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[c]Thursday, June 26, 2003
Holy Apostles' Fast
David of Thessalonika
Epistle: Romans 5:10-16 Gospel: St. Matthew 8:23-37
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Reconciliation: Romans 5:10-16, especially vs. 15: "But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many." Recently, major political changes in one of the countries of the "Third World" resulted in a general amnesty for all opponents of the former regime. Persons imprisoned for many years were released, and soon after being released one of the long-term prisoners was elected President of the country.
Such a complete reversal of circumstances provides a vivid analogy for understanding the kind of reconciliation St. Paul describes in today's Epistle. However, what St. Paul reveals is the most thorough-going reverse of circumstances in all of history: the restoration of the Communion between God and mankind brought about "through our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom we have now received the reconciliation" (vs. 11).
Not that every human being on the face of the earth has accepted God's reconciliation, but, as St. John Chrysostom says, if we men will accept what God has done, "we have become friends, and there is no further need of Death....What is there then to prevent us any more from obtaining the things to come? Nothing!" Everything has changed; joy has come into the world!
First, let us admit that sin is more than a childish tantrum. It is full-scale rebellion, enmity against God, the despising of His ways. St. Paul says that we were "enemies" of God (vs. 10). In "Eve's Lament," Johanna Manley has our first mother say, "But as soon as we listened to God's adversary and had eaten of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, we had the boldness, the audacity, the arrogance, the gracelessness to judge and blame others rather than ourselves. Confess I must that our feeble attempt to imitate God our Maker and think ourselves ready for true contemplation produced only cowardly recriminations, quarrels, enmity, entirely untempered by love and mercy." However, the Divine medicine of the Cross established a new foundation for the relationship of God and mankind: "While we were yet sinners Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8).
Second, notice that the Apostle emphasizes the totally untarnished, selfless, loving quality of God's reconciliation. It is a "free gift" (vs. 15). It is a "gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound[ing] to many" (vs. 15). Further, it brings justification between man and God and an end to the antagonistic relationship and the reestablishing of fellowship. Again, listen to St. John Chrysostom: "For...us who lived in so great wickedness to be saved, was a very great mark of our being exceedingly beloved by Him that saved us....For there is not anything that counts so much in the way of glory and confidence, as the being treated as friends by God, and finding a Friend in Him that loveth us....He loved us when we hated Him, and also continueth to love us." Let us rejoice with the Apostle: "And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom we have now received the reconciliation" (vs. 11).
Finally, the Apostle contrasts our former state - the one in which we were enemies of God - with the present reconciled state of friendship brought about through our Lord Jesus Christ: "sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned" (vs. 12). Yes, death, that solemn, sinister monarch to whom all bow, did reign. But dearly Beloved of the Lord, recall the radiant icon of Christ the King as He harrows Hades, the slave-hold of Death: our Lord stands in triumph, the Life-Giver, in the very prison of the dead. Below Him is the figure of death chained and bound. Life Himself bestows Life upon those in the tombs. It is "the grace of God and the gift by grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ...to many" (vs. 15).
Glory to Thee Who hast made us to pass from death to life and from earth to heaven!
This meditation provided by DYNAMIS. For questions and subscription information contact a3dynamis@aol.com or DYNAMIS, St. George Orthodox Cathedral, 7515 E 13th St. N, Wichita KS 67206-1223 or go their website: www.trisagion.com/dynamis
Republished with permission
Holy Apostles' Fast
David of Thessalonika
Epistle: Romans 5:10-16 Gospel: St. Matthew 8:23-37
[/c]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reconciliation: Romans 5:10-16, especially vs. 15: "But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many." Recently, major political changes in one of the countries of the "Third World" resulted in a general amnesty for all opponents of the former regime. Persons imprisoned for many years were released, and soon after being released one of the long-term prisoners was elected President of the country.
Such a complete reversal of circumstances provides a vivid analogy for understanding the kind of reconciliation St. Paul describes in today's Epistle. However, what St. Paul reveals is the most thorough-going reverse of circumstances in all of history: the restoration of the Communion between God and mankind brought about "through our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom we have now received the reconciliation" (vs. 11).
Not that every human being on the face of the earth has accepted God's reconciliation, but, as St. John Chrysostom says, if we men will accept what God has done, "we have become friends, and there is no further need of Death....What is there then to prevent us any more from obtaining the things to come? Nothing!" Everything has changed; joy has come into the world!
First, let us admit that sin is more than a childish tantrum. It is full-scale rebellion, enmity against God, the despising of His ways. St. Paul says that we were "enemies" of God (vs. 10). In "Eve's Lament," Johanna Manley has our first mother say, "But as soon as we listened to God's adversary and had eaten of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, we had the boldness, the audacity, the arrogance, the gracelessness to judge and blame others rather than ourselves. Confess I must that our feeble attempt to imitate God our Maker and think ourselves ready for true contemplation produced only cowardly recriminations, quarrels, enmity, entirely untempered by love and mercy." However, the Divine medicine of the Cross established a new foundation for the relationship of God and mankind: "While we were yet sinners Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8).
Second, notice that the Apostle emphasizes the totally untarnished, selfless, loving quality of God's reconciliation. It is a "free gift" (vs. 15). It is a "gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound[ing] to many" (vs. 15). Further, it brings justification between man and God and an end to the antagonistic relationship and the reestablishing of fellowship. Again, listen to St. John Chrysostom: "For...us who lived in so great wickedness to be saved, was a very great mark of our being exceedingly beloved by Him that saved us....For there is not anything that counts so much in the way of glory and confidence, as the being treated as friends by God, and finding a Friend in Him that loveth us....He loved us when we hated Him, and also continueth to love us." Let us rejoice with the Apostle: "And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom we have now received the reconciliation" (vs. 11).
Finally, the Apostle contrasts our former state - the one in which we were enemies of God - with the present reconciled state of friendship brought about through our Lord Jesus Christ: "sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned" (vs. 12). Yes, death, that solemn, sinister monarch to whom all bow, did reign. But dearly Beloved of the Lord, recall the radiant icon of Christ the King as He harrows Hades, the slave-hold of Death: our Lord stands in triumph, the Life-Giver, in the very prison of the dead. Below Him is the figure of death chained and bound. Life Himself bestows Life upon those in the tombs. It is "the grace of God and the gift by grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ...to many" (vs. 15).
Glory to Thee Who hast made us to pass from death to life and from earth to heaven!
This meditation provided by DYNAMIS. For questions and subscription information contact a3dynamis@aol.com or DYNAMIS, St. George Orthodox Cathedral, 7515 E 13th St. N, Wichita KS 67206-1223 or go their website: www.trisagion.com/dynamis
Republished with permission