Sunday, March 14, 2004
Lenten Fast (Tone 6)
The Adoration of the Precious Cross
Kellia: Jeremiah 5:20-25 Epistle: Hebrews 4:14-5:6 Gospel: St. Mark 8:34-9:1
Jeremiah 5:20-25 RSV, especially vs. 22: "'Do you not fear Me?' says the Lord, 'Do you not tremble
before Me?'" The Church reminds the Faithful that our adoration or "true worship" of the "all-revered Cross" on which
God the Son "stretched out His pure hands" keeps us "safe from the sundry harms of adversaries." The opposite also is
true. For example, the Lord directed the Prophet Jeremiah to warn the ancient People of God, "the house of Jacob," that
their failure to render true worship to Him was keeping them from good (vs. 25), and was opening their lives up to the
afflictions of adversaries. Though stated in negative terms, the Lord's purpose, in His prophecy given through Jeremiah, is
to encourage His People, ancient and modern, in true worship, and today's passage provides us with insight into the three
requirements for true worship: fear of the Lord, a submitted and obedient heart, and joyous gratitude.
"Do you not fear Me? says the Lord" (vs. 22). Is God seeking a cringing dread of Himself when He asks this question?
Many will say the Lord desires a feeling of reverence and awe, and while fear of the Lord may engage such feelings, we
must read the Prophet more closely to reach the truth. Notice that Jeremiah speaks against those who "do not say in their
heart, 'Let us fear the Lord our God'" (vs. 24). Fear of the Lord does not arise primarily from the emotions or the mind,
although we may have feelings or thoughts connected with our fear of God. Rather, fear of the Lord wells up from the
heart as the Prophet implies.
Fear of the Lord has its source within our spirit, within that aspect of ourselves made to have fellowship with God. For this
reason, an aspect of true fear of the Lord is heartfelt horror at the possibility of losing Communion with God, of being
bereft of "the brightness of the Lord our God" so that "the works of our hands" are not guided aright (Ps. 89:19 LXX). As
the Elder Joseph the Hesychast says, "I am struggling for God; I don't care what people say, even if they revile me, even if
they mock me, even if they slander me, even if they dishonor my name."
The natural state of the will of the person who fears the Lord, in the Orthodox usage of the term, is "submitted obedience."
One finds this repeatedly in Psalm 118 LXX. Consider the following: "I will keep Thy statutes; do not utterly forsake me"
(Ps. 118:8) or this, "I will never forget Thy statutes, for in them hast Thou quickened me" (Ps. 118:93 LXX), or "I have
inherited Thy testimonies for ever, for they are the rejoicing of my heart" (Ps. 118:111 LXX). Jeremiah chides the people
of Judah because the sea has been given boundaries which it does not transgress with all the tossing and roaring of the
waves (Jer. 5:22), but God's own People "has a stubborn and rebellious heart" (vs. 23).
To have intimacy with God, to live in the rich consciousness of His presence, is a Divine gift to the one who fears the Lord.
The "brightness of the Lord" descends upon him, and he is "quickened" with "rejoicing of [the] heart," as the Psalmist has
said just above. Elder Joseph explained that the gift of God's quickening was so precious to him that he closed off all
access to himself against many who came to see him idly: "I lock my gate, and at least I benefit from the Jesus prayer and
hesychia" (guarding the soul and heart to attain inward stillness).
The treasure of the healing grace of God falls upon the one who fears and obeys God, like "the rain in its season" and God
keeps for him "the weeks appointed for the harvest" (vs. 24). He reaps a full crop of joy and gratitude - quite opposite of
those who iniquitously do not know the Lord in their hearts and whose sins keep the ultimate good from them (vs. 25).
Thou has gladdened me, O Lord, by Thy deeds, and in the works of Thy hands will I rejoice. How great are Thy works, O
Lord, exceeding deep are Thy thoughts. (Ps. 91:3,4 LXX)
