Wednesday, January 5, 2005 Strict Fast
Venerable Syncletica; Eve of Theophany
6th Royal Hr Theophany: Isaiah 12:3-6 Epistle: 1 Corinthians 10:1-4 Gospel: St. Mark 1:9-11
St. Luke 3:1-18, especially vs. 8: "Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance...." St. Cyril of
Alexandria identifies three fruits of repentance: "in the highest degree, faith in Christ; and next to it, the evangelic mode of
life, and in general terms the works of righteousness in contradistinction to sin...." Note that the Patriarch is here directing
the Faithful above all to the essential motive for repentance. Then, he points out that there is a characteristic manner of life
that flows from "faith in Christ," which, in its turn, produces observable behavior and actions - what may rightly be called
true or worthy fruits of repentance.
In the present passage from St. Luke, the urgency of right faith in Christ appears clearly in the statements of the Forerunner
John - toward the end of the selection: "One mightier than I is coming, Whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He
will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire" (vs. 16). St. John models the very repentance which he exhorts us to
embrace, contrasting himself with Christ Jesus, the stronger, the worthier, and the truest Baptizer.
Both Saint John and the Lord Jesus fearlessly speak the truth to persons of every station in society, even in the face of
death. Both paid with their lives, never wavering. John was beheaded for confronting Herod's adultery (Mk. 6:14-29), and
the Lord Jesus was condemned to death by crucifixion after challenging the exploitation by the social, political, and
religious elite of the day (Mk. 11:15-12:40). Which was mightier, then? Of course, St. John was right to identify that it
was Christ our God, He Who would rise from the dead on the third day.
What then is "faith in Christ," that which St. Cyril calls the "highest degree" of repentance? It is to risk obeying the Lord
Jesus' healing prescriptions: "arise, take up your bed and go to your house" (Mk. 2:11); "follow Me" (Mk. 1:17); "go home
to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you" (Mk.
5:19); "go in peace, and be healed of your affliction" (Mk. 5:34); "take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the
leaven of Herod" (Mk. 8:15); "take up the cross and follow Me" (Mk. 10:21); and "go into all the world and preach the
gospel to every creature" (Mk. 16:15).
Such prescriptions were given to heal specific needs or debilities, and each required trust in Jesus to do what He ordered
and to complete the task He demanded. May neither fear nor misplaced trust hamper us when the Lord prescribes healing
commands for us! Rather, let us go out and preach everywhere, the Lord working with us and confirming the word (Mk.
16:20). The primary attitude of those who truly are healed by Christ is obedience. Thus, when He orders up a
prescription, blessed are they "who hear the word of God and keep it!" (Lk. 11:28). St. John understood that those who had
faith in Christ would "fill the valleys" (Lk. 3:5), would hunger and thirst after righteousness (Mt. 5:6), would "level
mountains" (Lk. 3:5), would be poor in spirit (Mt. 5:3), would "straighten crooked places" (Lk. 3:5), would be pure in heart
(Mt. 5:8), would smooth the rough ways (Lk. 3:5), would be peacemakers (Mt. 5:9).
Of course, those who seek, above all else, to acquire the Spirit with which the Lord baptizes (Lk. 3:16), have their lives
shaped by the attitude of trust essential to the life in Christ. As a result, they do not rely on their ethnic, cultural, or religious
heritage (vs. 8) but naturally share with those in need (vs. 11). They reject impulses to cheat, steal, or intimidate others
(vss. 13,14) and are content with their station in life (vs. 14). They struggle in themselves, working with the Lord, to
cleanse the chaff of their lives from the threshing floor of their hearts (vs. 17). O Divine Light, Who hath been manifest in
the flesh to those on earth, appearing to those in darkness, as Thy grace hath shone forth for all, may we also bear fruits
worthy of repentance.
