Monday, February 28, 2005
The Venerable John Cassian the Roman
Kellia: 1 Kings (1 Samuel) 14:31-35 Epistle: 1 John 2:18-3:8 Gospel: St. Mark 11:1-11
St. Mark 11:1-11, especially vs. 10: "Blessed is the kingdom of our
father David that comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" The Gospels for the next five days trace St.
Mark's account of the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. The narrative begins with the Lord's arrival in Jerusalem for what
would be His last pilgrimage to celebrate Passover. Blessed Theophylact, Archbishop of the Bulgarian Church at the end
of the 11th Century, observes that on numerous occasions the Lord Jesus had come to the Holy City. His earlier visits
largely had been private, subdued, or unobtrusive (but see Lk. 2:46-47; Jn. 2:13-24; 7:37-52). However, on this occasion,
Christ made His entry a public event.
Blessed Theophylact notes Jesus' reason for being public: "The Lord did this so that they might understand His glory if
they wanted to understand, and so that by seeing in Him the fulfillment of the prophecies, they might know that He is truly
God. But if they did not wish to understand, it would be to their greater condemnation, that not even with such glorious
miracles did they believe." Thus, we also must read and choose: how shall we understand Jesus?
By speaking of "understanding," Blessed Theophylact does not refer to our being "informed" or "not informed." He
focuses our attention on Christ's true nature and purpose in order to separate those who understand and so accept Jesus as
Lord and those who refuse His sovereignty: Will we open our hearts to God, or will we choose to resist Him?
The Saint echoes the universal call of all the Prophets, Apostles, and other Biblical writers. For example, the Prophet
Jeremiah grieves with the Lord that the people of his day, "'...like their bow...have bent their tongues for lies. They are not
valiant for the truth on the earth. For they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not know Me,' says the Lord" (Jer. 9:3).
Like our original parents, we choose to sin and stultify our understanding - not only of God, but of ourselves as well. St.
Paul says that all men fall under the wrath of God because they "...suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may
be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them" (Rom. 1:18,19). In practice "...although they knew
God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts and their foolish hearts were
darkened" (Rom. 1:21). Willful ignorance leads to confusion and darkness.
No fault may be placed against God for our failure to understand. Even in our legal tradition, the principle of "ignorantia
juris," or "ignorance of the law," admits of no exception. Compassion and common sense allow for "mitigating
circumstances" about facts, but not in cases involving duty. St. Paul says that even those who never have read the Law of
God "...show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness..." (Rom. 2:15).
God has revealed Himself to us in a manner that all mankind can understand - as a fellow human being. He has revealed
His will through all cultures and in all periods of history. Truly the Lord has gone out of His way to help all men
understand His will and purpose: "Has it not been told thee, O man, what is good? or what does the Lord require of thee
but to do justice, and love mercy, and be ready to walk with the Lord thy God?" (Mic. 6:8 LXX). We may choose to
"understand" and to pray with the Prophet David, "Let my supplication draw nigh before Thee, O Lord; according to Thine
oracle give me understanding" (Ps. 118:169 LXX). Among those who welcomed the Lord in triumph, there were those
who wanted true knowledge of God. Let us join them and cry "Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord" (Mk.
11:9).
O loving Christ, deliver us from the darkness of ignorance, and fill us with the stream of Thy knowledge, that we may
become sons and daughters of Thine undying Light.
