Thursday, March 4, 2004
Lenten Fast
Venerable Gerasimos of the Jordan
6th Hour: Isaiah 6:1-12 1st Vespers: Genesis 5:1-24 2nd Vespers: Proverbs 6:3-20
Isaiah 6:1-12 RSV, especially vs. 5: "And I said: 'Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of
unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!'" St.
John Chrysostom asks, "How then can Isaiah claim to have seen the Lord?" Is not this a contradiction of realities, that
finite man should look upon the Infinite Himself? It is inconceivable! As Vladimir Lossky states, "One cannot fix God
with a concept. Such is 'learned ignorance.' God therefore remains transcendent, radically transcendent by His nature....It is
He about Whom we have no knowledge unless it be to know how we do not know Him." Similarly, St. John the
Theologian declares, "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He
hath declared Him." (Jn. 1:18). At Sinai, God told Moses explicitly, "for man shall not see Me, and live" (Ex. 33:20).
What then shall we make of Isaiah 'seeing' God? Here is St. John Chrysostom's answer to his own question about Isaiah's
encounter with God: "the Prophet speaks of that which was possible for him to see...the vision was an act of
condescension." God deigned to meet Isaiah, and, in the meeting, He disclosed as much of Himself as the man Isaiah was
capable of knowing and seeing. We are left with Isaiah's 'report,' and what he tells us reveals six facets of God's
character: God is indeed beyond human knowing, supremely holy, able to cleanse of all sin, desirous that we serve Him, the
Overlord of all nations, and He Who watches over His people.
As Isaiah describes his vision of God, he observes that "above Him stood the seraphim," each with six wings, and that
every one of them, by means of two of his wings "covered his face" (vs. 2). Not even those most pure, heavenly creatures
who stand next to the presence of God, are able to behold the Lord in His essence. Let us also affirm the impossibility of
'seeing' God, uphold His utter unknowability, and humbly accept the Mystery of His Being as the starting point and
continuing quality of our relationship with Him unto all ages.
Further, Isaiah reports that the seraphim who lead the heavenly worship of God, cry to one another in a thrice Holy anthem,
"Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory" (vs. 3). Here we have the Thrice Holy Hymn
which we offer up to the Lord our God in the Divine Liturgy. Let us assert that God is The Holiest, and that 'He alone is
Holy.' Let us also note in wonder what the Fathers observed: Isaiah's triple acclamation foreshadowed the revelation of the
Trinity only finally disclosed by the Incarnation of God the Word.
In addition, one of the seraphim healed Isaiah, touching his mouth with a flaming coal and saying, "your guilt is taken
away" (vs. 7). St. Ambrose bids us notice that the seraph did not say, "I will take away, but that fire from the altar of God,
that is, the grace of the Spirit. For what else can we piously understand to be on the altar of God but the grace of the
Spirit?" God heals!
After his cleansing, the Prophet heard the voice of God calling him into service. An authentic encounter with God results
in a summons to do His will. The Lord does not force anyone to Himself, but sets forward opportunity - "Whom shall I
send?..." (vs. 8). Let us answer!
God gave Isaiah His message (vss. 9-13), a word of both judgment and restoration: the Prophet was to warn repeatedly that
the People would not receive God's word, because "the heart of this people [is] fat, and their ears [are] heavy" (vss. 9-10).
Therefore, the nation soon would go into exile to Babylon. Utter desolation would come (vs. 11)
Still, God watches over His People for renewal: "the holy seed is in the stump" (vs. 13).
Make Thy face to shine upon Thy servant; and teach me Thy statutes. Let my mouth be filled with Thy praise, O Lord, that
I may praise Thy glory all the day long.
