Lenten Reflection: Day 30

Gospel, John 5:17-30

Here is a short excerpt from St. Cyril of Alexandria’s eloquent commentary on today’s Gospel theme.

The narrative does not herein contain the simple relation of the madness of the Jews: for the Evangelist does not shew only that they persecute Him, but why they blush |242 not to do this, saying most emphatically, Because He was doing these things on the sabbath day. For they persecute Him foolishly and blasphemously, as though the law forbad to do good on the sabbath day, as though it were not lawful to pity and compassionate the sick, as though it behoved to put off the law of love, the praise of brotherly kindness, the grace of gentleness: and what of good things may one not shew that the Jews did in manifold ways spurn, not knowing the aim of the Lawgiver respecting the Sabbath, and making the observance of it most empty? And herein is the type: but when the Truth came, that is Christ, Who destroyed and overcame the corruption set up against man’s nature by the devil, and is seen doing this on the Sabbath, as in preface and commencement of action, in the case of the paralytic, they foolishly take it ill, and condemn the obedience of their fathers, not suffering nature to conquer on the sabbath day the despite done it by sickness, to such extent as to be zealous in persecuting Jesus Who was working good on the sabbath day.

He works all things together with the Father, and that, having the Nature of Him Who begat Him in Himself, by reason of His not being Other than He, as far as pertains to Sameness of Essence, He will never think ought else than as seemeth good to Him Who begat Him. But as being of the Same Essence He will also will the same things, yea rather being Himself the Living Will and Power of the Father, He worketh all things in all with the Father. Therefore says He, And I work. He shames then with arguments ad absurdum the unbridled mind of His persecutors, shewing that they do not so much oppose Himself, as speak against the Father, to Whom Alone they were zealous to ascribe the honour of the Law, not yet knowing the Son Who is of Him and through Him by Nature. For this reason does He call God specially His own Father, leading them most skilfully to this most excellent and precious lesson.

The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do: for what things soever He doeth, these doeth also the Son likewise. For in that He is able to do without distinction the works of God the Father and to work alike with Him That begat Him, He testifieth the identity of His Essence. For things which have the same nature with one another, will work alike: but those whose mode of being is diverse, their mode of working too will |247 be in all respects not the same. The Son (it says) can do nothing of Himself but what He seeth the Father do. The word cannot, or impossibility, is predicated of certain things, or is applied to certain of things that are. When then He on the sabbath day was compassionating the paralytic, the Jews began trying to persecute Him: but Christ shames them, shewing that Grod the Father hath mercy on the sabbath day. For He did not think He ought to hinder what things were tending to our salvation. And indeed He said at the beginning,My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.

Therefore Christ says, that no man knoweth Who the Son is but the Father, and Who the Father is, but the Son. For the accurate knowledge of each is in Both, not by learning, but by Nature. And God the Father seeth the Son in Himself, the Son again seeth the Father in Himself. Therefore He saith, I am in the Father and, the Father in Me. But “to see” and “to be seen” must here be conceived of after a Divine sort.

St. Cyril of Alexandria

Understand then that Jesus says with a kind of emphasis to those who were angry at His deeds of good and found fault with His holy judgments, following only their own imaginations, and so to speak defining as law that which seemed to them to be right even though it be contrary to the Law:—- I can of Mine Own Self do nothing, i. e., I do all things according to the Law set forth by Moses, I endure not to do anything of Myself, as I hear, I judge. For what willeth the Law? Ye shall not respect persons in judgment, for the judgment is God’s. why then (saith He) are ye angry at Me because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day, and condemn not Moses who decreed that children should be circumcised even on the sabbath. Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the Law of Moses should |280 not be broken, thus without due cause are ye vexed at seeing a man every whit healed on the sabbath day? I therefore judged justly, but ye by no means so, for ye do all things of yourselves. But I can of Mine Own Self do nothing; as I hear, I judge, and My Judgment is just, because I seek not Mine Own Will, as ye do, but the Will of the Father Which sent Me.

(Source)

Lenten Reflection: Day 29

Gospel, John 5:1-3, 5-16

The Gospel reading today yet again draws our attention to the vicious and drastic effect of sin upon our whole being. Sin is unnatural to God’s image, which means that man; who is created in God’s image and likeness should consider sin as an alien element corrupting the natural (body) and supernatural (soul) being. The sinful nature of man is not only equipped to harm earthly existence but also will eternal detachment from the immaculate source of its being; which is God.

God who is all good and omnibenevolent, always desires only the good of man. This good is not merely His yearning but is also His struggle with man’s free will. An invisible decimal of this struggle can be experienced only when we love someone very dearly and always desire godliness in the person but this person chooses to act (freely) that indirectly or directly bruises or permanently damages his well-being and life.

The man who lay paralysed outside the Temple for over three decades, was waiting at the door step of God; so to speak, to be healed. Many walked in and out of this Divine abode, to seek grace, blessings, healing, and reconciliation. Most among them were capable of sharing love and kindness, being forgiving as well as charitable. But none could ‘heal’ the physical disability of this paralytic man, nor could compensate the helplessness with anything that could fill his heart with hope and courage. It took God himself, in the person of Jesus, to heal and make him ‘walk’ again. Many a times our sins and the guilt of them get so deeply embedded in our hearts, mind and soul, that God alone can restore the lost joy, peace and self-confidence.

God allows us, by His healing that makes us new and whole, to get back into our daily lives, not just with physical healing, but also the much needed spiritual healing. This spiritual healing restores the image of God once again in us. God enables us to get off and pick up our mat (that keeps us comfortable or confined to something or someone) and walk (move forward in spreading His goodness around and living the faith). It is by this healing, renewal and evangelizing, that the world will know who the maker and giver of all of this good in our lives.

Lenten Reflection: Day 28

Gospel, John 4:43-54

A prophet is never welcomed in his hometown. Why? Here is what Don Schwager of Words of life says about today’s Gospel theme. “It took raw courage for a high ranking court official to travel twenty miles in search of Jesus, the Galilean carpenter. He had to swallow his pride and put up with some ridicule from his cronies. And when he found the healer carpenter, Jesus seemed to put him off with the blunt statement that people would not believe unless they saw some kind of miracle or sign from heaven.

Jesus likely said this to test the man to see if his faith was in earnest. If he turned away discouraged or irritated, he would prove to be insincere. Jesus, perceiving his faith, sent him home with the assurance that his prayer had been heard. It was probably not easy for this man to leave Jesus and go back home only with the assuring word that his son would be healed. Couldn’t Jesus have come to this man’s home and touched his dying child?

The court official believed in Jesus and took him at his word without doubt or hesitation. He was ready to return home and face ridicule and laughter because he trusted in Jesus’ word. God’s mercy shows his generous love – a love that bends down in response to our misery and wretchedness. Is there any area in your life where you need healing, pardon, change, and restoration? If you seek the Lord with trust and expectant faith, he will not disappoint you. He will meet you more than half way and give you what you need. The Lord Jesus never refused anyone who put their trust in him. Surrender your doubts and fears, your pride and guilt at his feet, and trust in his saving word and healing love.”

Lenten Reflection: Day 27

Gospel, John 3:14-21

“Many dying in the wilderness from the attack of the serpents, Moses, by commandment of the Lord, lifted up a brazen serpent and those who looked upon it were immediately healed. The lifting up of the serpent is the death of Christ; the cause, by a certain mode of construction, being put for the effect. The serpent was the cause of death, inasmuch as he persuaded man into that sin, by which he merited death. Our Lord, however, did not transfer sin, i.e. the poison of the serpent, to his flesh, but death; in order that in the likeness of sinful flesh, there might be punishment without sin, by virtue of which sinful flesh might be delivered both from punishment and from sin.

As then formerly he who looked to the serpent that was lifted up, was healed of its poison, and saved from death; so now he who is conformed to the likeness of Christ’s death by faith and the grace of baptism, is delivered both from sin by justification, and from death by the resurrection: as He Himself said; That whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. What need then is there that the child should be conformed by baptism to the death of Christ, if he be not altogether tainted by the poisonous bite of the serpent?” – St. Augustine

“Having said, Even so must the Son of man be lifted up, alluding to His death; lest His hearer should be cast down by His words, forming some human notion of Him, and thinking of His death as an evil, He corrects this by saying, that He who was given up to death was the Son of God, and that His death would be the source of life eternal; So God loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life; as if He said, Marvel not that I must be lifted up, that you may be saved: for so it seems good to the Father, who has so loved you, that He has given His Son to suffer for ungrateful and careless servants. The text, God so loved the world, shows intensity of love. For great indeed and infinite is the distance between the two. He who is without end, or beginning of existence, Infinite Greatness, loved those who were of earth and ashes, creatures laden with sins innumerable. And the act which springs from the love is equally indicative of its vastness. For God gave not a servant, or an Angel, or an Archangel, but His Son. Again, had He had many sons, and given one, this would have been a very great gift; but now He has given His Only Begotten Son.” – St. Chrysostom

“He calls the works of him who comes to the light, wrought in God; meaning that his justification is attributable not to his own merits) but to God’s grace. But if God has discovered all men’s works to be evil, how is it that any have done the truth, and come to the light, i.e. to Christ? Now what He said is, that they loved darkness rather than light; He lays the stress upon that. Many have loved their sins, many have confessed them. God accuses your sins; if you accuse them too, you are joined to God. You must hate your own work, and love the work of God in you. The beginning of good works, is the confession of evil works, and then you does the truth: not soothing, not flattering yourself. And you are come to the light, because this very sin in you, which displeases you, would not displease you, did not God shine upon you, and His truth show it to you.

And let those even who have sinned only by word or thought, or who have only exceeded in things allowable, do the truth, by making confession, and come to the light by performing good works. For little sins, if suffered to accumulate, become mortal. Little drops swell the river: little grains of sand become an heap, which presses and weighs down. The sea coming in by little and little, unless it be pumped out, sinks the vessel. And what is to pump out, but by good works, mourning, fasting, giving and forgiving, to provide against our sins overwhelming us?” – St. Augustine

Lenten Reflection: Day 26

Gospel, Luke 18:9-1

In this chapter we have three examples of prayer: one of the persevering widow; another of the poor publican, who solicits the divine mercy by the acknowledgment of his crimes; and the third of the proud Pharisee, who only goes to the temple to pronounce his own panegyric, and enter upon an accusation of his humble neighbour, whose heart is unknown to him.

The Pharisee standing. The Greek is, standing by himself, i.e. separated from the rest. Some understand this term, standing, as if in opposition to kneeling or prostrating, which they supposed to be the general posture in which the Jews offered up their prayers, and that of the humble publican. The Christians borrowed this practice from them. We see the apostles and disciples praying on their knees: Acts vii. 59, ix. 40, xx. 36. In the Old Testament, we see the same observed. Solomon, (3 Kings viii. 54.) Daniel, (vi. 10.) and Micheas, (vi. 6.) prayed in that posture. Others however, think that the people generally prayed standing, as there were neither benches nor chairs in the temple.

The pride of the Pharisee seems to have consisted in attributing to himself alone the qualities of which he boasted. (St. Gregory, mor. lib. xxiii, chap. 4.) He who is guilty of publicly speaking against his neighbour, is likewise the cause of much damage to himself and others. 1st, He injures the hearer; because if he be a sinner, he rejoices to find an accomplice; if he be just, he is tempted to vanity, seeing himself exempt from the crimes with which others are charged. 2nd, He injures the Church, by exposing it to be insulted for the defects of its members. 3rd, He causes the name of God to be blasphemed; for, as God is glorified by our good actions, so is he dishonoured by sin. 4th, He renders himself guilty, by disclosing that which it was his duty not to have mentioned. (St. Chrysostom, Serm. de Phar. et Pub.)

If anyone should ask why the Pharisee is here condemned for speaking some few words in his own commendation, and why the like sentence was not passed on Job, who praised himself much more; the difference is evident: the former praised himself without any necessity, merely with an intention of indulging his vanity, and extolling himself over the poor publican; the latter, being overwhelmed with misery, and upbraided by his friends, as if, forsaken of God, he suffered his present distress in punishment of his crimes, justifies himself by recounting his virtues for the greater glory of God, and to preserve himself and others in the steady practice of virtue, under similar temptations. (Theophylactus)

Haydock’s Catholic Bible commentary, 1859 Edition.

Lenten Reflection: Day 25

Gospel, Mark 12:28-34

“What sort of commandment is first of all?” The word “first” meant more than the “first in order” or the “most important.” The word “first” (“protos” in Greek) also meant “guiding principle.” The “first” commandment would provide the key that would unlock the religious philosophy of Jesus, how he envisioned the relationship of people with God. However, by the time Jesus preached, the phrase had a much broader interpretation. In the first century AD, Judaism was strictly monotheistic. No other gods existed but YHWH. In this sense, the phrase could be translated “Hear Israel! YHWH is our God. YHWH is the only (God).” The translation above reflects the broader, monotheistic interpretation than that of simple national, allegiance. (See 12:32).

Jesus answered the first part of that question with the Shema, Deuteronomy 6:4-5. Love God with all your being. Love in this sense was not an inner emotion or psychological state alone. In the time and culture of Jesus, love meant allegiance. As God made a covenant with his people (a formal allegiance between a king and his subjects), he demanded a response. A commitment and a faithful life to that allegiance (i.e., covenant) was the only answer. Notice that the command was pointed at the nation and the individual. God wanted faithful individuals to form a faithful community. The individual was to take ownership of his or her response and take responsibility for the type of community he or she lived in. Taking both types of ownership was implicit in the command: “Love God.”

“You will love your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus quoted Leviticus 19:18 for this command. Leviticus 19 is known as the Holiness Codes, for the name of YHWH is invoked more times in this chapter than any other place in the Torah.  Jesus backed up the Shema with another important verse: love of neighbor. This meant allegiance to one’s community. Of course, different groups could interpret this phrase in different ways. Christianity was built on charity, caring for others regardless for their background. Charity embodied the Christian interpretation of Leviticus 19:18.

Who’s on first? For most of us, the answer to the question vacillates between us and God. What can you do this week to place more of the focus on God? How can he help you to love him more and see everyone around as your equal?

– Commentary by Larry Broding

Lenten Reflection: Day 24

Gospel, Luke 11:14-23

The wars from outside are not as ruinous as the civil ones. Yes, and this is the case in bodies too; it is even the case in all things…So whether it is a small thing, or a great, if it is at odds with itself, it perishes…Do you see the great absurdity of the accusation, how great the folly, the inconsistency?…That does ‘the Kingdom’ mean? ‘My coming’.

Do you see how again He conciliates and soothes them, and draws them to the knowledge of Himself and signifies that they are warring with their own good and are contentious against their own salvation. For though you ought to rejoice, He says, and leap for joy that One has come bestowing those great and unutterable blessings, hymned of old by the prophets, and that the time of your prosperity is at hand, you do the opposite; so far are you from receiving the blessings, you even speak ill of them, and frame accusations that have no real being.

Now Matthew says indeed, “If I by the Spirit of God cast out’, but Luke ‘If I by the finger of God cast out the devils’: implying that to cast out the devils is a work of the greatest power, and not of any ordinary grace. And He means infact that from these things they should infer and say, if this be so, then the Son of God is come….He darkly intimates by saying, ‘Then the kingdom of God has come upon you’…by the very things they were blaming, He showed His presence shining forth.

Prayer, fasting, watching, and all other Christian acts, however good they may be, do not alone constitute the aim of our Christian life, although they serve as the indispensable means of reaching this aim. The true aim of our Christian life, is to acquire the Holy Spirit of God. But mark, my son, only the good deed done for Christ’s sake brings us the fruits of the Holy Spirit. All that is not done for His sake, thought it be good, bring neither reward in the life to come nor in our life here the grace of God.

Luke 11:23 says, “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest..then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself.” What can this saying mean? As the possessed, He says, when delivered from the infirmity, should they be at all remiss, draw upon themselves their delusion more grievous than ever: even so is it with you. For before you were also possessed by a devil, when you were worshipping idols, and slaying your sons to the devil, exhibiting great madness.

Nevertheless, I did not forsake you, but cast out that devil by the prophets; and now I have come in my own person, willing to cleanse you more entirely. So since you will not attend, but have wrecked yourselves in greater wickedness…your sufferings will therefore be more grievous than the former…

(The above is an excerpt: St. John Chrysostom. Homily XLI on Matthew XII, 1, 2  B#54, pp. 364-365.)

“Wherefore our Lord Jesus has said: He who gathers not with me scatters abroad.” St. Seraphim pf Sarov. A Conversation with Nicholas Motovilov Concerning the Aim of the Christian Life. Ed. By George P. Fedotov. B#26, p.267.