Friday, January 7, 2005
Synaxis of the Glorious Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist John
5th Vespers Theophany: 4 Kings 2:6-14 Epistle: Acts 19:1-8 Gospel: St. John 1:29-34
St. John 1:29-34, especially vs. 34: "I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God." The Hebrew
Prophets were called to declare God's living word to the chosen People so that Israel would witness faithfully among the
community of nations. "Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled....Ye are My witnesses,
saith the Lord, and My servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe Me, and understand that I Am He:
before Me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after Me" (Is. 43:9-10).
Anciently God had promised the Patriarch Abraham that "...in thy seed shall the nations of the earth be blessed" (Gen.
22:18). From this promise, Israel understood that "All the ends of the earth shall remember and shall turn unto the Lord,
and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before Him" (Ps. 21:27 LXX). However, Israel did not testify to the
nations, but withdrew into herself. Therefore, the Lord Jesus passed on to the Church the mission of testifying to Him
before the world, commissioning the Apostolic Community to "disciple all nations" (Mt. 28:19). What better model of
faithful testifying is there than the Forerunner John? He reveals how to prepare the peoples of earth to receive their life-creating Savior and Lord. First of all, St. John announced that the Messiah was present among the people, although
unrecognized: "...there stands One among you Whom you do not know" (Jn. 1:26). Likewise, the Church is to testify that
the Savior is present among all of earth's peoples. Let our living and worship divulge "The Lamb of God Who takes away
the sin of the world" (vs. 29). Let us manifest His presence to men and women, that they may recognize Him and turn to
Him.
The Church has two structures for testifying: parish churches and monastic communities. How great is the need for active,
worshiping parish communities in every city and village! Local congregations, however, are only one agency of the total
evangelical task and need the witness and aid of monastics. St. John, an ascetic formed by years as a solitary in the desert,
in testifying to Christ, sent his disciples to follow the Lord Jesus in the world (Jn.1:35-37).
St. John testified that the Lord Jesus is God's ultimate solution: "Behold! The Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the
world" (vs. 29). Yet sadly in today's world, the mental health professions burgeon because the Sin-Bearer's life-giving and
healing Mysteries are so little known. Brethren, let us strive to "worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness" (1 Chron.
16:29) as testimony to Him, and let our lives "tell of all [His] wondrous works" (Ps. 25:7 LXX).
In this connection, Beloved of the Lord, let us heed Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos' words: "Contemporary man, tired
and discouraged by the various problems which torment him, is looking for rest and refreshment...he is seeking a cure for
his soul....Orthodoxy...[aims to] heal man and guide him to God." St. John, the Prophet of the desert, reminds us of the
desperate need that exists today for living, prayerful, ascetic witness to the healing power of the Orthodox Faith.
The world does not need theories concerning Christ, but lived testimony to the Lord. It hungers for the living God Whom
St. John encountered: "This is He of Whom I said, 'After me comes One who is preferred before me, for He was before
me'" (vs. 30). As Archimandrite Sophrony Sakharov reminds us: "It is not enough to be convinced in one's mind of the
Divinity of Christ....We must make the maximum effort to live according to His word...we must follow up with a prolonged
prayer of repentance." Orthodox Believers, let us testify with our lives to Salvation Himself and not just tell people about
Him. Let us testify with words and deeds.
O Blessed Forerunner, thou didst show us the Lamb that taketh away the sin of the world. Implore thou Him that we also
may manifest Him Who sanctifies the nature of man.
