Monday, August 2, 2004
Dormition Fast The Venerable Photeini
Kellia: 1 Maccabees 4:41-61 Epistle: 1 Corinthians 15:12-19 Gospel: St. Matthew 21:18-22
1 Maccabees 4:41-61, especially vs. 53:
"They rose and offered sacrifice, as the Law directs, on the new altar of burnt offering which
they had built." The Maccabees had an apprehension to cleanse the temple at Jerusalem before
offering prayers and sacrifices there to God. Likewise, before Orthodox Priests celebrate the
Divine Liturgy, being reconciled with all and, so far as he is able, guarding his heart from evil
thoughts, he vests in his outer, black exorasson, or garment for prayer, comes before the Holy
Doors and offers The Kairon or The Entrance Prayers, asking the Spirit of Truth to come and
abide within his heart and soul, cleanse him from every stain of sin that he might venture to enter
the bridal chamber and worship the one Godhead in three Persons, the Father, the Son, and the
Holy Spirit. And we, Beloved of God, also need to cleanse our hearts before thinking to offer
prayers and worship to God or before receiving the most Holy Mysteries of our Lord and Savior.
Interior cleansing of the self by a servant of God, that he may be a worthy temple of God, ought
to be a regular, daily effort of life, what Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos describes as "dispelling
the clouds of evil from the air of the heart, so that we may see the sun of righteousness,
Christ...so that the principles of His majesty may shine to some extent in the nous," the deep
center of the heart. Such effort should only be undertaken minding the word of St. Symeon the
New Theologian: "the heart cannot be purified without the working of the Holy Spirit, just as the
smith uses his tools, but fire as well....." Today's reading can help us review the steps we need to
take together with the Holy Spirit in order to prepare our hearts for prayer.
Judas Maccabeus "detailed men to fight against those in the citadel until he had cleansed the
sanctuary" (vs. 41). Even though the Seleucid army had withdrawn from Judah in defeat, there
still was a garrison of the pagans inside a fort or citadel within Jerusalem itself. Though these
troops had not the numbers to confront the entire Maccabean army directly, nonetheless they
were capable of forays against the temple and a threat to the cleansing and worship. Hence, a
detail was assigned either to rid the city of this unit or at least to contain them.
Likewise, we must maintain constant watchfulness against the forays of Satan and our own flesh,
for these are at work to distract us from Christ and too often bring new impurity and sin to our
hearts and minds. Fasting, self-control, sleeping on the ground, standing vigils and other bodily
ascetic practices are good for keeping the self from committing sin. Part of our personal energy
ought to be detailed to warding off such manifest attempts against us.
Since the former altar had been profaned, the "blameless" priests "tore down the altar, and....took
unhewn stones, as the Law directs, and built a new altar" (vss. 45-47). We likewise must tear
down the profaned elements in our self and make our heart a new altar composed of pure stones
of truth, stillness, and the virtues of faith, hope, and love. This must be done in a manner which
He Who gave the Law will direct, guide, and assist us in accomplishing.
When the Maccabees completed cleansing, they "rose and offered sacrifice, as the Law directs,
on the new altar...which they had built" (vs. 53). This was on "the twenty-fifth day of the ninth
month, which is the month of Chislev" (vss. 52,59) - now the Feast of Hanukkah for Jews. In
Christ, however, we "are the temple of God" in which His Spirit dwells inasmuch as we cleanse
our hearts to be worthy altars. Let us ask God to illumine the candlestand of our heart, make our
prayers as pure incense and receive the unworthy bread of our life as a holy offering.
O good Lord, cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of Thy Holy Spirit that we may
perfectly love Thee and worthily magnify Thy Holy Name.
