Tuesday, December 28, 2004
The Twenty Thousand Martyrs of Nicomedia
5th Nativity Vigil: Baruch 3:35-4:4 Epistle: Hebrews 12:25-26; 13:22-25 Gospel: St. Mark 10:2-12
Baruch 3:35-4:4 LXX, especially vs. 35: "This is our God, and there shall none other be
accounted of in comparison of Him." St. Basil the Great speaks of God as the "Master of all, Lord of heaven and earth,
and of all creation both visible and invisible; Who sittest upon the throne of glory, and beholdest the depths; Who art
without beginning, invisible, incomprehensible, uncircumscript, immutable, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, our great
God and Savior, our hope, Who is the image of Thy goodness, the seal of equal type, in Himself showing forth Thee, the
Father the Living Word, the true God, the Wisdom before all ages, the Life, Sanctification, Might, the true Light, through
Whom the Holy Spirit was manifested; the Spirit of Truth, the Gift of Adoption, the pledge of an inheritance to come, the
first fruits of eternal good things, the life-giving Power, the fountain of holiness; by Whom enabled every rational and
intelligent creature doth serve Thee, and send up to Thee perpetual praises...."
Beloved, at this very moment we are in the presence of this great "Lord of heaven and earth." There is no hiding from
Him, not in the depths of the earth, not in any secret place on this planet, nor in the outermost reaches of the universe,
incalculable light years from this place and moment. We are before Him, as are our thoughts, fears, dreams, hopes,
knowledge, and the movement of every cell and fibre of our being. Nothing escapes His notice.
These verities being the truth of our existence at all times, our present celebration of Christmas, of the Nativity of "our
Lord Jesus Christ - our great God and Savior, our hope, Who is the image of God's goodness"- takes on a very special
significance. Why? Because this incomparable God, as the Prophet Baruch shows us, is the source of all knowledge. He
has shown Himself upon this earth, revealing Himself as the Way, the Truth and the Life with the firm promise that all who
keep His way shall come not just to knowledge, but to Life!
Think closely about the Prophet's declaration that God "hath found out all the way of knowledge" (vs. 3:36). Does this
suggest that God has passed through some infinite course of learning until He found out every approach to knowledge, until
He exhausted the entire process of learning itself, not only learning everything but discovering every existing means of
acquiring knowledge? Not at all! He is eternally at the end-point of knowledge. What is there to learn that He does not
know and has not known always? The significance of the statement is that no matter what avenue you and I may take to
learn, we shall find present there the "Master of all." Pile up your university degrees, your professional seminars, and all
possible learning opportunities, and God is there.
How can we say this? Because God hath given this insight and knowledge "unto Jacob His servant, and to Israel His
beloved" (vs. 3:36) - to us! Those who have united themselves to Him, know that there is nothing He does not know,
including all the ways we learn and discover. We set about learning with confidence and faith, assured that He is there
before us. He alone is all that we need to fear in learning. Hence, let us not learn what offends Him!
How can we avoid false learning? Here is a Christmas present! He has shown "Himself upon earth, and conversed with
men" (vs. 3:37). We have the great evangelical record of that Self-revelation, and the living experience of Him in the life
and worship of His Holy Church. Christ is born! If we will but glorify Him, we shall learn the Way to knowledge,
discover the Truth that undergirds all that is worth knowing, for we shall know Life Himself (vs. 4:4).
Be mindful, O Lord our God, of all Thy people, and upon them all pour out Thy rich mercy, granting to all their petitions
which are unto salvation, O Thou Who knowest every man.
