Friday, March 4, 2005 Fast Day
The Venerable Gerasimos of the Jordan
Kellia: 1 Kings 16:1-13 (1 Samuel 16:1-13 MT) Epistle: 2 John 1:1-13 Gospel: St. Mark 15:20, 22, 25, 33-41
V ~ Kindness: St. Mark 15: 20, 22, 25, 33-41, especially vs. 36: "Then someone ran and
filled a sponge full of sour wine, put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink, saying, 'Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah
will come to take Him down.'" The Lord Jesus embodied kindness to all in need. He restored a demon-possessed man to
his right mind. He stopped a woman's issue of blood. He fed crowds, gave sight to the blind, healed lepers, enabled the
lame to walk, forgave sinners, embraced little children, returned departed ones to their bereaved families, and saved a
wedding celebration. Only the proud, the self-righteous, the power-hungry, the calloused, and indifferent received His
scorn.
What of Him? Did people love Him? Certainly His disciples cared deeply for His welfare and His needs (Mt. 26:35).
Mary of Bethany anointed His head, "in preparation for His burial" (Jn. 12:7). Most heartening are the glimpses of others
being kind to Him during His Passion. Best-known is the thief. Sharing the same sentence of death on an adjoining cross,
he sought to restrain the bitter tongue of his criminal accomplice on the third cross (Lk. 23:40,41). Also, the good thief
expressed faith in the Lord Jesus with no earthly reason compelling him: "Remember me when Thou comest into Thy
kingdom" (Lk. 23:42).
In the portion of St. Mark's passion narrative assigned for today, there is a record of four who were kind to Him: a soldier
in the execution squad, the Centurion in charge of the detail, an unknown person in the crowd, and a small group of women
who had supported His ministry.
The soldiers took Him out to the site for the crucifixion (vs. 22). Then one of the squad offered Him wine laced with
myrrh. The concoction is a narcotic. Had the Lord drunk what was offered, it would have deadened His pain, created a
mood of euphoria, relaxed Him, and likely shortened His time of suffering. The act revealed a quality of simple human
kindness. It recalls the Lord's promise that if anyone gave Him drink when He was thirsty, or "did it to one of the least of
these My brethren," such a one would inherit the Kingdom (Mt. 25:35,40). Thank God for such kind gestures that happen
by the thousands all across the face of the world every day.
For three long hours, our Blessed Lord endured not only the physical agony of crucifixion, but also mockery from "those
who passed by" (vss. 29-33). Then at the ninth hour, when He cried out (Mk. 15:34), "...someone ran and filled a sponge
full of sour wine, put it on a reed and offered it to Him to drink," another kindness like the soldier who earlier had offered
him wine with myrrh. Shortly afterwards, the Lord died. God bless all such acts of kindness!
Tradition tells us that the Centurion in charge of the squad of soldiers was Longinos. By the gift of faith he was able to say,
"Truly this Man was the Son of God" (Mk. 15:39). When the elders tried to bribe him to lie and say that the body was
stolen, he refused and sought Baptism, but he was hunted down and martyred. Thank God for the kindness of those who
tell the truth.
Finally, there were the women who were to become the Myrrh-bearers. As the Lord suffered, they watched. After His
death, with the Sabbath ended, they came with a last gesture - to anoint and dress His body and bid farewell as they could.
Their grief turned to joy! God bless those who clean up the pain and grief of the world without seeking recognition (vss.
41; 16:1).
May God give us the grace to relieve pain as we are able, to offer gestures of comfort to those who struggle, to tell the truth
with love, and to assuage the world's pain when we meet it. And may the Lord say to us, "Come ye blessed of My Father,
inherit the Kingdom" (Mt. 25:34). Blessed art Thou, O Compassionate Lord, for all that is gracious in the lives of men
and women, reveals Thy lovingkindness, Thine image, and Thine ever-present hand among us.
