Thursday, May 19, 2005
CHRIST IS RISEN!
Hieromartyr Patrick, Bishop of Prussa
1st Vespers Constantine & Helen: 3 Kings 8:22-23, 27-30 Apostle: Acts 8:18-25 Gospel: St. John 6:40-44
St. John 6:40-44, especially vs. 44: "No one can come to Me unless the Father Who sent
Me draws him...." Most Christians have friends or family members like the people of Capernaum: those who stand off
from the Faith and resist the claims of Christ on their lives (vss. 41,42). We yearn for them to know the joy of our Holy
Faith, but they do not "see." They do not "believe in" the Lord. Still, the Lord speaks of others who do see "the Son and
believe in Him." (vs. 40). Why the difference? In today's reading, the Lord addresses several aspects of the answer to this
question: 1) failure to see (vs. 40), 2) failure to believe in Him (vs. 40), and 3) resisting the Father Who draws men to
Himself (vs. 44).
Undeniably, God has all the power needed to draw men to Christ. The case of Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus is
famous (Acts 9:3-8). Also, there have been historical periods when God appears to have created widespread willingness to
see and believe in Christ. During such seasons, multitudes of men and women have flocked to the Good Shepherd. Why
then, at present, are so many not coming, so many showing no signs of being drawn? Let us recall that God's gift of
freedom to mankind includes the freedom to resist Him. Judas Iscariot was drawn to Christ but not forced to honor Him.
Ananias and Sapphira were drawn to God, yet they turned aside (Acts 5:1-10). God's love does not fail. Rather, men are
free to turn aside, refrain, and hold back from love. Still there is the wonder: God does draw men and women to Himself!
The Lord describes the Faithful as those "who see the Son" (vs. 40). Some perceive within themselves that Jesus is the Son
of God. We describe such persons as believers. Those who do not "see" are not believers. Such perception is called
illumination. Because seeing is essential, we pray that those who come into the Faith may "know that Thou art the only
true God with Thine Only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ." About those who do not see, St. Paul observes: "the god
of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not" (2 Cor. 4:4). The Lord continues describing the Faithful
as those who, having seen the Son, "believe in Him" (vs. 40). A critical step must be taken after agreeing with the idea that
Christ might have a claim on one's life. To say that "Jesus is God" may be either "an interesting idea," or perhaps "a
ridiculous idea." The issue of commitment is put before candidates at Baptism: "Dost thou unite thyself unto Christ?" If
one agrees, then he is challenged yet again: "Dost thou believe in Him?"
One may easily believe that a person like Hitler or Stalin was a great leader. Historically, it was quite another matter to say,
"I believe in Hitler," or "I unite myself to Stalin." Wherever the Gospel of Christ has been preached there have been those
who have "begged that these words might be preached to them" (Acts 13:42), and there have been "those who were filled
with envy, and contradicting and blaspheming...opposed [to] the things spoken" (Acts 13:45). Ultimately, one chooses to
submit to Christ as Lord and God, or one does not. God does not force Himself.
A constant factor that applies to every person who "hears" the Gospel, is the love of God the Father Who draws all men to
Himself through Christ. The Lord says explicitly: "God [the Father] so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son
that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (Jn. 3:16). The Christian knows that "the spirit of
error, the spirit of guile, the spirit of idolatry and of every concupiscence" operates through the prompting of Satan to blind
men's perception of the Son, to prevent them from believing in Him, thereby making them enemies of God. Let us pray for
those who are resisting the Lord.
O Master, Lord our God, call to Thy holy Illumination Thy children who see Thee not and who believe Thee not, and grant
them great grace to be renewed unto life everlasting.
