Thursday, March 25, 2004
Fish, Wine & Oil
The Annunciation of the Theotokos
3rd Vespers: Proverbs 9:1-11 Epistle: Hebrews 2:11-18 Gospel: St. Luke 1:24-38
Proverbs 9:1-11 LXX, especially vs. 10: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the counsel
of saints is understanding: for to know the law is the character of a sound mind." When the Archangel Gabriel announced
to the Virgin Mary that she was to bear "the Son of the Highest," Who would "reign over the house of Jacob" (the Church)
as monarch of an everlasting kingdom (Lk. 1:32-33), the great Angel addressed a young woman who already had met
God's preconditions for being the Theotokos, the God-bearer or birth-giver.
As a monk of our Church has said, applying the Mystery of the Incarnation of God to us: "Jesus can be born in us, can be
born through us...[to take] real possession of our being." However, as the Virgin Mary was ready to be the Mother of God,
so we too need to labor toward our own readiness. Hence, we must repent from "all things which God hates" (Prov. 6:16)
so that the "seven pillars" of wisdom's palace may become the undergirding of the spiritual temple of our heart (Prov. 9:1).
Holy Wisdom, of course, is our Lord Jesus Christ; for He is everything that God loves (Jn. 17:26) - He is humble, truthful,
life-nurturing, pure of heart, obedient to God, merciful, and conciliatory. There is nothing in Him that God hates, such as
"the eye of the haughty, a tongue unjust, hands shedding the blood of the just, and a heart devising evil thoughts, and feet
hastening to do evil [who]...kindles falsehoods and brings on quarrels between brethren" (Prov. 6:16-19). Ah, that such a
One might be born in us! A worthy goal toward which we strive!
In this reading, a type of Christ our God is revealed, which centuries ago prompted the Church to call him Holy Wisdom.
In this instance, Holy Wisdom is presented as a great Queen who builds a glorious palace supported on seven pillars within
which she prepares a bounteous Feast for anyone who is morally foolish and wants understanding - that he may "turn aside"
to her (Prov. 9:4), "leave folly [and]...reign for ever, and seek wisdom, and improve understanding by knowledge" (vs. 6).
As we know, the servants of Wisdom, the Holy Apostles and Fathers of the Church whom Wisdom sent forth, are calling
us even now "with a loud proclamation to the Feast" (vs. 3), "Come eat of My bread, and drink wine which I have mingled
for you" (vs. 5). He reproved evil men and rebuked ungodly men, and they treated Him disgracefully and hated Him (vss.
7,8). However, Beloved of the Lord, we need not be counted among them. Our Savior gives us a grand opportunity to "be
wiser" and to "receive more instruction" (vs. 9).
The very first of all the preconditions He sets for us as invited guests is "the fear of the Lord [which] is the beginning of
wisdom" (vs. 10). Christ our Holy Wisdom does not call us to a craven, cowering fear, but to a healing and wholesome awe
before the magnificent Creator Himself, Who called us into being out of nothing, and is calling us now to eat His bread and
drink His wine at His royal feast.
Let us not disdain the invitation of Holy Wisdom, but cast aside everything in us that is not humble, truthful, life-nurturing,
pure of heart, obedient to God, merciful, and conciliatory. These, at least, are the preconditions that He looks for in us. Let
us begin today to acquire these God-pleasing virtues, so that Jesus may be born in us and through us to take full possession
of our being. The Lord ends this reading with a promise: if we will progress towards His necessary preconditions, we shall
"live long, years...of life...shall be added to" us (vs. 11).
Grant us, O Lord Christ, pardon and remission of our sins and transgressions, all things good and profitable for our souls,
and a good defense before Thy dread Judgment seat.
