Saturday, February 14, 2004
Week of Usual Abstinence
Kyril, Teacher of the Slavs
Kellia: 1 Kings 16:14-23 Epistle: 1 Corinthians 10:23-28
Gospel: St. Luke 21:8-9, 25-27, 33-36
1 Samuel 16:14-23, especially vs. 14, "Now the
Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul...." In the Mystery of Holy Chrismation, we pray, our
compassionate God and King, to grant to those being anointed "the seal of the gift of Thy holy,
almighty, and adorable Spirit...[keeping] them in Thy sanctification....delivering them from the
Evil One, and from the machinations of the same." In the anointing of the Faithful, as Father
Alexander Schmemann says, "we receive the Holy Spirit Himself, and not merely 'grace'....It is
the Holy Spirit, and not some divine power, that descended on the Apostles on the day of
Pentecost. It is He and not 'grace' that we invoke in prayer and acquire through spiritual effort."
When Samuel anointed Saul to be the King of Israel, he told him, "the Spirit of the Lord will
come mightily upon you...and you shall be turned into another man" (1 Kngs. 10:6). Today, we
read the dire statement that "the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul" (1 Kngs. 16:14). Worse,
we learn the result, that he then began to be tormented by an evil spirit which the Lord allowed to
come upon him (vss. 14-16). The indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit in the spirits of the
Faithful, in our hearts, keeps us from such machinations and torments, unless, like Saul, we
repeatedly disobey God, seek to please men rather than God, and do not strive to realize the
riches of the relationship we have been given with God, the all holy and adorable Divine Spirit.
Immediately prior to the report of the withdrawal of the Spirit from Saul is the account of the
anointing of David, the future King of Israel, upon whom, Holy Scripture says, "the Spirit of the
Lord came mightily...from that day forward" (1 Kngs. 16:13). What evidence of the Spirit's
presence are we able to observe in David that we may also strive to acquire as anointed children
and heirs of God's heavenly kingdom? The present passage suggests three spiritual qualities
which were evident in David when he was called into Saul's service: artistic skill revealed in his
music and speech, a refined moral character evinced in his bravery, and in his ability to drive out
spirits of evil, and a capacity to give and evoke love and favor - an ability to foster community.
The first of these aspects of the human spirit which the Holy Spirit restores and nurtures in those
who seek and welcome His indwelling, is creativity. As the Faithful draw grace from the Spirit of
God within, and prove themselves children of the Light, they begin to enjoy and manifest their
heritage in "the eternal good things" of the Lord, and so we have iconographers, singers, readers,
servers, ushers, benefactors, bookkeepers, writers, speakers, teachers, cooks, evangelists,
missionaries, healers, counselors, pastors, apostles, gardeners and those with many other talents.
David was seen to be "skillful in playing" and "prudent in speech" by the courtiers of King Saul
(1 Kngs. 16:18). We have David's psalms as evidence of the artistic ability they saw in him (Ps.
151:2 LXX).
Saul's servants also perceived David as "a man of valor [and] a man of war" (vs. 18).
Furthermore, he was able to refresh Saul and drive out the evil spirit from him by his playing on
the lyre, a small, portable, stringed instrument that " David took...and played...with his hand" (vs.
23). He reveals, even as a young man, those moral virtues of bravery, kindness, and love so
essential to a true servant of God. May we too grow in "Love [which] never fails" (1 Cor. 13:8).
The King was attracted to David, he "loved him greatly" 1 Kngs. 16:21), and David found favor
in his eyes (vs. 22). How so? David had the capacity to build loyalty and foster fellowship by
giving and receiving love from others. This potential of our hearts, as we cooperate with the
Holy Spirit in His nurturing, can make us living "members of the household of God" (Eph. 2:19).
Illumine us, O Lord, with the light of true piety, by the outpouring of Thy Holy Spirit.
