Founder of western monasticism, born at Nursia, c. 480; died at Monte Cassino, 543. The only authentic life of Benedict of Nursia is that contained in the second book of St. Gregory's "Dialogues." It is rather a character sketch than a biography and consists, for the most part, of a number of miraculous incidents, which, although they illustrate the life of the saint, give little help towards a chronological account of his career. St. Gregory's authorities for all that he relates were the saint's own disciples, viz. Constantinus, who succeeded him as Abbot of Monte Cassino; and Honoratus, who was Abbot of Subiaco when St. Gregory wrote his "Dialogues."
Benedict was the son of a Roman noble of Nursia, a small town near Spoleto, and a tradition, which St. Bede accepts, makes him a twin with his sister Scholastica. His boyhood was spent in Rome, where he lived with his parents and attended the schools until he had reached his higher studies. Then "giving over his books, and forsaking his father's house and wealth, with a mind only to serve God, he sought for some place where he might attain to the desire of his holy purpose; and in this sort he departed [from Rome], instructed with learned ignorance and furnished with unlearned wisdom" (Dial. St. Greg., II, Introd. in Migne, P.L. LXVI). There is much difference of opinion as to Benedict's age at the time. It has been very generally stated as fourteen, but a careful examination of St. Gregory's narrative makes it impossible to suppose him younger than nineteen or twenty. He was old enough to be in the midst of his literary studies, to understand the real meaning and worth of the dissolute and licentious lives of his companions, and to have been deeply affected himself by the love of a woman (Ibid. II, 2). He was capable of weighing all these things in comparison with the life taught in the Gospels, and chose the latter, He was at the beginning of life, and he had at his disposal the means to a career as a Roman noble; clearly he was not a child, As St. Gregory expresses it, "he was in the world and was free to enjoy the advantages which the world offers, but drew back his foot which he had, as it were, already set forth in the world" (ibid., Introd.). If we accept the date 480 for his birth, we may fix the date of his abandoning the schools and quitting home at about A.D. 500.
Benedict does not seem to have left Rome for the purpose of becoming a hermit, but only to find some place away from the life of the great city; moreover, he took his old nurse with him as a servant and they settled down to live in Enfide, near a church dedicated to St. Peter, in some kind of association with "a company of virtuous men" who were in sympathy with his feelings and his views of life. Enfide, which the tradition of Subiaco identifies with the modern Affile, is in the Simbrucini mountains, about forty miles from Rome and two from Subiaco. It stands on the crest of a ridge which rises rapidly from the valley to the higher range of mountains, and seen from the lower ground the village has the appearance of a fortress. As St. Gregory's account indicates, and as is confirmed by the remains of the old town and by the inscriptions found in the neighbourhood, Enfide was a place of greater importance than is the present town. At Enfide Benedict worked his first miracle by restoring to perfect condition an earthenware wheat-sifter (capisterium) which his old servant had accidentally broken. The notoriety which this miracle brought upon Benedict drove him to escape still farther from social life, and "he fled secretly from his nurse and sought the more retired district of Subiaco." His purpose of life had also been modified. He had fled Rome to escape the evils of a great city; he now determined to be poor and to live by his own work. "For God's sake he deliberately chose the hardships of life and the weariness of labour" (ibid., 1).
A short distance from Enfide is the entrance to a narrow, gloomy valley, penetrating the mountains and leading directly to Subiaco. Crossing the Anio and turning to the right, the path rises along the left face oft the ravine and soon reaches the site of Nero's villa and of the huge mole which formed the lower end of the middle lake; across the valley were ruins of the Roman baths, of which a few great arches and detached masses of wall still stand. Rising from the mole upon twenty five low arches, the foundations of which can even yet be traced, was the bridge from the villa to the baths, under which the waters of the middle lake poured in a wide fall into the lake below. The ruins of these vast buildings and the wide sheet of falling water closed up the entrance of the valley to St. Benedict as he came from Enfide; to-day the narrow valley lies open before us, closed only by the far off mountains. The path continues to ascend, and the side of the ravine, on which it runs, becomes steeper, until we reach a cave above which the mountain now rises almost perpendicularly; while on the right hand it strikes in a rapid descent down to where, in St. Benedict's day, five hundred feet below, lay the blue waters of the lake. The cave has a large triangular-shaped opening and is about ten feet deep. On his way from Enfide, Benedict met a monk, Romanus, whose monastery was on the mountain above the cliff overhanging the cave. Romanus had discussed with Benedict the purpose which had brought him to Subiaco, and had given him the monk's habit. By his advice Benedict became a hermit and for three years, unknown to men, lived in this cave above the lake. St. Gregory tells us little of these years, He now speaks of Benedict no longer as a youth (puer), but as a man (vir) of God. Romanus, he twice tells us, served the saint in every way he could. The monk apparently visited him frequently, and on fixed days brought him food.
During these three years of solitude, broken only by occasional communications with the outer world and by the visits of Romanus, he matured both in mind and character, in knowledge of himself and of his fellow-man, and at the same time he became not merely known to, but secured the respect of, those about him; so much so that on the death of the abbot of a monastery in the neighbourhood (identified by some with Vicovaro), the community came to him and begged him to become its abbot. Benedict was acquainted with the life and discipline of the monastery, and knew that "their manners were diverse from his and therefore that they would never agree together: yet, at length, overcome with their entreaty, he gave his consent" (ibid., 3). The experiment failed; the monks tried to poison him, and he returned to his cave. From this time his miracles seen to have become frequent, and many people, attracted by his sanctity and character, came to Subiaco to be under his guidance. For them he built in the valley twelve monasteries, in each of which he placed a superior with twelve monks. In a thirteenth he lived with "a few, such as he thought would more profit and be better instructed by his own presence" (ibid., 3). He remained, however, the father or abbot of all. With the establishment of these monasteries began the schools for children; and amongst the first to be brought were Maurus and Placid.
The remainder of St. Benedict's life was spent in realizing the ideal of monasticism which he has left us drawn out in his Rule, and before we follow the slight chronological story given by St. Gregory, it will be better to examine the ideal, which, as St. Gregory says, is St. Benedict's real biography (ibid., 36). We will deal here with the Rule only so far as it is an element in St. Benedict's life. For the relations which it bore to the monasticism of previous centuries, and for its influence throughout the West on civil and religious government, and upon the spiritual life of Christians, the reader is referred to the articles monasticism and benedict, saint, rule of.
Rule of Saint Benedict
March 26, 2010
March 25, 2010
He That Believeth Shall Live
Lazarus Saturday
There are no wasted or superfluous motions in God's economy. He never lets even the most seemingly insignificant event or word to proceed without the utmost advantage to us. During our Lord's earthly ministry, His every deed, every action was directed towards our salvation. The healing of the sick, the restoring of sight to the blind, the feeding of the multitudes--all were accomplished with an eternal purpose which far surpassed the immediate benefit conferred on those actually involved. We could derive great profit for our souls if only we would learn to discern the spiritual significance of these events and apply it to our lives. Let us look, for example, at the raising of Lazarus which our holy Church will soon celebrate.
Christ was in Galilee when He heard of the grave illness of His beloved friend Lazarus. He did not pronounce a cure from a distance as He did once before with the centurion's servant (Matt. 8:5-13), and He reached Bethany Only after Lazarus had already been four days dead. Why this delay? If Christ is all-powerful, surely He could have prevented the cause of so much grief. Christ did, of course, have this power, but His delay was inspired by a loftier design: to reveal to all men the power of His divine nature as the "Conqueror of death." Just how was this accomplished? If we look carefully, there are several lessons which we can learn from this one event.
Whilst Lazarus was still alive, his sisters Martha and Mary entreated Christ to come and cure their ailing brother (John 11:3). Similarly, through prayer, we ask God to cure our illnesses arid to help us in times of misfortune. When He delayed and Lazarus died, what sorrow and despondency overcame the household, Martha even began to blame Christ: "Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother had not died" (John 11:21). Do not our hopes and entreaties also suffer when we do not receive what we pray for, especially in times of great sorrow? Here we can see our own natures being revealed, since we too tend to grumble and complain in times of hardship, thinking that God has either forgotten us or is punishing us for something. What is Christ's reply to Martha? "...He that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live." The same was repeated to Mary.
Here then is the key spiritual lesson that we are taught on Lazarus Saturday: to believe in Christ. Instead of grumbling and losing hope in times of misfortune, we should pay heed to this lesson--believe, and all the more zealously turn to God in prayer. Then we too shall, as Christ promised Mary, "see the glory of God."
Here we are likewise given the supreme manifestation of the human nature which Christ took upon Himself in His Incarnation. While He was true God and foresaw the resurrection of Lazarus, as true Man He wept at the death of His friend, sharing the grief of Lazarus' relatives. This shows us Christ's exceeding compassion towards us. Being led to the tomb where Lazarus had been laid, Christ ordered the stone at the entrance to be roiled away and then, raising His eyes, He prayed: "Father, I thank Thee that Thou hast heard Me." Here we witness a great wonder: Jesus Christ, the God Man, praying to God the Father. Surely this is a great precept for us, His creatures, to pray. Notice the form of the prayer; it. is full of absolute confidence that it was heard and, above all, full of thanksgiving. If Christ, Who is God and lacks nothing, gives thanks in His prayer, then should not we, the created and needy, also give thanks in our prayers?
Having prayed, Christ with great boldness commands: "Lazarus, come forth!" The great miracle is manifest in front of many witnesses: Lazarus, dead for four days and already decomposing and stinking, now comes out of the tomb perfectly whole and alive. Here is our assurance that Christ truly does have power over life and death. Here is our sure hope that at the general resurrection of the dead all people will be raised with renewed bodies. At the same time, Christ reveals a greater mystery in the words: "He that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live," This applies to our souls. If we believe in Christ and live according to His commandments, then even though our bodies may die, our souls will live. A "dead soul" is one which has been corrupted by sin, for death is the direct consequence of sin. A "live soul" is one which has been cleansed and restored by faith, prayer, repentance, by partaking of Communion and abstaining from sin; in short, by living according to God's commandments. Such a soul truly never sees death but lives always fruitfully hereon earth, awaiting a still more perfect life in the eternal Heavenly Kingdom.
The late Archbishop Andrew adds yet another dimension to the meaning of Lazarus' death and resurrection. Speaking about the death of the soul, he refers also to the two other incidents recorded in the Gospels of Christ's power to resurrect the dead: the raising of Jairus' daughter (Luke 8:53-55) and the raising of the son of the widow of Nain (Luke 7:14-15).
"Sometimes it happens that a sinful thought darts into your mind and awakens a sinful feeling, but the soul catches itself and calls to the Lord in repentance. And the Lord, as with the daughter of Jairus, will as if stretch out His hand and say, 'Soul, arise!' And life will return to its joyous flow. But sometimes it happens that we do not catch ourselves in time and sin enters more deeply into our soul (like going out from the house) and the result will be full acceptance of the sin, and turmoil. But also here, by the prayers of our Mother, the Church of Christ, who cries before the Lord for her children, we capn be alerted and the Lord, will tell us, as He did the son of the widow of Nain: 'Soul, I say unto thee, Arise!' This is salvation.
"But what shall we do if sin completely enslaves our soul, as if covering it with a tombstone; and so day after day goes by and passions start to exude their sinful stench, just as with Lazarus? What should we do then? Well then we need confession, the sacrament which Christ established after His Resurrection, when He said to His disciples, 'Receive ye the Holy Spirit; Whosesoever sins ye forgive, they are forgiven; (John 20:22-23).
See how all this is reflected in the resurrection of Lazarus. Lazarus , on his own , could not go out from the tomb because it was blocked by a stone. He couldn't even walk because he was hound hand and foot with funeral bandages. And here Christ said to His disciples, 'Loose him.' In application to us, this means that the Lord orders our clergy, who have received in the Sacrament of the Priesthood the gift of the Holy Spirit, to loose our sins. What a joy'" [From The One Thing Needful
, Novo-Divevo Convent, 1979]
The resurrection of Lazarus teaches us yet another lesson on faith and belief. How often have we said to ourselves or to others: "If only I could see a sign or a miracle then I would believe"? True, we learn from Scripture that many of the people who witnessed the resurrection of Lazarus became believers. But among these same witnesses were those who left and plotted to kill Christ.
To what envy, hatred and degradation they stooped. Before their very eyes a dead man is raised and instead of rejoicing, they plot murder. What could be more senseless?! After seeing such a miracle and knowing that it was no mere illusion, do not these plotters of hatred deserve the greatest of punishments? We should beware of asking God for signs lest. if they be granted and we still disbelieve and do not make an effort to change our sinful ways, we condemn ourselves all the more. Instead, we should strive to follow God's commandments and pray that our faith be strengthened. We must pray as Christ did and entreat God to grant us our desires according to His will (Matt. 26:39). We are told to pray with thanks giving in everything (John 11:41); to pray with full confidence and hope that cur prayers will be heard and answered (Luke 11:9-10). If we do not receive the answer as quickly as we would like, or in the way we expect, we should not grumble or become despondent. Rather, we should remember that just as with Lazarus, God is delaying so that we may be led to things far more beneficial for our soul's salvation. If we approach our spiritual lives in this way, then God will give us the grace to be patient, persistent in prayer, righteous in our deeds, and joyful in our hearts.
St. Xenia Press
Melbourne, Australia
http://www.roca.org/OA/38/38b.htm
There are no wasted or superfluous motions in God's economy. He never lets even the most seemingly insignificant event or word to proceed without the utmost advantage to us. During our Lord's earthly ministry, His every deed, every action was directed towards our salvation. The healing of the sick, the restoring of sight to the blind, the feeding of the multitudes--all were accomplished with an eternal purpose which far surpassed the immediate benefit conferred on those actually involved. We could derive great profit for our souls if only we would learn to discern the spiritual significance of these events and apply it to our lives. Let us look, for example, at the raising of Lazarus which our holy Church will soon celebrate.
Christ was in Galilee when He heard of the grave illness of His beloved friend Lazarus. He did not pronounce a cure from a distance as He did once before with the centurion's servant (Matt. 8:5-13), and He reached Bethany Only after Lazarus had already been four days dead. Why this delay? If Christ is all-powerful, surely He could have prevented the cause of so much grief. Christ did, of course, have this power, but His delay was inspired by a loftier design: to reveal to all men the power of His divine nature as the "Conqueror of death." Just how was this accomplished? If we look carefully, there are several lessons which we can learn from this one event.
Whilst Lazarus was still alive, his sisters Martha and Mary entreated Christ to come and cure their ailing brother (John 11:3). Similarly, through prayer, we ask God to cure our illnesses arid to help us in times of misfortune. When He delayed and Lazarus died, what sorrow and despondency overcame the household, Martha even began to blame Christ: "Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother had not died" (John 11:21). Do not our hopes and entreaties also suffer when we do not receive what we pray for, especially in times of great sorrow? Here we can see our own natures being revealed, since we too tend to grumble and complain in times of hardship, thinking that God has either forgotten us or is punishing us for something. What is Christ's reply to Martha? "...He that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live." The same was repeated to Mary.
Here then is the key spiritual lesson that we are taught on Lazarus Saturday: to believe in Christ. Instead of grumbling and losing hope in times of misfortune, we should pay heed to this lesson--believe, and all the more zealously turn to God in prayer. Then we too shall, as Christ promised Mary, "see the glory of God."
Here we are likewise given the supreme manifestation of the human nature which Christ took upon Himself in His Incarnation. While He was true God and foresaw the resurrection of Lazarus, as true Man He wept at the death of His friend, sharing the grief of Lazarus' relatives. This shows us Christ's exceeding compassion towards us. Being led to the tomb where Lazarus had been laid, Christ ordered the stone at the entrance to be roiled away and then, raising His eyes, He prayed: "Father, I thank Thee that Thou hast heard Me." Here we witness a great wonder: Jesus Christ, the God Man, praying to God the Father. Surely this is a great precept for us, His creatures, to pray. Notice the form of the prayer; it. is full of absolute confidence that it was heard and, above all, full of thanksgiving. If Christ, Who is God and lacks nothing, gives thanks in His prayer, then should not we, the created and needy, also give thanks in our prayers?
Having prayed, Christ with great boldness commands: "Lazarus, come forth!" The great miracle is manifest in front of many witnesses: Lazarus, dead for four days and already decomposing and stinking, now comes out of the tomb perfectly whole and alive. Here is our assurance that Christ truly does have power over life and death. Here is our sure hope that at the general resurrection of the dead all people will be raised with renewed bodies. At the same time, Christ reveals a greater mystery in the words: "He that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live," This applies to our souls. If we believe in Christ and live according to His commandments, then even though our bodies may die, our souls will live. A "dead soul" is one which has been corrupted by sin, for death is the direct consequence of sin. A "live soul" is one which has been cleansed and restored by faith, prayer, repentance, by partaking of Communion and abstaining from sin; in short, by living according to God's commandments. Such a soul truly never sees death but lives always fruitfully hereon earth, awaiting a still more perfect life in the eternal Heavenly Kingdom.
The late Archbishop Andrew adds yet another dimension to the meaning of Lazarus' death and resurrection. Speaking about the death of the soul, he refers also to the two other incidents recorded in the Gospels of Christ's power to resurrect the dead: the raising of Jairus' daughter (Luke 8:53-55) and the raising of the son of the widow of Nain (Luke 7:14-15).
"Sometimes it happens that a sinful thought darts into your mind and awakens a sinful feeling, but the soul catches itself and calls to the Lord in repentance. And the Lord, as with the daughter of Jairus, will as if stretch out His hand and say, 'Soul, arise!' And life will return to its joyous flow. But sometimes it happens that we do not catch ourselves in time and sin enters more deeply into our soul (like going out from the house) and the result will be full acceptance of the sin, and turmoil. But also here, by the prayers of our Mother, the Church of Christ, who cries before the Lord for her children, we capn be alerted and the Lord, will tell us, as He did the son of the widow of Nain: 'Soul, I say unto thee, Arise!' This is salvation.
"But what shall we do if sin completely enslaves our soul, as if covering it with a tombstone; and so day after day goes by and passions start to exude their sinful stench, just as with Lazarus? What should we do then? Well then we need confession, the sacrament which Christ established after His Resurrection, when He said to His disciples, 'Receive ye the Holy Spirit; Whosesoever sins ye forgive, they are forgiven; (John 20:22-23).
See how all this is reflected in the resurrection of Lazarus. Lazarus , on his own , could not go out from the tomb because it was blocked by a stone. He couldn't even walk because he was hound hand and foot with funeral bandages. And here Christ said to His disciples, 'Loose him.' In application to us, this means that the Lord orders our clergy, who have received in the Sacrament of the Priesthood the gift of the Holy Spirit, to loose our sins. What a joy'" [From The One Thing Needful
, Novo-Divevo Convent, 1979]The resurrection of Lazarus teaches us yet another lesson on faith and belief. How often have we said to ourselves or to others: "If only I could see a sign or a miracle then I would believe"? True, we learn from Scripture that many of the people who witnessed the resurrection of Lazarus became believers. But among these same witnesses were those who left and plotted to kill Christ.
To what envy, hatred and degradation they stooped. Before their very eyes a dead man is raised and instead of rejoicing, they plot murder. What could be more senseless?! After seeing such a miracle and knowing that it was no mere illusion, do not these plotters of hatred deserve the greatest of punishments? We should beware of asking God for signs lest. if they be granted and we still disbelieve and do not make an effort to change our sinful ways, we condemn ourselves all the more. Instead, we should strive to follow God's commandments and pray that our faith be strengthened. We must pray as Christ did and entreat God to grant us our desires according to His will (Matt. 26:39). We are told to pray with thanks giving in everything (John 11:41); to pray with full confidence and hope that cur prayers will be heard and answered (Luke 11:9-10). If we do not receive the answer as quickly as we would like, or in the way we expect, we should not grumble or become despondent. Rather, we should remember that just as with Lazarus, God is delaying so that we may be led to things far more beneficial for our soul's salvation. If we approach our spiritual lives in this way, then God will give us the grace to be patient, persistent in prayer, righteous in our deeds, and joyful in our hearts.
St. Xenia Press
Melbourne, Australia
http://www.roca.org/OA/38/38b.htm
March 21, 2010
Can Ye Drink of the Cup That I Drink of?
Fifth Sunday of Lent
Mark 10:32b-45
From The Explanation of the Gospel of St. Mark
by Blessed Theophylact, Archbishop of Ochrid and Bulgaria
32-34. And they were on the road going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And He took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto Him, saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem: and the Son of Man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn Him to death, and shall deliver Him to the Gentiles: and they shall mock Him, and shall scourge Him, and shall spit upon Him, and shall kill Him: and the third day He shall rise again.
35-39. And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto Him, saying, Master, we want that Thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall ask. And He said unto them, What do ye want that I should do for you? They said unto Him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on Thy right hand, and the other on Thy left hand, in Thy glory. But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? And be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? And they said unto Him, We can.
39-40. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized with shall ye be baptized: but to sit at My right hand and at My left hand is not Mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.
41-45. And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John. But Jesus called them to Him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are thought to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your servant: and whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.
Mark 10:32b-45
From The Explanation of the Gospel of St. Mark
by Blessed Theophylact, Archbishop of Ochrid and Bulgaria
32-34. And they were on the road going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And He took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto Him, saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem: and the Son of Man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn Him to death, and shall deliver Him to the Gentiles: and they shall mock Him, and shall scourge Him, and shall spit upon Him, and shall kill Him: and the third day He shall rise again.
Why does He foretell the things that will happen to Him? To prepare and to calm the minds of the disciples, so that having heard of these things beforehand they would more easily endure them, and not be overwhelmed all at once in their anguish. He also foretold these things so that they would know that He suffered them of His own will. Although He knows these things beforehand, and is able to flee from them, He does not do so, thus making it abundantly clear that He willingly gives Himself over to His sufferings. The Lord takes the disciples aside privately to speak with them alone. For His Passion is a mystery to be revealed only to those closest to Him. And this is why on the road He leads the way before them all, wanting to separate His disciples from the rest of the crowd. But also, by leading the way, He shows that He hastens to His Passion, and does not evade His death which is for our salvation. Although He lists all these sorrowful things that will happen, yet there is one consolation, that He will rise on the third day.
35-39. And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto Him, saying, Master, we want that Thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall ask. And He said unto them, What do ye want that I should do for you? They said unto Him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on Thy right hand, and the other on Thy left hand, in Thy glory. But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? And be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? And they said unto Him, We can.
Another Evangelist says that the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Christ. [Matt. 20:20] It is likely that both events took place. The apostles were embarrassed, and had their mother go first, and then they themselves approached Christ in private. This is what the Evangelist means here when he says that they come unto Him, that they approach Him in private, apart from the others. Let us learn what it was they asked. They thought that His going up to Jerusalem meant that He was going to ascend the throne of an earthly kingdom, and that after He had become king He would suffer those things which He said He would suffer. With this understanding, they are asking to sit at His right hand and His left. This is why the Lord rebukes them for asking for something foolish. Ye know not what ye ask, He says. You are thinking that My kingdom is an earthly kingdom, and you are asking for an earthly throne. But it is not so; rather, these things are beyond your understanding. To sit at My right hand is something so great that it goes beyond what even the angelic hosts can do. You are craving honor and glory, but I am calling you to die. By baptism and cup He means the cross. For a cup of wine is something a man gladly accepts, and it quickly puts him to sleep. And baptism is something which is done to cleanse sins. But James and John gave their promise without understanding what He said, thinking that He was speaking of an actual cup of wine, and the washing of the body which the Jews performed before they ate.
39-40. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized with shall ye be baptized: but to sit at My right hand and at My left hand is not Mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.
Martyrdom, He is saying, will be yours, and you will die for Truth’s sake. [For bold confession of the Truth James was beheaded in Jerusalem in 45 AD, and John was cruelly tortured in Rome and then exiled to the island of Patmos. Tr.] But to sit at My right hand and at My left is not Mine to give. Two questions may be asked: first, has it been prepared for anyone to sit there? Second, is the Master of all unable to bestow this seat? In answer we say that no one will sit at His right or at His left. Although in many places of Scripture you hear mention of sitting upon a seat in heaven [Mt. 19:28, Lk. 13:29, Eph. 2:6, etc.], understand that this refers to great honor, not a chair. It is not Mine to give has this meaning: it is not for Me, the Just Judge, to bestow this honor as a favor, for that would not be just. Instead, this honor has been prepared for those who have contested and struggled for it. It is as if a just king had set a day for a contest of athletes, and then some of his friends come to him and say, "Give us the crowns." The king would say, "The crowns are not mine to give; rather, a crown is prepared for that contestant who shall compete and win." So too with you, 0 sons of Zebedee, you shall be martyrs for My sake; but if there is one who, along with martyrdom, exceeds you in every virtue, he shall precede you in honor.
41-45. And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John. But Jesus called them to Him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are thought to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your servant: and whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.
The disciples are still subject to human weaknesses, and here they are stung with envy. This is why the ten were displeased with the two. When did they begin to be indignant? When they realized they had not been received by the Lord, and thought they had been pushed away. As long as the ten were shown honor by the Lord, it did not bother them that the Lord held these two in special honor. But here when they see these two asking for honor, the others could no longer endure it. Although they act in this imperfect way now, later you will see each one of them conceding the first place of honor to the other. Christ heals them, first calming them by calling them to Himself, and then showing them that to grasp for honors and to desire the chief place is the behavior of Gentiles. For the Gentile princes lord it over others in a tyrannical and domineering manner. But it is not so with My disciples, He says; instead let him who would be great serve all the others, for the mark of a great soul is to endure all things and to serve everyone. The example of this is near at hand: the Son of Man Himself did not come to be served but to serve, and, what is even greater, He came to give His life as a ransom for many. What could be greater and more marvelous than a man who not only serves, but even dies for the sake of the one he serves? Yet the Lords serving and His humble lowering of Himself to be with us has become the exaltation and the glory of Him and all creation. Before He became man, He was known only to the angels; but after His incarnation and crucifixion, His glory is even greater and He reigns over all the earth.
March 13, 2010
Only by Prayer and Fasting
Fourth Sunday of Lent
Mark 9:17-31
From The Explanation of the Gospel of St. Mark
by Blessed Theophylact, Archbishop of Ochrid and Bulgaria
14-18. And when He came to His disciples, He saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them. And straightway all the people, when they beheld Him, were greatly amazed, and running to Him, saluted Him. And He asked the scribes, What question ye with them? And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto Thee my son, who hath a dumb spirit; and wheresoever it taketh hold of him, it teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and wasteth away: and I spake to Thy disciples that they should cast it out; and they could not.
19-27. He answereth him, and saith, 0 faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him unto Me. And they brought him unto Him: and when He saw him, straightway the spirit tore him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. And He asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Since a child. And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if Thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief. When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. And the spirit cried, and tore him much, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.
30-31. And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and He would not that any man should know it. For He taught His disciples, and said unto them, The Son of Man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill Him; and after He is killed, He shall rise the third day.
Mark 9:17-31
From The Explanation of the Gospel of St. Mark
by Blessed Theophylact, Archbishop of Ochrid and Bulgaria
14-18. And when He came to His disciples, He saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them. And straightway all the people, when they beheld Him, were greatly amazed, and running to Him, saluted Him. And He asked the scribes, What question ye with them? And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto Thee my son, who hath a dumb spirit; and wheresoever it taketh hold of him, it teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and wasteth away: and I spake to Thy disciples that they should cast it out; and they could not.
When He came to His disciples, that is, to the nine that had not gone up onto the mountain with Him, He saw that they were being questioned by the Pharisees. For the Pharisees had seized the opportunity of Jesus absence to attempt to turn the disciples away from the Lord. The multitude, however, suddenly caught sight of Him, and greeted Him. They had been longing to see Him, and now they caught sight of Him and greeted Him as if He had just returned from a long journey. Some say that even His appearance had become more beautiful from the light of the Transfiguration which drew the multitude towards Him to greet Him. A man in the crowd spoke in answer to the Lords question. This man was weak in faith, as even the Lord attests when He says, 0 faithless generation, and again, all things are possible to him that believeth. The man himself attests to his unbelief when he says, Help Thou mine unbelief. His complaints against the disciples clearly shows his unbelief. For he ought not to have accused them in front of everyone, but privately.
19-27. He answereth him, and saith, 0 faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him unto Me. And they brought him unto Him: and when He saw him, straightway the spirit tore him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. And He asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Since a child. And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if Thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief. When Jesus saw that the people came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. And the spirit cried, and tore him much, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead. But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.
The man who approached the Lord accused the disciples of not having the power to heal. But the Lord turns the blame onto him, all but saying, "It is your unbelief which is the cause of your sons not being healed." The Lord does not address only this man, but He directs this saying to all, reproaching all the Jews for their unbelief. For it is likely that many of the bystanders were also scandalized by the disciples inability to heal. The Lord shows that He welcomes death, when He says, How long shall I be with you? meaning, it is a torment to Me to live with you and your unbelief. But though He reproaches them, He grants the healing as well. He does not desire to heal the son as a show of His power, but rather He proceeds with great humility. See how He does not attribute the healing to His own power, but to the mans faith, when He says, All things are possible to him that believeth. As soon as He saw a crowd beginning to gather around, He rebuked the spirit, not wanting to heal in front of the multitude as though for show. When He rebuked the spirit and said, Come out of him, and enter no more into him, this suggests that because of the mans unbelief, the demon would have again entered into him if it had not been prevented by the Lords command. The Lord permits the spirit to rend the son, so that all might recognize the attack of the demon, and understand that it would have killed the man if it had not been held in check by the hand of God. A man is thrown by a demon into the fire of anger and desire, and into water, meaning, into the pounding surf of worldly cares. This demon is both mute and deaf. It is deaf, not wanting to hear the words of God; and it is mute, not able to teach others what ought to be taught. But if Jesus, Who is the Word of the Gospel, should take him by the hand, that is, strengthen his power to act, then that man will be freed from the demon. See how God first helps us, and then we ourselves are required to work. For the Evangelist says that Jesus lifted him up—this is the divine help—and he arose—this is the effort of the man himself to do good.28-29.And when He was come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, Why could not we cast it out? And He said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.
The disciples were afraid they had lost the grace which the Lord had given them, and this was why they had not been able to cast out the demon. See that out of respect they approached the Lord privately. This kind—what kind? The kind which may make their abode in lunatics, or, in general, the whole race of demons, does not come out except through prayer and fasting. Both the one suffering, and the one about to heal, must fast. Both are necessary. Good sense dictates that the one suffering must fast. He must not only fast, but also pray; and he must not only pray, but also fast, for true prayer is rendered when it is yoked to fasting. When the one who prays is not weighed down by the effects of food, his prayer is not burdened and ascends easily.
30-31. And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and He would not that any man should know it. For He taught His disciples, and said unto them, The Son of Man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill Him; and after He is killed, He shall rise the third day.
Whenever the Lord spoke of His passion on the cross, He would precede and follow His words with miracles, so that no one could think that He would suffer because He was powerless. And when He spoke sad words, such as, they shall kill Him, He would add words of joy, He shall rise the third day, teaching us that gladness always follows after grief, and that we should not anguish needlessly in our sorrows, but should hope for better things.
March 06, 2010
St. John Maximovitch on the Holy Cross
3rd Sunday of Lent: the Cross Preserves the Universe
In the Prophet Ezekiel (9:6), it is said that when the Angel of the Lord was sent to punish and destroy the sinning people, it was told him not to strike those on whom the "mark" had been made. In the original text this mark is called "tau," the Hebrew letter corresponding to the letter "T," which is how in ancient times the cross was made, which then was an instrument of punishment.
So, even then, it was foretold the power of the Cross, which preserves those who venerate it. Likewise, by many other events in the Old Testament the power of the Cross was indicated. Moses, who held his arms raised in the form of a cross during the battle, gave victory to the Israelites over the Amalekites. He also, dividing the Red Sea by a blow of his rod and by a transverse blow uniting the waters again, saved Israel from Pharaoh, who drowned in the water, while Israel crossed over on the dry bottom (Exodus, ch. 14, 17).
Through the laying on of his hands in the form of a cross on his grandsons, Jacob gave a blessing to his descendents, foretelling at the same time their future until the coming of the "expectation of the nations" (Genesis, ch. 48).
By the Cross, the Son of God, having become man and accomplished our salvation. He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even death on the Cross (Phil. 2:8). Having stretched out His hands upon the Cross, the Savior with them as it were embraced the world, and by His blood shed on it, like a king with red ink, He signed the forgiveness of the human race.
The Cross of the Lord was the instrument by which He saved the world after the fall into sin. Through the Cross, He descended with His soul into hell, to raise up from it the souls who were awaiting Him. By the Cross Christ opened the doors of paradise which had been closed after our first ancestors had been banished from it. The Cross was sanctified by the Body of Christ which was nailed to it when He gave Himself over to torments and death for the salvation of the world. Then it was filled with life-giving power. By the Cross on Golgotha the prince of this world was cast out (John 12:31) and an end was put to his authority. The weapon by which he was crushed became the sign of Christ's victory.
The demonic hosts tremble when they see the Cross, because the kingdom of hell was destroyed by the Cross. They do not dare to draw near to anyone who is guarded by the Cross.
The whole human race, by the death of Christ on the Cross, received deliverance from the authority of the devil, and everyone who makes use of this saving weapon is inaccessible to the demons.
When legions of demons appeared to St. Anthony the Great and other desert-dwellers, they guarded themselves with the sign of the Cross, and the demons vanished.
When there appeared to St. Symeon the Stylite, who was standing on his pillar, what seemed to be a chariot to carry him to heaven, the Saint, before mounting it, crossed himself and it disappeared. The enemy, who had hoped to cast down the ascetic from the height of his pillar, was put to shame.
One cannot enumerate all the various incidents of the manifestation of the power of the Cross. Invisibly and unceasingly, Divine grace that gushes from it saves the world.
The sign of the Cross is made at all the Mysteries and prayers of the Church. With the making of the sign of the Cross over the bread and wine, they become the Body and Blood of Christ. With the immersion of the Cross the waters are sanctified. The sign of the Cross looses us from sins. "When we are guarded by the Cross, we oppose the enemy, without fearing his nets and barking." Just as the flaming sword in the hands of the Cherubim barred the entrance into paradise of old, so the Cross now acts invisibly in the world, guarding it from perdition.
The Cross is the unconquerable weapon of pious kings in the battle with enemies. Through the apparition of the Cross in the sky, the dominion of Emperor Constantine was confirmed and an end was put to the persecution against the Church. The apparition of the Cross in the sky in Jerusalem in the days of Constantius the Arian proclaimed the victory of Orthodoxy. By the power of the Cross of the Lord, Christian kings will continue to reign until Antichrist, barring his path to power and restraining lawlessness (St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on II Thes. 2:6-7).
The "sign of the Son of Man" (Matt. 24:30), that is, the Cross, will appear in the sky in order to proclaim the end of the present world and the coming of the eternal Kingdom of the Son of God. Then all the tribes of the earth shall weep, because they loved the present age and its lusts, but all who have endured persecution for righteousness and called on the name of the Lord shall rejoice and be glad. The Cross then will save all who conquered temptations, from eternal perdition by the Cross, who crucified their flesh with its passions and lusts, and took up their cross and followed afar Christ.
However, those who hated the Cross of the Lord and did not engrave the Cross in their soul will perish forever. For "the Cross is the preserver of the whole universe, the Cross is the beauty of the Church, the Cross is the might of kings, the Cross is the confirmation of the faithful, the Cross is the glory of angels and the scourge of demons" (Octoechos: Exapostilarion, Monday Matins).
Shanghai Exaltation of the Cross, 1947
In the Prophet Ezekiel (9:6), it is said that when the Angel of the Lord was sent to punish and destroy the sinning people, it was told him not to strike those on whom the "mark" had been made. In the original text this mark is called "tau," the Hebrew letter corresponding to the letter "T," which is how in ancient times the cross was made, which then was an instrument of punishment.
So, even then, it was foretold the power of the Cross, which preserves those who venerate it. Likewise, by many other events in the Old Testament the power of the Cross was indicated. Moses, who held his arms raised in the form of a cross during the battle, gave victory to the Israelites over the Amalekites. He also, dividing the Red Sea by a blow of his rod and by a transverse blow uniting the waters again, saved Israel from Pharaoh, who drowned in the water, while Israel crossed over on the dry bottom (Exodus, ch. 14, 17).
Through the laying on of his hands in the form of a cross on his grandsons, Jacob gave a blessing to his descendents, foretelling at the same time their future until the coming of the "expectation of the nations" (Genesis, ch. 48).
By the Cross, the Son of God, having become man and accomplished our salvation. He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even death on the Cross (Phil. 2:8). Having stretched out His hands upon the Cross, the Savior with them as it were embraced the world, and by His blood shed on it, like a king with red ink, He signed the forgiveness of the human race.
The Cross of the Lord was the instrument by which He saved the world after the fall into sin. Through the Cross, He descended with His soul into hell, to raise up from it the souls who were awaiting Him. By the Cross Christ opened the doors of paradise which had been closed after our first ancestors had been banished from it. The Cross was sanctified by the Body of Christ which was nailed to it when He gave Himself over to torments and death for the salvation of the world. Then it was filled with life-giving power. By the Cross on Golgotha the prince of this world was cast out (John 12:31) and an end was put to his authority. The weapon by which he was crushed became the sign of Christ's victory.
The demonic hosts tremble when they see the Cross, because the kingdom of hell was destroyed by the Cross. They do not dare to draw near to anyone who is guarded by the Cross.
The whole human race, by the death of Christ on the Cross, received deliverance from the authority of the devil, and everyone who makes use of this saving weapon is inaccessible to the demons.
When legions of demons appeared to St. Anthony the Great and other desert-dwellers, they guarded themselves with the sign of the Cross, and the demons vanished.
When there appeared to St. Symeon the Stylite, who was standing on his pillar, what seemed to be a chariot to carry him to heaven, the Saint, before mounting it, crossed himself and it disappeared. The enemy, who had hoped to cast down the ascetic from the height of his pillar, was put to shame.
One cannot enumerate all the various incidents of the manifestation of the power of the Cross. Invisibly and unceasingly, Divine grace that gushes from it saves the world.
The sign of the Cross is made at all the Mysteries and prayers of the Church. With the making of the sign of the Cross over the bread and wine, they become the Body and Blood of Christ. With the immersion of the Cross the waters are sanctified. The sign of the Cross looses us from sins. "When we are guarded by the Cross, we oppose the enemy, without fearing his nets and barking." Just as the flaming sword in the hands of the Cherubim barred the entrance into paradise of old, so the Cross now acts invisibly in the world, guarding it from perdition.
The Cross is the unconquerable weapon of pious kings in the battle with enemies. Through the apparition of the Cross in the sky, the dominion of Emperor Constantine was confirmed and an end was put to the persecution against the Church. The apparition of the Cross in the sky in Jerusalem in the days of Constantius the Arian proclaimed the victory of Orthodoxy. By the power of the Cross of the Lord, Christian kings will continue to reign until Antichrist, barring his path to power and restraining lawlessness (St. John Chrysostom, Commentary on II Thes. 2:6-7).
The "sign of the Son of Man" (Matt. 24:30), that is, the Cross, will appear in the sky in order to proclaim the end of the present world and the coming of the eternal Kingdom of the Son of God. Then all the tribes of the earth shall weep, because they loved the present age and its lusts, but all who have endured persecution for righteousness and called on the name of the Lord shall rejoice and be glad. The Cross then will save all who conquered temptations, from eternal perdition by the Cross, who crucified their flesh with its passions and lusts, and took up their cross and followed afar Christ.
However, those who hated the Cross of the Lord and did not engrave the Cross in their soul will perish forever. For "the Cross is the preserver of the whole universe, the Cross is the beauty of the Church, the Cross is the might of kings, the Cross is the confirmation of the faithful, the Cross is the glory of angels and the scourge of demons" (Octoechos: Exapostilarion, Monday Matins).
Shanghai Exaltation of the Cross, 1947
March 05, 2010
Theology of the Head or Heart?
I am a heavy reader of spiritual books and have studeied theology. I am guilty of trying to understand God with my rational mind instead if my heart. I know this is a weakness of mine and try to supplement theologgical readings with reading the lives of the saints and martyrs that lived there lives as carried their cross for Christ as the Gospel commanded many of whom had little education and would not understand systematic theology that I have studued yet they where perfect icons of Christ.
Here is an excerpt from the blog Glory to God for All Things where Father Stephen posts about just this difference in Theology of the head (systematic) and the heart(cross).
Here is an excerpt from the blog Glory to God for All Things where Father Stephen posts about just this difference in Theology of the head (systematic) and the heart(cross).
The following excerpt was sent by a dear friend and a frequent reader of the blog. It is taken from Richard Wurmbrand’s With God in Solitary Confinement. Wurmbrand, a Lutheran pastor who was imprisoned under the communists in Romania, always spoke well of the Orthodox whom he encountered in those places of confinement, and brings the insight that suffering for Christ often brings. I was deeply moved by this quote.
+++
“I once tried to explain ‘systematic theology’ to a Russian pastor of the Underground Church, who had never seen a whole New Testament. Systematically, I began to explain to him the teaching about the Godhead, about its unity in three Persons, the teaching about original sin, about the Fall, about salvation, about the Church, about the sacraments, about the Bible as infallible revelation.
“He listened attentively. When I had finished, he asked me a most surprising question: ‘Have those who thought out these theological systems and wrote them down in such perfect order ever carried a cross?’ He went on. ‘A man cannot think systematically even when he has a bad toothache. How can a man who is carrying a cross think systematically? But a Christian has to be more than the bearer of a heavy cross; he shares Christ’s crucifixion. The pains of Christ are his, and the pains of all creation. There is no grief and no suffering in the whole world which should not grieve him also. If a man is crucified with Christ, how can he think systematically? Can there be that kind of thought on a cross?
“’Jesus Himself thought unsystematically on the cross. He began with forgiveness; He spoke of a paradise in which even a robber had a place; then he despaired that perhaps there might be no place in paradise even for Him, the Son of God. He felt Himself forsaken. His thirst was so unbearable that He asked for water. Then He surrendered His spirit into His Father’s hand. But there followed no serenity, only a loud cry. Thank you for what you have been trying to teach me. I have the impression that you were only repeating, without much conviction, what others have taught you.’
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