 23). Let us remember that the Lord Jesus "arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the
sea, 'Peace, be still!' And the wind ceased and there was a great calm" (Mk. 4:39).
Solomon pondered on the Lord's capacity to intervene in the affairs of men and nations through
many means, and he concluded this present reading with a warning to the leaders of this world
"that rule over multitudes, and boast of many nations...Your dominion was given you from the
Lord, and your sovereignty from the Most High, Who will search out your works and inquire into
your plans" (Wis. 6:2, 3). Later, the Lord Jesus would say to the Roman Procurator, Pontius
Pilate, "You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above" (Jn.
19:11). May each of us consider, both for ourselves and our nations, that God guides and directs.
Teach us, O Lord, to treat all that comes to us throughout the day with peace of soul and with the
firm conviction that Thy will governs all.
