A Spiritual Exercise for the Morning

I just finished reading Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence, a book that was cobbled together from excerpts from two different books from the French school of spirituality: The Knowledge and Love of Jesus Christ by Father Jean-Baptiste Saint-Jure and the Collected Letters of Saint Claude de la Colombiere.  I purchased the book during the Hanceville pilgrimage as a way to occupy my spiritual reading time until my return to North Carolina.  Obviously, it took a bit longer to finish than I had anticipated.  The book is full of profundities, but the passage that I want to share with you particularly is from the Claude de la Colombiere section of the book. 
    St. Claude says that there are two exercises that are particularly useful for building a habit of conforming ones self to Divine Providence.  The first is perhaps obvious: practicing the virtue of submission.  In other words, when we encounter adversity, we should submit to it.  The second exercise is more surprising.  St. Claude recommends that, when you get up in the morning, you spend some time thinking about all the misfortune that could possibly befall you during the coming day.  Then, having considered each individual item, submit to the possibility of each one with trust, love and confidence.  He puts it this way:

"Every morning as soon as you get up think of all the most disagreeable things that could happen to you during the day. Your house might be burnt down, you might lose your job or all your savings, or be run over, or sudden death might come to you or to a person you love.  Accept these misfortunes should it please God to allow them; compel your will to agree to the sacrifice and give yourself no rest until you really feel prepared to wish or not to wish all that God may wish or not wish."

      Naturally, it goes without saying that the necessary background for this exercise, or even for practicing the virtue of submission, is the belief that God does everything for our good. Living according to this belief is in itself a great mortification for us, since we continuously have to acknowledge the greatness of God's Wisdom, while admitting the paucity of our understanding.

Sunday, 29 January (16 January Old Style)--The Feast of the Chains of St. Peter

The Chains of St. Peter

Today we celebrate the feast of the chains of St. Peter.  This is one of only a few feasts in the course of the liturgical year that commemorates an inanimate relic.  Two other very well known feasts are celebrated during the summer in commemoration of the great relic of Our Lady’s Robe (July 2) and Our Lady’s Belt (August 31). 

     The holy Apostle Peter wore chains more than once in his life.  One occasion is recorded for us in the Acts of the Holy Apostles, when Peter, after the martyrdom of St. James the Greater, the son of Zebedee, is arrested by King Herod Antipas.  He is languishing in prison, awaiting the same fate as James, when God miraculously delivers him.  On that occasion, he is sleeping between two soldiers. Nevertheless, the third watch of the night, an angel comes and miraculously makes the chains fall from around the Holy Apostles hands and feet. The same angel then guides him out to the street, making all the locked gates open as they pass. The rest of the Apostles and the young Church in Jerusalem did not entertain much hope for their leader, St. Peter, but they had called together a prayer vigil, in order to ask God to spare the Apostle’s life.  In this context, we have one of the most humorous stories of the Acts of the Holy Apostles.  St. Peter himself goes to the house where the vigil is being held for his welfare.  He knocks on the door for quite a while before the maid of the house, Rhoda, comes to the door.  She opens the door and sees Peter standing there.  She becomes so excited for sheer joy that she closes the door again, leaving Peter on the outside, while she goes to tell everybody in the house that he is alive and well.  Only then does she realize that she had left him outside.

     A second time that the Peter was placed in chains was many years later during the persecution of the Emperor Nero.  In the tumultuous months that followed Rome’s Great Fire, St. Peter considered it wise to leave the city, since the fire was being blamed on the Christians.  He determined to go south along the Appian Way, and to take refuge with the Christian community in Campania.  As he was leaving the city, passing through the necropolis that had grown up along that road, he met the Lord Jesus going the opposite direction, carrying His Cross.  Peter said to the Lord, “Lord, where are you going?” The Lord replied, “I am going to Rome to suffer with my people.”  Peter understood this as a sign that he should turn about and go back to the city.  Shortly thereafter he was arrested, and put in the Mamertine Prison.  The Mamertine was typical of a Roman jail. It consisted of one big open room in which the prisoners would be chained against the walls, often side by side.  Underneath this one open room was a smaller room, an execution chamber, which was accessible through a hole in the floor.  Normally, the condemned man would be thrown down through the hole into the death chamber, where the executioner would be waiting.  The condemned would then be strangled with a garrote. Ss. Peter and Paul were both prisoners in the Mamertine, but they were sentenced to executions outside the norm.  Paul was beheaded on account of his Roman citizenship, while Peter received the punishment of insurrectionists, slaves and traitors—he was crucified.  Both of them were freed from the chains of this life by their martyrs’ deaths, so that they could live in the freedom of the Kingdom of God.

Our own chains—the limitations and privations that we suffer

     Life in this world is about limitations and deprivations.  It is about chains.  All of us will suffer to some extent on account of the limitations imposed upon us by circumstances outside our control.  This suffering is a necessity of our natural state in this world.  But if we accept our chains, even embrace our chains, on account of our love for God, then these very chains become valuable and precious. They become the means of salvation for us—a way for us to share concretely in the sufferings of Christ.  “Rejoice in the measure that you share Christ’s sufferings.”

     The Holy Apostles, and particularly the Holy Apostle Peter, embraced their chains, because they could see very clearly the reward that awaited them.  If we take a look at our own lives, there is bound to be a long list of “chains” that we can embrace as well, because we love God, and because we long for the reward of everlasting life in His presence. 

The “Wisdom Cross”

     Accepting our limitations with love and gladness is an art that is not easily mastered. It requires a great deal of self-discipline, which can be effectively learned from the life of Christ.  A famous 17^th century saint was asked for a simple description of the way to be a true Christian and follow Christ.  In answer, he took down the cross from the wall of his cell, and wrote the following words on the back side of the cross: “Deny yourself. Carry your cross to follow Jesus Christ. If you are ashamed of the Cross of Jesus Christ, He will be ashamed of you in the presence of His Father. Love the cross. Desire: crosses, contempt, pain, abuse, insults, disgrace, persecution, humiliations, calumnies, illness, injuries. May Jesus prevail. May His Cross prevail (Divine love, humility, submission, patience, obedience: complete, prompt, joyful, blind and persevering.” Today, the cross in that cell is considered a relic, and is referred to as “The Wisdom Cross of Poitiers,” on account of the wisdom that its message teaches to those, who are seeking to the true kernel of Christianity.  But its message is hard, easily misunderstood, and potentially dangerous, especially the passage that says, “desire: crosses, contempt, pain, etc.” It is important to realize that it does not say that we should desire these things for themselves. No, we should desire them in order to further God’s designs both for us and for the world.  It is carrying God’s intentions forward toward their completion that gives us joy.  Plenty of things can give us happiness, amusement, excitement or stimulation.  But only God’s plan and its fulfillment can give us joy.  This is a thought which should give us extraordinary peace, surety and confidence; because it means that no matter how deep our material or moral suffering is, no matter what other people may think of us, or no matter what kind of privation we may have to endure, we can still have joy. Joy comes from the fulfillment of God’s loving plan. 

     In all the affairs of this world, there is a critical lack of certainty, as we have seen in the economic circumstances of the past few years.  However, one thing is certain for us: Joy.  Joy will always be there for us as long as we obediently and lovingly try to fulfill God’s will. It is an inescapable part of our fallen nature that we will sometimes feel “imprisoned” by the circumstances of our lives, but we will have joy in our chains if we love God and see His hand in all. 

Orienting to the Liturgy--The Sunday of Zacchaeus

The Sunday of Zacchaeus—Tone 8

Enarxis—We Prepare Our Hearts of Hear the Word of God

[The service for the 32nd Sunday After Pentecost (otherwise known as the Sunday of Zacchaeus) is that of the Resurrection.  Although this Sunday has no service in the Triodion it is usually considered to be the beginning of the Lenten cycle.  Next Sunday, the Sunday of the Pharisee and the Publican (33rd Sunday After Pentecost), is the first day to have a service in the Triodion. 

     The Sunday of Zacchaeus is named for the Gospel reading.  The Church has grown to consider it the beginning of the Lenten cycle because it begins the themes of penance and forgiveness that are continued in the Sunday of the Pharisee and the Publican and the Sunday of the Prodigal Son.  These themes in turn complement the themes of judgment and the just condemnation of sin that we find in Meatfare Sunday (The Sunday of the Last Judgment) and Cheesefare Sunday (The Sunday of the Expulsion from Paradise).]

           

Tropar (Tone 8)

From on high you descended, O gentle-hearted Lord.* You accepted burial for three days* so that you might free us from all suffering.* O Lord, our life and resurrection, glory to you.

[Every Sunday is like a little Pascha, as we solemnly commemorate the Mystery of the Resurrection.  In the usual service for Sunday, the Resurrection of Christ is proclaimed at dawn, during Matins, with the reading of the Resurrectional Gospel.  At the conclusion of the reading, the Gospel Book is borne into the center of the church and placed on the tetrapod surrounded by lit candles as a symbol of the Resurrected Christ. There the people come forward to kiss it.  The Gospel Book remains on the tetrapod until the end of Matins, when the priest carries it back to altar during the singing of the tropar.  All of this serves to remind us that, although we perceive Him only by faith, Christ is alive and active in our lives.  Under the weight of the distractions and cares of this world, we can forget how near Christ our God is to us, and how, even now, He is fulfilling His plan for our salvation and the salvation of the world.]

Glory… Now…

Kondak (Tone 8)

When you arose from the grace,* you lifted up all the dead.* You resurrected Adam, and Eve exults in your resurrection.* The ends of the world celebrate your rising from the dead,* O most merciful Lord.

[Christ is indeed fulfilling His plan, hopefully with our cooperation, but, if not, even in spite of our resistance.  If at this present moment “the ends of the world” do not celebrate His rising from the dead, then we can be sure that He will gently but infallibly lead them to offer that praise.  A thousand years ago, He led the nation of Rus’ to it.  In 2002, a young man in Egypt, a strict Muslim, who was being groomed for a leadership position in the Muslim Brotherhood, had dreams in which Christ came to him repeatedly, telling him that he was on the wrong path.  The young man did not even know who He was, at first.  Finally, the Lord told him, “I am Jesus Christ, your Lord and your God.”  After that, the young man went to a church to secretly convert of Christianity.  He entered the church during a service, just as the 71st Psalm was being sung, and the specific verse “and He shall live, and there shall be given to Him of the gold of Arabia; and they shall pray concerning Him continually; all the day long shall they bless Him.” The young man realized that those words were being partially, wonderfully fulfilled in him.  Because of the Resurrection of Christ, he had become precious in God’s eyes.  He had become “the gold of Arabia.”]

The Liturgy of the Word—We Hear the Word of God

Prokimen, Tone 8

Pray and give praise to the Lord, our God.

v. God is known in Judea; his name is great in Israel.

A READING FROM THE 1st LETTER OF SAINT PAUL,

THE APOSTLE, TO TIMOTHY:

My son Timothy, this saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Of these I am the foremost. But for that reason I was mercifully treated, so that in me, as the foremost, Christ Jesus might display all his patience as an example for those who would come to believe in him for everlasting life. To the king of ages, incorruptible, invisible, the only God, honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

 (1 Tim. 1,15-17)

[The Holy Apostle Paul refers to himself as “the greatest of sinners” because he persecuted Christ and His Church, even going so far as to cooperate in the murder of the protomartyr St. Stephen.  The Church teaches us through the lives of the saints that each of us should consider ourselves the “greatest of sinners,” since we are only really able to discern the actions of others as the will of God, while, on the other hand, we know full well the weight of malice within our own hearts.  “In your concern for the speck in your brother’s eye, did you not perceive the beam in your own?”]

Alleluia, Tone 8

Come, let us rejoice in the Lord; let us shout with joy to God, our Saviour.

v. Let us go into his presence giving thanks; let us sing psalms to Him with joy.

A READING FROM THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO

SAINT LUKE:

At that time Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town. Now a man there named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man, was seeking to see who Jesus was; but he could not see him because of the crowd, for he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus, who was about to pass that way. When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house." And he came down quickly and received him with joy. When they all saw this, they began to grumble, saying, "He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner." But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over." And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham.  For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost."

 (Lk. 19,1-10)

[Zacchaeus shows us the Lenten themes of repentance and forgiveness.  Zacchaeus is so delighted that the Lord Jesus will visit his house that he repents utterly and sincerely of all his sins. As a sign of his repentance, Zacchaeus announces that he will give half of his possessions to the poor, and he will make restitution to those he has wronged.  The Lord Jesus will truly visit us, now, in the Mystery of the Eucharist.  Let us show our delight in His presence by completely and sincerely repenting of all of our sins.]

The Liturgy of the Sacrifice—Together with Christ, We Offer Ourselves to the Father

[It is wonderful that in the Anaphora the Church speaks of future events as if they are already accomplished.  We pray, “You brought us from nothingness into being and, after we fell, You raised us up again. You did not cease doing everything until You lead us to heaven and granted us Your future Kingdom.”  And again, after the words of institution, we pray, “Remembering, therefore, this salutary commandment, and all that was done for us: the cross, the tomb, the resurrection on the third day, the ascension into heaven, the sitting at the right hand, and the second and glorious coming….” In this way, we remember that the Mystery of the Eucharist is the Resurrection and the promised Kingdom.  We receive it like a seed, which we desire to cultivate in our hearts (watering it with repentance), so that it grows into its fullness in glory.]

Communion verse

Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest.

Alleluia (3)

Orienting to the Holy Liturgy--The Sunday After Theophany

The Sunday After Theophany (Tone 7)

Enarxis—We prepare our hearts to hear the Word of God

Antiphon 1- Psalm 113

When Israel and Jacob’s children came forth from Egypt, out from a barbarian people,* Judah became his sanctuary, Israel became his domain.

Through the prayers of the Mother of God,* O Saviour, save us.

The sea saw God’s people coming and parted for them;* when the Jordan saw them coming, its running waters ceased to flow.

Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save us.

Why is it, O sea, that you parted,* and what caused you, O Jordan, to turn back your flow?

 Through the prayers of the Mother of God, O Saviour, save us.

Glory…Now… Only Begotten Son.

[This psalm is a hymn of praise for the great events of the Exodus of Israel from Egypt.  When the people of Israel were pursued by the Egyptians, the Lord caused the Rea Sea to part, allowing the Israelites to pass through the sea.  In a similar way, forty years later, the Lord caused the Jordan River to stop flowing, so that Israel could pass over the river easily.  In a similar way, when we turn to God in prayer and repentance, He causes the obstacles to dissolve, which stand between us and our salvation.]

                                

The Refrain for the usual 3^rd Antiphon- Psalm 94

Come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord, let us acclaim God, our Saviour.

O Son of God, baptized by John in the Jordan, save us who sing to you. Alleluia.

Let us come before His face with praise, and acclaim Him in psalms.

O Son of God…

For God is the great Lord and the great king over all the earth.

O Son of God…

[Psalm 94 is also a psalm that has the Exodus as its major theme. It celebrates the great, universal sovereignty of God, Who created everything and rules everything.  He redeems His People, and those who reject Him cause their own destruction. As we enter the Lord’s temple to celebrate His Baptism in the Jordan, we pray that He will purify our intentions with the “water” of His Life-Giving Spirit. We acknowledge His power and acclaim Him as God.  Therefore, we pray that He will turn our hearts to be like Him—generous, kind and forbearing, even with the ungrateful.]

Tropar (Tone 7)

By your cross you shattered death,* and to the thief you opened up paradise.* Into joy you turned the wailing of the myrrh-bearing women.* You commanded the apostles to preach that you are risen.* O Christ, our God, upon the world you bestow great mercy.

[The tropar of the Resurrection service celebrates reversals: the means to humiliation and execution becomes the sign of victory over death, a thief inherits the blessings of paradise, and mourning and wailing turn into joy.  In the Mystery of Baptism, we have personally experienced all of these reversals: we have received the assurance of victory over death; we have inherited the promise of paradise; we have received the joy of His presence. The Church refers to these cumulative, miraculous reversals as “great mercy.”]

Tropar of the Feast, Tone 1

At your baptism in the Jordan, O Lord,* worship of the Trinity was revealed,* for the voice of the Father bore you witness by calling you beloved Son.* And the Spirit, in the form of a dove, confirmed the truth of these words.* O Christ God, you manifest yourself and enlighten the world;* glory to you.

[In the Baptism of Christ we see the revelation of the Holy Trinity.  We remember that Christ, the Son of God wants to share His Life with us, so that we can become through His grace what He is by nature.  He is Son.  He wants us to become adopted sons and daughters of God.]

Glory…

Kondak (Tone 7)

No more can death’s power detain humankind,* for Christ has gone down, shattering and bringing to naught its might.* Hell finds itself in chains.* With one accord the prophets sing and rejoice.* The Saviour is present here, invitingly saying to those in the faith:* Come, all you faithful, into the resurrection.

Now…

Kondak of the Feast, Tone 4

Today you manifest yourself to the universe* and your light, O Lord, shines upon us.* And in our understanding, rightly do we sing out to you:* O Light inaccessible! You have come and manifested yourself.

Liturgy of the Word—We Listen to Word of God

Prokimen of the Sunday After Theophany, Tone 1

Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us,* for we have hope in you.

v. Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous ones; praise from the upright is fitting.

A READING FROM THE LETTER OF SAINT PAUL,

THE APOSTLE, TO EPHESIANS:

Brethren, grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore, it says: "He ascended on high and took prisoners captive; he gave gifts to men." What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended into the lower (regions) of the earth? The one who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things. And he gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the extent of the full stature of Christ.  (Eph. 4, 7-13)

[The Church chooses this reading in order to connect the Mystery of Baptism with the overall context of Christ’s Suffering, Death and Resurrection.  Christ’s descent into the water is a type of His descent into Death, while His rising from the water is a type of His Resurrection.  For our baptism, the Church prefers the practice of triple immersion.  We participate in Christ’s three days in the tomb through the three immersions, and when we rise the third time we participate in His Resurrection.]

Alleluia, Tone 5

O Lord, I will sing of your mercies forever, and from generation to generation my mouth will proclaim your truth.

v. For you have said: Mercy shall be built up forever; your truth shall be established in the heavens.

A READING FROM THE HOLY GOSPEL

ACCORDING TO SAINT MATTHEW:

At that time when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled: "Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen." From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

(Mt. 4, 12-17)

[The Lord Jesus begins His Galilean ministry where John left off, with the theme of repentance.  Saint Matthew uses the words of the Prophet Isaiah to describe this new ministry as “a great light” shining in the darkness of death.  That light shines, unexpectedly, upon land that was considered “lost to God” and abandoned by Him. This is a reminder to us that distance from God is only illusion.  He is always near to us. All we need to do is turn to Him.]

The Liturgy of the Sacrifice—We, together with Christ, offer ourselves to the Father

Instead of “It is truly right”

Extol, my soul, Christ the King, who was baptized in the Jordan.

Irmos, Tone 2: No tongue can fittingly sing your praises.* Even superior intelligences far above our world appear feeble when they praise you, O Mother of God.* But in your goodness, accept our faith;* for you see that godly love we bear towards you,* as you are the Patroness of Christians.

[In the diptychs, we pray for the whole world, and the whole visible creation: “Further, we offer You this rational worship for the whole world, for the holy, catholic and apostolic Church, for those who live chaste and holy lives, for our nation under God, for our government, and for a ll in the military. Grant them, O Lord, a peaceful governance so that in their tranquility we may be able to lead calm and quiet lives in all piety and dignity!”  We know that the only peace comes from the whole world being immersed in Christ.]

Communion verse

The grace of God has appeared* bringing salvation to all people.

Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest.

Alleluia (3)

The Sunday After Holy Theophany-- The Holy Liturgy Makes Heaven Present to Earth, and Earth to Heaven

Christ took captivity captive

The epistle today uses a verse from Psalm 67 as the comprehensive description of all of salvation history, as well as of the Divine and Holy Liturgy.  The verse is “he ascended on high; he took captivity captive and gave gifts to men.” The holy Apostle Paul uses the verse to describe the way in which Christ descended to us (and went down into the lowest regions of death), and then ascended into heaven, taking with Him all those that death had held captive. Death itself became His captive, when He ascended to Heaven to take His seat at God’s right hand. When he departed from us in His Ascension, he gave us a blessing, a guarantee of His help and grace in our struggles and trials, as we strive to acquire virtue.  The content of this blessing is the guarantee of His continuing presence among us through His Mysteries, the holy sacraments of the Church, which give us a foretaste of the things to come.  In Him, we are already inhabitants of the Heavenly Places, of God’s Kingdom, but not fully, just as we have died to this world, although not completely.

The celebration of the Holy Liturgy in Heaven

     The question we should ask ourselves is “Where are we?” It is true that we are in the church, but what does that mean? If we reflect upon the meaning and content of the history of our Church, what we find is that the truth, the reality, of the Mysteries of Christ was never seriously doubted until the sixteenth century—over fifteen centuries after the Lord Jesus brought the Church into being. Every generation of Christians for fifteen centuries believed that they were in the literal presence of their Lord, God and Saviour, when they celebrated the Divine Liturgy.  Where is our Lord, God and Saviour? Is He not in Heaven? In other words, they believed that they were in Heaven during the celebration of the sacred Mysteries, because the Real Presence of God in those Mysteries brought earth to Heaven, and Heaven to earth, for Paradise is where God is.

Spiritual things—a scam?

     Recently, I read that a society of American atheists took out advertisements and billboards during the holiday season, which proclaimed the following message concerning the world’s religions: “You know their all scams.” Well, what about our faith? Is philosophy a scam? Is virtue a scam? Is the love of our neighbours and enemies a scam? Is every thought of every human being that transcends material things and corporal pleasure a scam?

From where have we learned the most sublime and beautiful things in life

     Yet, if virtue is not a scam, but God is, then who or what is it that has taught us concerning the value and excellence of virtue? Have we learned excellence greater than our own from the things that are below us, from rocks and trees, and cats and dogs, or from the material things that we ourselves have fashioned? Perhaps we have learned the sublimity of justice, for example, from our Lexus? Nonsense.  There is an old Latin proverb, “Nemo dat quod non habet,” “No one gives what he does not have.” This is a simple truth that we can know for certain from experience. An aspiration, a perfection that is greater than we are, cannot come from us. It can only come from what is greater.  The Lord Himself bears witness to this great truth when he tells those who came to Him: You are from beneath, I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you, that you shall die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I AM, you shall die in your sins.” We cannot learn from this world concerning the things that are greater than this world. We cannot learn about virtue and imperishable life from corruption and death.

     What is the great aspiration or inspiration that this world can offer us? What perfection can we learn from it? None, in any sense, for if our life is limited to this world, then all of the greatest things in human life have no meaning. Virtue, sacrifice, and perseverance are without meaning and void, if our life in this world is the sum total of human life.

An alliance with things above: We live with our hearts in Heaven

     In Christ’s Mysteries, particularly in the celebration of the Holy Liturgy, we already live in Heaven, as we stand in the literal, true Presence of Our Lord and God.  We stand in His Presence, because we have made our alliance with the things above.  In Christ, we have realized the deepest aspirations of our hearts.  We want to be perfect.  We will not be satisfied with nice things and a million dollars in the bank, because we recognize in these things the same death and corruption that infects the rest of this earthly life.  Our alliance is with the One Who has taken captivity captive—the One in Whom Death is meaningless, and the permanent things that satisfy our longing are present and available.  In Him we are already seated with the Father in Heaven, even as we strive to acquire the treasure of virtue here on the earth.

A Few Reflections On the Mystery of Holy Theophany

There is an old story about a man and his wife, who found a poor man, who had fallen in the snow. He was not able to walk, because his legs were frozen.  The man and his wife bore him into their warm house, and they cared for him.  On one occasion, they placed him in a warm bath, and they washed away from him all his unpleasant filth.  They washed him in a large tub, and when they had taken him out of the tub, and had emptied the water, they found that it had left a hard ring of stubborn filth on the sides of the tub.  After this, the woman often scrubbed the tub, but she was never able to clean away the ring.  Then, one day, the man himself bathed in it, and a small wound on his leg was healed.  He ran to his neighbour, who was sick, and told him to wash in tub too.  The neighbour was healed as well.  After that, they shared the tub with the whole village, and then with the entire region.

     Today, on the feast of the Theophany, we see the Lord descend into the water, imbuing it with Divine Life.  Symbolically and mystically, through the rites of the Blessing of Water, we are witnesses to the Lord sanctifying the water.  He opens the fountain of Baptism for us through His baptism.  In the Blessing of Water, we pray: “You, being sinless, accepted baptism in the Jordan from the hand of a servant, so that, having sanctified the very nature of water, You could establish for us a way of rebirth by water and the Spirit and restore us to our previous dignity.” The Lord Jesus Christ placed Divine Life in the nature of water, so that we would find it there when we descend into the water of our Baptism.  Our father among the saints Basil the Great describes this great mystery in its connection with the mysteries of the Cross and the Resurrection: “He lived in this world, and gave us precepts of salvation. Releasing us from the delusions of idolatry, he brought us to the knowledge of you, the true God and Father.  He gained us for himself as a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. After cleansing us with water and sanctifying us with the Holy Spirit, he delivered himself up for us and ransomed us from the death that held us captive because of our sins. Descending into Hades through the cross, that he might fulfill all things in himself, he loosed the pains of death. He rose on the third day, making way for the resurrection of all flesh from the dead, for it was not possible for the author of life to be held by corruption.”

     Perhaps “Divine Life” sounds very abstract, but we call this same life by another name: virtue.  Through virtue we participate in the Life of God, and the Fathers of the Church tell us that virtue is the meaning of the entire Creation.  If we want to understand the universe, then it is necessary for us to understand virtue—and try to grow in virtue.  In Baptism, we receive virtue as a free gift.  We then only need to practice this virtue.   

Some Notes on Sunday's Liturgy

THE SUNDAY BEFORE THEOPHANY

Today’s service is a combination of three different services:

• The Sunday service in Tone 6
• The service for the Prefeast of Theophany
• The service for the Sunday Before Theophany

AN EXPLANATORY NOTE ON THE THEOPHANY ICON

The icon of the Feast of the Theophany, shows the Lord standing in the water of the Jordan River being baptized by John.  The depiction of the river is far from that of a natural river.  The river is shown as a cleft in the rock.  In the same way, the rock is cleft in the Nativity icon in order to form the cave of Bethlehem, and in the Resurrection icon, the rock is split in order to form the entrance to Hades, into which we see the Lord descending. 

     The Nativity icon shows the Lord wrapped in His swaddling clothes as if in a winding sheet, and lying in a stone manger that is formed like a sarcophagus.  In the Resurrection icon, we see Adam and Eve rising from similar sarcophagi, as the Lord bears them up to Light and Life. 

     The sarcophagus theme is absent in the Theophany icon, but we see the Lord descending into the split rock, sanctifying the water.  This is a reminder to us that Christ is our salvation, and salvation in Christ is entirely present in all of its parts. As St. Basil the Great says in his Liturgy: “For, since sin entered the world through a human being, and through sin—death, it pleased your sonly begotten Son—being in the bosom of you, God and Father—to be born of a woman, the holy Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary; He was born under the law, to condemn sin in his flesh, so that those who die in Adam may find life in your Christ.  He lived in this world, and gave us precepts of salvation. Releasing us from the delusions of idolatry, he brought us to the knowledge of you, the true God and Father.  He gained us for himself as a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. After cleansing us with water and sanctifying us with the Holy Spirit, he delivered himself up for us and ransomed us from the death that held us captive because of our sins. Descending into Hades through the cross, that he might fulfill all things in himself, he loosed the pains of death. He rose on the third day, making way for the resurrection of all flesh from the dead, for it was not possible for the author of life to be held by corruption.”

THE PROPERS OF THE DIVINE LITURGY

The Sunday Tropar in Tone 6:

Angelic powers were upon Your tomb and the guards became like dead men; Mary stood before Your tomb seeking Your most pure body. You captured Hades without being overcome by it. You met the Virgin and granted life. O Lord, risen from the dead, glory to You!

[The tropar refers to Matthew 28: 1-10, which tells us of the terrifying apparition of the angel, who comes to open the tomb.  After removing the stone from the entrance of the tomb, he sits upon it.  The tropar then goes on to refer to the apocryphal legend that the Lord also appeared to the Mother of God.]

The Tropar of the Prefeast of Theophany, Tone 4

Zebulon, get ready! Naphtali, adorn yourself!* River Jordan, halt your flow!* Receive the Master with joy as he comes to be baptized.* Adam, rejoice with our first mother, and do not hide as you once did in paradise;* for having seen your nakedness,* Christ has revealed himself* so as to restore your pristine robe of righteousness* and wishes to renew all creation.

[This tropar draws together today’s Gospel reading (the Sunday Before Theophany) with the reading for the Sunday After Theophany, since the “get ready” or “prepare” is inspired by the ministry of St. John the Baptist in Mark 1:1-8, while the invocation of Zebulon and Naphtali refers to the text of Isaiah 9:1-2 that is quoted in Matthew 4:15-16: “The land of Zebulon and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned.”

     The tropar also calls out to the Jordan to “halt its flow.” This refers to Joshua 3:7-8, an Old Testament reading on the Eve of Theophany. When Joshua entered the Jordan River with the Ark of the Covenant, the river ceased to flow until the entire army of God’s People had crossed.

     The tropar concludes with the reference to Adam’s nakedness.  This refers to the ancient Syrian tradition that Adam and Eve realized that they were naked in the Garden of Eden, because they had lost the spiritual robe of glory.]

Glory…

Kondak of the Prefeast, Tone 4

Standing in the flowing waters of the Jordan,* the Lord today tells John:* Do not be afraid to baptize me,* for I have come to save Adam, the first to be fashioned.

[This kondak is an elaboration of the conversation that takes place between the Lord Jesus and John in Matthew 3: 13-17. John says to Him: “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” The Lord’s cryptic reply regarding “fulfilling all righteousness” is here explicated.  When the liturgical hymns refer to “Adam,” they mean not only the first-created man, but also the totality of human nature. The Lord’s baptism is going to purify human nature.]

Prokimen of the Prefeast, Tone 6

Save your people and bless, O Lord, your inheritance.

v. To you I will cry, O Lord my God,* lest you turn away from me in silence.

The Epistle reading for the Sunday Before Theophany:

A READING FROM THE 2^nd LETTER OF SAINT PAUL,

THE APOSTLE, TO TIMOTHY:

My son Timothy, be self-possessed in all circumstances; put up with hardship; perform the work of an evangelist; fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out like a libation, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearance. (2 Ti. 4,5-8)

[In this reading for the Sunday Before the Theophany, the Apostle compares himself to a libation, thus recalling the Lord’s Baptism and His cup of suffering to which He refers in Matthew 20:22-23.  In this passage, the mother of the disciples James and John wants a guarantee of special privileges and position for her sons in the Kingdom of Heaven.  The Lord Jesus replies: “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” The Lord’s baptism is baptism into His death.  Although it gives everlasting life, it is no easy path.]

The Alleluia for the Sunday Before Theophany:

Alleluia, Tone 8

Be gracious to us, O God, and bless us.                         

v. Shine the light of your countenance upon us, and have mercy on us.

The Gospel reading for the Sunday Before Theophany:

A READING FROM THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO SAINT MARK:

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ (the Son of God). As it is written in Isaiah the prophet: "Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way. A voice of one crying out in the desert: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.'" John (the) Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. People of the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins. John was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He fed on locusts and wild honey. And this is what he proclaimed: "One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the holy Spirit." (Mar. 1,1-8)

[The Gospel highlights the nature of John’s baptism.  It is a baptism of repentance that leads to the forgiveness of sins.  It does not confer the Holy Spirit, nor does it give salvation and everlasting life in the Kingdom of God.  It is provisional, just as John himself is provisional.  His purpose is to point to the one who coming after him.]

Communion verse of Sunday:

Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise Him in the highest.

Alleluia (3)

Sunday Before Theophany-- Preparing the Way of the Lord through Penance

Prepare the way of the Lord

Today we hear the gospel reading concerning the beginning of the preaching of St. John the Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord.  The Baptist’s main theme is “Prepare the way of the Lord—make straight His paths.” The Baptist further elaborates this theme by showing to us the only way to prepare such a path, i.e. repentance.  For us sinners, acceptance of the gospel of Christ and of His promises has to start always from the same place.  It has to start with repentance for our sins and failings—a recognition that we have done wrong in the sight of God, and a desire, with God’s help, to change our hearts and turn to Him in Whom we recognize our deepest aspirations.  Without repentance we can be most anything in the world (religiously or otherwise). If we merely recognize that we need some sort of “spiritual” peace within our hearts then we can be Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, perhaps we can practice feng-shui, yoga or tai chi. Without the spirit of repentance we can be most anything in the world, but we cannot be anything in Heaven. We cannot be Christians without repentance—that recognition that there is something deeply wrong with us, but absolutely nothing wrong with our God for Whom we long with all our hearts. 

“John was clothed in camel’s hair”

     John the Prophet and Forerunner didn’t just preach repentance. He was the zenith and perfection of the life that he called others to emulate.  He lived his entire life in the desert, just as generations of monks would do in imitation of him.  He clothed himself in camel’s hair.  This detail is especially significant.  It is not an accident that the Holy Spirit has revealed to us what John’s clothing was made of.  No, on the contrary, the camel hair of St. John the Forerunner stands at the beginning of a penitential tradition that continues even to this day.  John clothed himself in camel’s hair, because that hair continually irritated his skin. It made him itch.  In the same way, up to this very day, it is the ascetical tradition of the Church that, very often, the undergarments of monks and nuns are made of haircloth for exactly the same reason.  It irritates the skin.  It makes the wearer itch.  So what is the point of that? It is a powerful corporeal, physical, penitential symbol.  It constantly reminds the wearer that he is to be dissatisfied, irritated, with the things of this world, so that he directs the attention and aspiration of his heart to Christ and to His Kingdom.  We must constantly chafe under the yoke of this world with longing and love for the things that are to come.

     Thus, we can see that the gospel of Christ means much more to us than simply “being good people,” or “being spiritual.” The gospel of Christ begins with our sincere confession that we are not good people.  We are sinful people, who, left to ourselves, can do nothing but displease God.  We must itch and chafe under our sinful condition, and long for the liberty of the Kingdom of Christ. 

“Be vigilant, labour in all things”

      Saint Paul, in his Second Epistle to Timothy, tells his disciple Timothy to be vigilant and to “labour in all things.”  A life that is centered in repentance includes vigilance and labour.  Vigilance has two meanings for us.  One refers to persistence in prayer, keeping vigil before God in worship.  The other meaning refers to keeping watch for the attacks of the Enemy, for the approach of temptations, so that they can be speedily repulsed. St. Paul intends St. Timothy to understand both of these meanings when he tells him to be vigilant.  Indeed, the two meanings are very much related, since the surest defense against demonic attack is the frequent, if not constant, presence of prayer within the soul. This is the reason that the chotki in Old Slavonic monastic literature is often called “a sword of the Spirit,” since its discipline of constant prayer serves as a weapon against the attacks of the Evil One.  The cross at the bottom of the chotki, in this same kind of literature is often compared to the hilt and pommel of a sword, with the long loop of knots above this Cross representing the fighting blade. 

     The Holy Apostle’s exhortation to “labour in all things” is less complex.  When he says to “labour in all things,” he is telling St. Timothy to make all his daily activities, even the most mundane, his care, to do nothing carelessly, just like the advice of the old proverb “if it is worth doing, it is worth doing well.” It must be our constant care to do nothing carelessly, but to do the best we can do in the context of all of our daily activities.  Very often, the discipline of “labouring in all things” will, itself, be a penance for us, since there are always a great many things that we must do, although given a choice, we would rather not.

     We need to “prepare the way of the Lord,” in our hearts through adopting a spirit of penance.  The spirit of penance will recognize with dissatisfaction our sins and shortcomings, as well as the shortcomings of the things of this world.  From the spirit of penance, we will learn, as did St. John the Forerunner, to chafe under the yoke of this world and long for the things of the world to come. We will also learn to be persistent in prayer, showing due vigilance against the attacks that the Evil One throws at us.  Lastly, at the heart of our penance, we will “labour in all things,” doing our daily activities with the attention and care that is due to the service of God.   

The Sunday After Christmas-- The Good Astrology-- The Stars Teach Us Virtue, as We Leave the Future to the Providence of God

Brothers and sisters in Christ—

In the Church’s hymns for the feast day of the Nativity of Our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ, very often we find the star mentioned, and, indeed, the Gospel reading for the feast itself tells us the story of the visit of the Wise Men from the East, who followed the star to Bethlehem, to the cave-stable in which Christ was born.  According to the Holy Gospel, the Wise Men said to King Herod: “Where is the newborn King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the East and we have come to worship Him.” And, on the eve of the feast, we already sing: “The Persian Magi clearly recognized the heavenly King born on earth. Led by a bright star, they arrived at Bethlehem bearing choice gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh; and falling down, they adored Him; for they saw the eternal One, lying as a Child, in the cave.” And the special tropars, which we sing during the readings, remind us: “You were born in a cave, hidden from the eyes of all; but the heavens revealed You to all by means of a star, O Saviour. It brought the Magi to adore You; they worshiped You in the fervour of their faith. Have mercy upon all of us,” and “You have shone forth from the Virgin, O Christ, Sun of Justice. A star found You, whom nothing can contain, manifested in the cave. It led the Magi to adore you. With them, we worship You, O Giver of life, glory to You!”

     These beautiful hymns show us the importance of the heavenly star for us. It is worth noting as well, that according to our tradition, when a group of carolers goes out from house to house, sharing the joyful news of Christ’s Birth, they always carry the star with them.  This symbol is very important for us, because it encapsulates so well the entire mystery of the Incarnation, which we celebrate, for God descended from Heaven to be with us, but He did not leave Heaven and the Royal Throne of His Father, but He remained there also, for He, just as we say of the Holy Spirit, is “everywhere present and fills all things.” In Christ, Heaven and Earth are united, just as God and the human race are united in Him. 

     Of course, the Holy Church has always condemned astrology, for the basis of this pseudo-science is the idea, that the movement of the heavenly bodies (the stars and planets) constrains human free will according to regular, observable laws, and if we understand these laws, then we are able to predict the future.  But St. Augustine, in his book Confessions, revealed the fundamental error of astrology as long ago as the fourth century, for he observed that two people, who were born on the same day, and at the same time, and, therefore, under the same horoscope, had two very different fates.  It is, in fact, not possible to predict the future, because the future belongs to God.  Instead, it is necessary for us to look to Heaven in prayer, in order to ask for understanding and insight.  Nevertheless, there is a good astrology, so to speak, which looks upon the heavenly bodies, and regards them as symbols, which teach us about virtue.

     Our Holy Father Ephrem the Syrian speaks to us about this good astrology in his Hymns on the Nativity.  In the sixth Hymn, St. Ephrem reminds us that Christ our God had two heralds, when He came among us in the Incarnation: one in heaven—the bright star, and the other on the earth—St. John the Baptist.  He says: “In the heights, just as in the depths, this Child has two heralds: the bright shining star, which shines in the heights, and John also becomes His herald here on earth.  Behold the two heralds—one from the earth, the other from heaven.  This one in the highest preaches concerning His Nature, which is from the Majesty, and this one in the depths preaches concerning His nature, which is from humanity.  O what a great wonder! By these two, His Divinity and humanity are proclaimed.  The Star reminds the person, who thinks that He is only terrestrial, that He is also heavenly; but, John reminds him, who thinks that He is only a pure Spirit, that also He is corporeal.” This beautiful hymn shows us the correspondence between heaven and earth, which we see in the Incarnation.  We need to show the same harmonious correspondence in our lives, because we ought always to work so as to make heavenly virtues present on the earth.  A star shines with great purity and constancy, and we must imitate these heavenly bodies according to their virtues.  Our faith, hope and love need to be as immovable as the stars, heedless as they are of the circumstances of this world. 

The Nativity of Christ (7 January-- 25 December Old Style) The Light Has Come Into the World

     At last, our great feast has arrived.  The long night of the Nativity Fast is over, and we are able to draw near, with our hearts full of faith and love, to the cave of Bethlehem, where the God, Who created the heavens and the earth and everything in them, has become incarnate for our sakes.  He Who is Almighty in His Divine Nature, has become helpless in His human nature. 

     Today, the cave of Bethlehem remains ever as it was—a cave, albeit now covered with marble, with stairs cut out of the ancient rock leading down to the place of the Lord’s first manifestation in the flesh.  At the bottom of the stairs leading down into the cave, and to the right, is the chapel of the manger, in which the Most Holy Mother of God laid Christ after he was born. And there, straight ahead from the bottom of the stairway is the hallowed place of His birth.  There is an indentation in the wall (which looks very much like a hearth), but on the floor, within this indentation, is a silver star, which marks the exact place of the birth of Christ.  Within this narrow niche, innumerable oil lamps burn constantly, each of them representing one of the ancient churches of the world: Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch the Great, and Jerusalem… by their light, they testify that “the Light has come into the world.”

     Physical light is one of the oldest and dearest images of Christ.  In the Gospel of St. John, the Evangelist says in the prologue: “In Him was Light, and the Light was the Light of men, and the Light shone in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” And in the Gospel of St. Matthew, the Wise Men of the East are led to the Christ, the King of Heaven and Earth, by means of the light of a star. 

     The Church has always wholeheartedly embraced this image of her Lord, she has always used it in her worship, and she uses the Light to draw together the entire season that comprises the feasts of Christmas and Theophany. See how the dark color of the Nativity Fast has given way to a white as bright as light.  This sign is also present in the hymns and poetry of the Church, as she celebrates this holy season. 

     Light is particularly important in the Church’s evening worship. In every season throughout the year, the entrance of Great Vespers, along with the lighting of the lamps, always represents the Incarnation of our God.  Fittingly so, since we believe that Christ came in the evening of the world—He came to a world grown old through sin.  In this was His compassion so clearly manifest, that He came and renewed and restored His Creation, which had fallen into decrepitude.  The Church celebrates this compassion everyday in the Hymn of the Evening:

O Tranquil Light, Light and Holy Glory, of the Father Immortal, the Heavenly, Holy, the Blessed One—O Jesus Christ, as we come upon the sunset, as we see the evening light, we sing to God—the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  At all times You are worthy of being hymned by joyful voices.  O Son of God, You are the Giver of Life. For this the whole world glorifies You.

He is called “Tranquil Light.” This same word can be translated “quiet,” “gentle” or even “joyful.” He is the Quiet and Gentle Light, because, unlike the evil that is arrayed against us in this world, He does not seek to compel or coerce us.  He created our consciences to be free, and He respects that freedom.  He wants us to love Him freely –for Himself, because He is all-lovable.  The Prophet Isaiah tells us this in poetic language: “A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not quench, until He brings forth justice upon the earth.” In this way, He shows to us the true meaning and measure of justice—He becomes the true image of power exercised rightly. Power in our fallen world compels and coerces.  True power enlightens and guides.  “He is the True Light that enlightens and sanctifies every man coming into the world.”  How could light compel or coerce us, or how could a helpless, little child?

     Our responsibility is awesome, for we must choose to love Him freely, or choose to despise Him absolutely.  If we choose to love Him, then we must resolve to be like Him, to eschew our love for power, our penchant for manipulation, and instead enlighten and guide.  He became a Gift for us.  Can we truly love Him, if we do not make ourselves a gift for Him and for others? We must neither coerce nor compel; we must enlighten and guide.

     We know well that the Mystery of Christmas draws us to the Mystery of Theophany.  On the night of Theophany, we will see a wondrous thing happen to this Quiet and Gentle Light that we today worship in the cave of Bethlehem.  We will see this Light descend into the water and sanctify it.  We will see it become one with the water, as it mingles with it.  The Light will become as water—constantly, continuously seeking the lowest place, and the water will become as Light—enlightening and sanctifying, conveying Divine Life to all that It touches. This is the form and model for us.  When we decide to love the Incarnate God, the helpless Child of Bethlehem, with all our hearts, we attain the humility of water, as we seek the lowest place, and yet we seek to enlighten and guide all those around us.   

The Sunday Before Christmas-- Watching the Door; Preparing for the Kingdom

Jesus Christ says: “Many will come from the East and from the West and take their place at the table in the Kingdom of God with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” In these words the Lord prophesies the future extent of the His Church, which He establishes on the foundation laid in the Patriarchs and the Prophets for the purpose of bringing salvation to the whole world. 

     Many will come from the East and from the West.  The key word here for us today is “many.” Do we observe that the Lord does not say that “all will come from the East and the West.” The Lord is not a pessimist; he is not a negative personality who always sees the bad side of every situation.  No, he sees for certain and infallibly that there are some who will not accept the Lord’s gracious invitation to enter the fellowship of the people of God, and to sit at table in the Kingdom that is to come.  The Lord very deliberately says, “Many will come.” In just the same way, he also says as he institutes the great Mystery of the Eucharist, “This is my Blood of the New Covenant, which is shed for you and for many, for the forgiveness of sins.”

     It is curious, and yet appropriate, is it not, that last week we heard the Gospel reading concerning the parable of the banquet, and now on this Sunday we hear the genealogy of Jesus Christ according to St. Matthew.  Among the persons named in the genealogy there are those who accepted the Lord’s gracious invitation to life and salvation.  But, sadly, there are those also who spurned relationship with the Lord, and followed all manner of false gods.  A perfect example is King Solomon, the great and illustrious third king of Israel, who, despite his famed wisdom and the Lord’s great favours to him, abandoned the worship of the true God for the worship of idols.  

     “Many will come from the East and the West,” is a sobering reminder to us that we must do everything possible to have a place among that “many.” Surely there is no better way to keep our attention fixed on our goal – the Kingdom of God, than simply remembering each and every day, and hour by hour, that we do not know when the Lord’s messenger will arrive to summon us to that great banquet.  There is a famous story from a book of sayings of the early monks in the Egyptian desert that illustrates the point:

An elder visited an ascetic who lived in Rhaithou and said to him: “Father, often when I send my disciple on some errand I become worried. My worry gets even greater when my disciple is late in returning.”

     “When I send my attendant out on an errand,” the ascetic answered, “I sit at the door and look at the road. When my thoughts make me uneasy and say to me, ‘Aha, the brother will never come,’ I respond to my thoughts as follows: ‘What if another brother—that is, the Lord’s Angel—should come to get me and lead me off to the Lord; then what would be? I wonder if I am ready for such a meeting?’

     “And so I sit each day and watch the door, weeping for my sins and taking care to correct myself. And while I am crying, I say to myself: ‘I wonder which brother will come earlier—the one from earth or the one from Heaven; that is, my disciple or the Lord’s Angel.’”

     When he heard these things, the ascetic’s visitor was calmed and departed. And from that day forth he too applied the ascetic’s device in his own life.

     This is a very simple and straightforward device indeed, and perhaps we too can make use of it in our lives.  After all, we suffer from the same uncertainty. We do not know when the messenger will arrive to summon us to depart from this life and go forward to eternity. Our fathers’ response to this uncertainty was to be always ready. It was in this way that they came to be among the “many who will come from the East and the West.”

     The story’s expression is “to watch the door” for the arrival of the messenger, as well as for our departure.  The Lord God has been consistently telling us human beings to “watch the door” for a very long time.  Remember, for example, the Lord tells the people of Israel to eat the Passover in a very particular way.  They have to wear their belts, and carry their staves in their hands, like people in flight. In other words, the people of Israel were told to “watch the door,” and be ready for their departure from the land of Egypt. 

     Do we lose anything by assuming that the Lord’s messenger will arrive today? Actually, it is quite the contrary.  If we truly and sincerely expect the Lord’s messenger everyday, and every hour of every day, we become generous, more giving people. We will treat others with great respect, and we will refrain from the sins, born of anger, lust and the other passions, since all of these transitory and passing things lose their luster and charm when their impermanence is revealed. What possession would we not part with, if we knew that the Lord’s messenger was coming in fifteen minutes?   Or, by what could we become angered? There is surely no better way to remind ourselves of the impermanence of the things of this life than to assiduously “watch the door.”

     If we fail to “watch the door,” then how can we expect to receive the Lord’s messenger when he comes? Will we not certainly receive him with fright and upset, if not with the rudeness reserved for uninvited guests? Surely, none who receive the Lord’s messenger in such a way deserve to be with the Lord—to be among the “many” at His table everlastingly. 

     No, rather let us “watch the door,” and when we are summoned let us put aside what we are doing and, without regret or anxiety, go.