Monday, March 28, 2005 Lenten Fast
The Venerable Hilarion the New
6th Hour: Isaiah 8:13-9:7 1st Vespers: Genesis 6:9-22 2nd Vespers: Proverbs 8:1-21
Genesis 6:9-22, especially vss. 9, 10 (LXX): "But Noah found grace before the Lord
God....Noah was a just man; being perfect in his generation. Noah was well-pleasing to God." Alone in his generation,
Noah "found grace" in God's eyes, being perfect and "well-pleasing to God." As a result, God disclosed to him that a
critical moment "for all men" had come, "because the earth has been filled with iniquity by them, and, behold, I destroy
them and the earth" (vs. 14 LXX), and yet, God saved Noah from destruction.
Like Noah, we live in a time flooded with wickedness, and so the question arises: is God likely to permit another season of
destruction to come upon the earth? Further, is it possible that like Noah we too might receive grace from God in the face
of some great, world-wide catastrophe? After all, the Baptismal Liturgy makes it clear that we were clothed with the
garment of righteousness, although it also says that we have a part in preserving our "baptismal garment and the earnest of
the Spirit pure and undefiled unto the dread Day of Christ."
In the Hebrew version, when Noah is called "just," his righteousness is emphasized both grammatically and by his being
called "blameless" (vs. 9). He behaved blamelessly and righteously with men and before God. This is the character one
expects to find in those whom Scripture calls "just." Aided by the grace of God, the "just" man habitually functions in a
trustworthy manner. This means that Noah was a person one could trust in business, leave alone with one's wife,
confidently expect would perform a contract, or trust to handle money without strict oversight. Noah was a just man -
morally predictable and reliable.
What is the relationship between moral consistency and grace? In Proverbs it is said that "All the desire of the righteous is
good" (Prov. 11:23 LXX). But what makes a man's desires good in God's eyes? When Noah is described as "perfect in
his generation" (Gen. 6:10 LXX), the point is made that Noah's inner character was wholesome. By grace he overcame
inner confusion and contradiction and became a man of integrity, not being controlled by impulses, base desires, or
conflicting wants. He was at peace in himself.
How may we attain such integrity? God's grace enables right behavior. Elder Joseph the Hesychast says, "By ourselves,
we cannot do anything if Christ does not first assist us with His divine grace. He first made Himself known to us, and then
we came to know Him....If He does not act, the good is not activated within us." O Lord, may we be perfected in Thy
Christ!
Notice also that Noah is said to have been "well-pleasing to God" (vs. 10 LXX). The reintegration of the inner self, by
which we become "perfect" in Christ, requires cooperation between us and God. Let us embrace the grace of our Savior
and confess our sins to Him Who is "faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1
Jn. 1:9). By so doing we may become increasingly well-pleasing to God. Let us receive His all-pure Body and precious
Blood for healing, for restoration, and for reconciliation with the God of all. Observe: after the Lord gave Noah detailed
instructions (vss. 14-21), the text then says about him: "And Noah did all things whatever the Lord God commanded him,
so did he" (Gen. 6:23 LXX). As God speaks and directs, so Noah does. Noah never replies verbally to God, but he acts on
God's commands! Let us who have received grace also heed God and obey Him.
O Physician and Healer of our souls: guide us unto the haven of Thy will, enlighten the eyes of our hearts to the knowledge
of Thy truth, and vouchsafe that our whole life may be peaceful and without sin; and grant us, O Lord, all our petitions
which are unto salvation, that we may love and fear Thee with all our hearts and do Thy will in all things. Amen.
