You give them something to eat

 

 Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.  He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.  And He said to them, "Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece.  Whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart.  And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them."  So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere. 

 

Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by Him; and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead, and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again.  Herod said, "John I have beheaded, but who is this of whom I hear such things?"  So he sought to see Him. 

 

And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done.  Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida.  But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing.  When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, "Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted place here."  But He said to them, "You give them something to eat."  And they said, "We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all these people."  For there were about five thousand men.  Then He said to His disciples, "Make them sit down in groups of fifty."  And they did so, and made them all sit down.  Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude.  So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them.

 

- Luke 9:1-17 

 

Yesterday we read that, so it was, when Jesus returned from the country of the Gadarenes, that the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him.  And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue.  And he fell down at Jesus' feet and begged Him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying.  But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him.  Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, came from behind and touched the border of His garment.  And immediately her flow of blood stopped.  And Jesus said, "Who touched Me?"  When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, "Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?'"  But Jesus said, "Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me."  Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately.  And He said to her, "Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well.  Go in peace."  While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying, "Your daughter is dead.  Do not trouble the Teacher."  But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, "Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well."  When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl.  Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, "Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping."  And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead.  But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, "Little girl, arise."  Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately.  And He commanded that she be given something to eat.  And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened.

 

 Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.  He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.  And He said to them, "Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money; and do not have two tunics apiece.  Whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart.  And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them."  So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.  Here the disciples become apostles.  Disciple means "learner," and apostle means "one sent out."  These words are used interchangeably for the twelve.  This is their first apostolic journey.  The Orthodox Study Bible notes that Jesus gave them power and authority over demons, and to cure diseases, while He has done so by His own power and authority.  

 

 Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by Him; and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead, and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again.  Herod said, "John I have beheaded, but who is this of whom I hear such things?"  So he sought to see Him.  The Study Bible affirms that this is the same Herod to whom Jesus would later be sent by Pilate during His trial (Luke 23:7).  Herod the tetrarch is Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great who slew the innocent infants in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:16).  The incident of the beheading of St. John the Baptist is found in Mark 6:14-28.

 

 And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done.  Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida.  But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing.  When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, "Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted place here."  But He said to them, "You give them something to eat."  And they said, "We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless we go and buy food for all these people."  For there were about five thousand men.  Then He said to His disciples, "Make them sit down in groups of fifty."  And they did so, and made them all sit down.  Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the multitude.  So they all ate and were filled, and twelve baskets of the leftover fragments were taken up by them.  According to the Orthodox Study Bible, Theophylact sees a liturgical parallel with the feeding of the five thousand.  Here Christ first healed and spoke of the gospel, and then He fed the multitude with the miraculous bread by the hands of His disciples.  In the Church, a person is first healed through baptism; then at the Liturgy, the gospel is preached and the bread of life and the cup are received from the hands of the ordained clergy.  Moreover, the Study Bible comments that Christ's command to the disciples, "You give them something to eat," is a type and preparation for the apostolic ministry they will perform after His Resurrection.  they will feed the world with the word of God and with the Eucharist.  Regarding the five loaves and two fish, the Study Bible cites St. John Chrysostom, who comments that Christ is the same Creator "of both the earth and the sea, who in the beginning brought fruit from the earth and life out of the water."  St. John Chrysostom adds that Christ looked up to heaven "not as receiving power from elsewhere, but as honoring the Father who begot Him."  Moreover, that He blessed and broke the bread teaches us "not to touch any meal until we have given thanks to Him who gives us food."  This blessing also presents a clear eucharistic image, the Study Bible notes, and directs us to pursue spiritual food greater than that which is earthly (see John 6:26-27).  

 

 With what are we fed?  How do we think of food?  The Gospel (and the notes of the Orthodox Study Bible) lead us to such questions today.  Christ's example of teaching and preaching, and then feeding the five thousand men (and more women and children) with miraculously multiplied food gives us an understanding not simply of the material body needing to be fed; it also teaches us of the need of the soul, and in that sense, the soul's inseparability from the body.  What nourishes us spiritually must always be considered, even when we think of eating, or consumption of any kind.  As St. Chrysostom rightly points out, God's grace is present in all things, and asking for a blessing and giving thanks is integral to all that we rely upon for sustenance.  Modern society has, to a great extent, sought to divorce such metaphysical considerations from the daily life of consumption and need -- and this happens in many forms throughout the world -- but this great separation has left many bereft.  Without a sense of purpose or transcendence, what is our nourishment for?  Is it merely to feed carnal appetites alone, or our passions?  Do we not have a purpose in our desire to improve the material conditions of life?  Is it simply to have a variety of games to play, or pornography sites, or entertainment of every kind, that we welcome technological progress and advancement in communications media?  Without an ultimate purpose to fulfill, where does meaning, in fact, come from?  Addictions of all kinds, or so it seems to this author, are fueled through the divorce from transcendent purpose -- from God, and in the purposes of this blog, specifically Christ and Christianity.  Without meaning, or indeed, a purpose for which sacrifice is needed and valuable, all we are becomes consumption-driven.  Our passions, then, become fractured and magnified into desperate searches for fulfillment.  We look around us and find seemingly endless desires for consumption to fill a void that simply doesn't get filled.  With addictions of any kind, this fuels the opposite and leads to nihilism and destructive outcomes.  As human beings, we are whole entities in the sense that we cannot be atomized -- - broken up into parts - without suffering.  One cannot live simply as a body, or a collection of appetites, without losing something; health of soul and spirit will suffer, and life will diminish into the rabbit holes of chasing what doesn't truly and thoroughly nourish and give us what we need.  Christ offers us real food (John 6:55), and in the Eucharist the completion of what we need is accomplished; for therein is the union that heals us.  It is Christ Himself who heals and binds up our fragmented existence, and corrects the split course that searches for all kinds of things without a unifying purpose or guide toward the fullness of health.  Let us be grateful for the gifts of God, for they are here for what is best for us, the guide to a good life, without the delusion that the material is all there is.

 

 

 

Little girl, arise

 

 So it was, when Jesus returned, that the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him.  And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue.  And he fell down at Jesus' feet and begged Him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying.  But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him.  

 

Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, came from behind and touched the border of His garment.  And immediately her flow of blood stopped.  And Jesus said, "Who touched Me?"  When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, "Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?'"  But Jesus said, "Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me."  Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately.  And He said to her, "Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well.  Go in peace."  

 

While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying, "Your daughter is dead.  Do not trouble the Teacher."  But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, "Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well."  When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl.  Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, "Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping."  And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead.  But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, "Little girl, arise."  Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately.  And He commanded that she be given something to eat.  And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened.

 

- Luke 8:40-56 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus and the disciples sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee.  And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time.  And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs.  When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I beg You, do not torment me!"  For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man.  For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.  Jesus asked him, saying, "What is your name?'  And he said, "Legion," because many demons had entered him.  And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.  Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain.  So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them.  And He permitted them.  Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned.  When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country.  Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind.  And they were afraid.  They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed.  Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart, for they were seized with great fear.  And He got into the boat and returned.  Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him.  But Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you."  And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.  

 

  So it was, when Jesus returned, that the multitude welcomed Him, for they were all waiting for Him.  And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue.  And he fell down at Jesus' feet and begged Him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying.  But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him.  At this stage in Christ's Galilean ministry, it is a measure of His stature and renown that a ruler of the synagogue came to Him, fell at His feet, and begged Him to come to his house, to save his dying daughter.  Yet again, the multitudes thronged Him.  

 

 Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, came from behind and touched the border of His garment.  And immediately her flow of blood stopped.  And Jesus said, "Who touched Me?"  The Orthodox Study Bible comments that this woman exhibits bold faith by approaching both Christ and a ruler of the synagogue in the crowd.  She was potentially defiling all of them and subjecting herself to ridicule. In the Old Testament, hemorrhage caused ceremonial defilement, and imposed religious and social restrictions, because contact with blood was strictly prohibited (Leviticus 15:25).  This suffering woman accounted herself unclean, but she nonetheless approaches Jesus secretly and with great faith.

 

When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, "Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?'"  But Jesus said, "Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me."  The Study Bible notes that Christ's question, "Who touched Me?" does not simply mean a physical touch, but rather, "Who touched Me in faith?"  So just as "the temple sanctifies the gold" (Matthew 23:17), so also matter is sanctified by Christ's Incarnation, and the power of Christ works through even His garment.  To touch Christ's garment in faith is to touch Him, declares the Study Bible.  In the Church, we touch Christ through icons, oil, water, bread, wine, etc.  When this is done in faith, the power of Christ is received.

 

Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately.  And He said to her, "Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well.  Go in peace."    Christ brings this woman good cheer because of her faith.  He also corrects her thinking, according to the Study Bible, for she could not hide her touch from Him, nor was she excluded from Him because of her illness.  He clearly exhibits her faith to all, so they might imitate her.  The Orthodox Study Bible says that Jesus calls her forward to take away her fear and trembling and also to strengthen Jairus for the forthcoming news of his daughter's death.

 

While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying, "Your daughter is dead.  Do not trouble the Teacher."  But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, "Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well."  When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl.  Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, "Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping."  And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead.  But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, "Little girl, arise."  Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately.  And He commanded that she be given something to eat.  And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened.  The Study Bible comments that authority over life and death is in the hand of God alone (Deuteronomy 32:39; 1 Samuel 2:6).  As Jesus is of one essence with the Father, He has this authority (John 5:21).  This is one of three resurrections performed by Christ as recorded in the Gospels (see also Luke 7:11-17; John 11:1-44).  These confirm the promise given to the prophet Ezekiel that God will one day open the graves and raise all the dead (Ezekiel 37:1-14).  Many people have exercised authority over the living, the Study Bible notes, but only the Son of God "has power over both the living and the dead" (Orthodox funeral service).   In the story of the woman with the flow of blood, even touching His clothing in faith gave off that power.  

 

Christ's command in today's reading, "Little girl, arise," is a prefiguring of what is to come in the Resurrection of all.  The Orthodox Study Bible suggests this when it notes the promise of the prophecy of Ezekiel (Ezekiel 37:1-14).  In this sense, "Little girl, arise" is similar to the command Jesus gave to His friend Lazarus, "Lazarus, come forth!" (John 11:43), another resurrection account in the Gospels (one of three, as noted above).   Such "echoes" of what is to be fulfilled in the final Resurrection of all remind us that the Holy Bible is filled with patterns.  One way in which such patterns work happens through what are called "types."  These are prefiguring or foreshadowing figures from the Old Testament that are fulfilled in Christ, who came into the world as the Incarnate Jesus.  Figures such as the prophet Jonah, for example, form a "type" of Christ.  Jesus Himself confirms this in His statements regarding the "sign" which is so often demanded of Him by the religious leaders.  He tells them, "A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah" (see Matthew 12:39, 16:4; Luke 11:29-30).  In today's reading, we have events which prefigure the fulfillment of all things, the time of the Resurrection and the Last Judgment.  The varied resurrection accounts in the Gospels give us not simply a taste of what is to come, but they help us to know Christ.  He says of Himself, "I am the resurrection and the life" (see John 11:25-26).  Such "I am" statements are intended for us to understand, also, that Christ is the Incarnate Lord who gives His name to Moses as "I AM" in Exodus 3:14.  In the healing of the woman with the blood flow, we see Christ as Physician.  But we are also to know that in the culmination of all things, the Resurrection and the Last Judgment, is also the salvation of all the cosmos.  It is, ultimately, the correction of all things, in which we see the world made new (Revelation 21:5).  This is the restorative touch conveyed to one who touches even His clothes, but does so in faith.  This, also, is the power of resurrection at work, for in the Resurrection (and in "the resurrection and the life") we find the healing of all things, restoration.  Blood is the symbol of life, and so her loss of blood (for twelve years) represents to us the ebbing of life; that is, life which is now restored to her through her faith in Christ.  Finally, we see in these patterns in the Gospel, Christ's influence upon our own lives; we may even see events we can experience through our faith.  For, "I am the resurrection and the life" is a statement about Christ Himself, which is always true.  When we go through a defeat or a loss, or when we experience suffering or setbacks, we turn to Christ and our faith and cooperation with grace to find a way through.  In this way, all things become filled with meaning, are opportunities for spiritual growth, even renewal, cleansing, and healing.  For wherever He is, grace always operates and awaits our faith and cooperation.  Like the woman with the terrible blood flow for twelve years, we live our faith to find what the divine Physician may do for us that the worldly cannot.

 

 

 

 

Jesus asked him, saying, "What is your name?' And he said, "Legion," because many demons had entered him

 

 Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee.  And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time.  And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs.  When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I beg You, do not torment me!"  For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man.  For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.  Jesus asked him, saying, "What is your name?'  And he said, "Legion," because many demons had entered him.  And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.  

 

Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain.  So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them.  And He permitted them.  Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned.  When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country.  Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind.  And they were afraid.  They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed.  Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart, for they were seized with great fear.  And He got into the boat and returned.  

 

Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him.  But Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you."  And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.  

 

- Luke 8:26–39 

 

On Saturday, we read that Jesus, following His teaching of the Parable of the Sower, told His disciples, "No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light.  For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.  Therefore take heed how you hear.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him." Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd.  And it was told Him by some, who said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You."   But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."  Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples.  And He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the  lake."  And they launched out.  But as they sailed He fell asleep.  And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy.  And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!  Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water.  And they ceased, and there was a calm.  But He said to them, "Where is your faith?"  And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be?  For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!"

 

  Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee.  And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time.  And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs.  When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I beg You, do not torment me!"  For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man.  For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demons into the wilderness.  Jesus asked him, saying, "What is your name?  And he said, "Legion," because many demons had entered him.  And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.   These demons recognize Jesus as the Son of the Most High God.  The Orthodox Study Bible comments that they are surprised that their power is being terminated before the time of the last judgment, and they are afraid of torment, and that He would command them to go out into the abyss.  The Study Bible comments that although the malice of the demons is great (witness the state of this man bound with chains and shackles, and reduced to living in the tombs) they can do nothing against the will of God.  

 

 Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain.  So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them.  And He permitted them.  Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned.  When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country.  Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind.  And they were afraid.  They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed.  Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart, for they were seized with great fear.  And He got into the boat and returned.  The Orthodox Study Bible remarks that some teach the the presence of the swine indicates a Gentile population.  But although this was a Hellenistic region, being in the Decapolis, because our Lord forbade His disciples to go to the Gentiles (Matthew 10:5) and was Himself reluctant to seek out the Gentiles (Matthew 15:24), it is more likely that these were Jews engaged in a sinful occupation in order to profit from a Gentile population.  Moreover the Study Bible notes that the destruction of the entire herd of swine reveals several things.  First, while animals are a venerable part of creation, human beings are of greater value.  Additionally, Christ removes a source of sin, for swine herding was an abomination to the Jews (Deuteronomy 14:8).  Moreover, demons have no power over creation, but are subject to the will of God.  They can only enter the swine at Christ's command.  It asks us to note that people are protected under God's providence; otherwise, the demon-possessed man would have come to the same end as the swine.  Finally, the magnitude of this economic loss of the swine would remain as a sign for the hard-hearted people who fled from this region.  

 

 Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him.  But Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you."  And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.  Here is redemption; Christ sends the man out, back to his own house, with the good news of the gospel and his salvation from the demons -- to "tell what great things God has done for you."

 

How do we understand the demonic?  From the portrayals in the Gospels, especially this story of the man afflicted by a Legion of demons,  we understand primarily their parasitic and afflicting nature toward human beings.  While the demons beg not to be tormented by Christ, they clearly torment this man.  For he cannot live among human beings so long as the demons are active; he is bound with shackles and chains, forced to live among the tombs, without clothes, kept under guard like a prisoner.  He is also driven by the demon into the wilderness.  He's a forlorn and forgotten person in a type of isolated prison among the dead, living in an image of hell.  Let's note how the demons, in accordance with this story, cannot do anything to Christ, for He has the power to command them.  Instead they afflict human beings, causing pain and misery.  It appears also that the longer they have influence over someone, the worse and more desperate the person's condition becomes.  Here they have driven this man further and further into the wilderness, away from human community.  As the Study Bible comments, we see the malice of the demons in this story.  There's another element told in this story that is important to understand, and that is the hold they exert over the man and this place as the people in his surroundings prefer things this way.  They'd rather have their swine and the profit they make, than to see the healing that comes from Christ.  The healing of this demon-possessed man comes with change, and they don't want that change.  In fact, his healing leaves them terrified.  This, too, is an important and essential component to the story, for it speaks of how we become used to conditions in which human beings do not thrive; on the contrary, we may be living in a sea of less-than-ideal realities, even maladies we don't identify but rather adapt to.  In Christ's parable of the wineskins, He comments regarding the change that comes with the new covenant, and how human beings resist even positive change.  In a verse found only in St. Luke's Gospel (Luke 5:39), Jesus adds, "New wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved.  And no one, having drunk old wine, immediately desires new; for he says, 'The old is better.'"  The "new wine" in today's story is the conditions that come about through Christ's healing of this formerly demon-afflicted man, and the death of the swine.  The people in this region preferred the old, for the healing of this man shakes up the way that things were.  This is not such a shocking or strange observation, for many a reformed addict or person with a newly adopted healthy lifestyle coming out of self-destructive behavior can comment on the disruption this may cause in their personal lives, even among their families.  Twelve Step programs such as Al-Anon are specifically meant to address such problems and difficulties where harmful or destructive behaviors have been adapted to within a system or community.  But Christ as Lord, as Son of the Most High God, is the only One who can declare what is good, what is truly righteous for us.  He is the One who will judge what healing truly looks like.  But most of all, He is the Physician who heals, who brings deliverance and salvation.  But clearly, this does not please everyone.  Change is not easy nor is it simple, and change is an essential part of repentance, Christ's healing.  In fact, the Greek word translated as repentance means literally "change of mind."  Let us embrace His path, His Way, despite such difficulties.  

 

 

 

My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it

 

 "No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light.  For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.  Therefore take heed how you hear.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him."  

 

Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd.  And it was told Him by some, who said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You."   But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."

 

Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples.  And He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the  lake."  And they launched out.  But as they sailed He fell asleep.  And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy.  And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!  Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water.  And they ceased, and there was a calm.  But He said to them, "Where is your faith?"  And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be?  For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!"

 

- Luke 8:16-25 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God.  And the twelve were with Him, and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities -- Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance. And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable:  "A sower went out to sow his seed.  And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it.  Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture.  And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.  But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold."  When He had said these things He cried, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" Then His disciples asked Him, saying, "What does this parable mean?"  And He said, "To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that 'Seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.'  Now the parable is this:  The seed is the word of God.  Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.  But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.  Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.  But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience."

 

  "No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light.  For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.  Therefore take heed how you hear.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him."  Continued from Christ's teaching of the parable of the Sower in yesterday's reading (see above), Jesus uses the image of light for God's word.  According Origen, the lampstand is the Church.  But even with this metaphor of light and a lamp that shines outward and illumines what is around itself, Jesus gives a warning about "how you hear."  Again, this is an emphasis on spiritual "ears to hear."  Once the seeds of Christ's word are planted, growth and expansion follows, a living of that word follows.  It is meant to illuminate, to shine outwardly.  Again, in yesterday's reading, He spoke of parables as those things meant to illuminate the mysteries of God, but only to those who are prepared to accept, to "hear."  Thus, He says, "Therefore take heed how you hear.  For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him."

 

Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd.  And it was told Him by some, who said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You."   But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."  According to the Orthodox Study Bible, it was not Christ's will to deny His mother and brothers.  Rather, as St. John Chrysostom comments, Jesus is correcting both them and His hearers "to the right idea concerning Himself," that the family of His Kingdom "is not by nature but by virtue."  See also Luke 11:27-28.  Again, St. Luke's Gospel is reporting Jesus' teachings on hearing and doing of the word of God.  

 

Now it happened, on a certain day, that He got into a boat with His disciples.  And He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side of the  lake."  And they launched out.  But as they sailed He fell asleep.  And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy.  And they came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!  Then He arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water.  And they ceased, and there was a calm.  But He said to them, "Where is your faith?"  And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, "Who can this be?  For He commands even the winds and water, and they obey Him!"   The Orthodox Study Bible states that Christ deliberately permits the windstorm to arise while He is sleeping in order to perfect the disciples' faith and rebuke their weaknesses, so they would eventually be unshaken by life's temptations.  Here in this stage of their discipleship, their faith is still mixed with unbelief.  The Study Bible notes that they showed faith when they came to Him, but unbelief when they said, "We are perishing."

 

The "word of God" plays through our readings as a common thread, linking different metaphors, and also varied events.  We began this chapter of St. Luke's Gospel with the parable of the Sower.  Jesus explained that the seeds of the Sower are the word of God, indicating that He is the Sower who gives the word to all.  This parable, and its explanation to the disciples, was followed by Christ's teaching on the lamp that must be set on a lampstand.  It is positioned as a continuing teaching to the disciples, to whom He has just explained not only His parable but the reason why He speaks to the great crowds now in parables.  People must be prepared to hear with spiritual eyes and ears, after the language of the prophets (such as in Ezekiel 12:2, for example).  But the disciples, as He said, are those to whom "it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God."  And so, He speaks plainly to them.  But they are also those who will carry that word, those seeds, out into the world as apostles.  With the metaphor of light and a lampstand, Jesus teaches that this word must be like a light that shines to the world, not kept hidden.  This is so that "those who enter may see the light."  Those entering into the Church, whose hearts are opened to the kingdom of God are the ones who need the light to be shown, for their own illumination.  What is the point of these teachings, the word of God, except that it be made available to those "with ears to hear?"  In St. Matthew's reporting of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus extends the metaphor of light to Christ's disciples themselves, teaching, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."  This letting one's light shine is the hearing and doing of the word of God.  It is powerfully this to which Jesus refers in today's reading when He states, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."  Finally, we come to the consideration of the last story in our lectionary reading today, of Jesus and the disciples in a boat on the Sea of Galilee.  Jesus shows His humanity in that He falls asleep, necessary for human survival.  But He remains also fully divine, and His command, "Let us cross over to the other side of the lake" is, in effect, the word of God.  It should be understood also that Jesus Himself is the Word, the Logos, of God (John 1:1).  Since among the disciples are prominently seasoned fishermen whose home is on the Sea of Galilee, we should understand how truly life-threatening this storm appeared.  But it is appropriate in the thread of the Gospel stories which teach us about the word of God that this should be their experience.  For it teaches us that to hear and do the word of God is no easy or simple task.  We will not always be rewarded with easy lives, or great success, by whatever definition we understand such things.  In short, it takes courage to live this life, and the disciples are being prepared for what they will undertake.  Once again, we turn to the Sermon on the Mount, in which Jesus taught us Himself, "Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it" (see Matthew 7:13-14).  Many of the stories in the Gospels illustrate this truth, and the persecutions of the early Church (reflected in the rest of the New Testament) affirm it.  Therefore, we who would also be disciples of Christ must reconcile ourselves to this fact of our lives, and our ongoing journey of faith, His "Way."  Our struggles may seem different in a modern world from those of the past, but nonetheless, Jesus' teachings remain true for us as well.  

 

 

 

 

 

A sower went out to sow his seed

 

 Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God.  And the twelve were with Him, and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities -- Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance. 

 

And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable:  "A sower went out to sow his seed.  And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it.  Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture.  And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.  But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold."  When He had said these things He cried, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"

 

Then His disciples asked Him, saying, "What does this parable mean?"  And He said, "To you it as been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that  

'Seeing they may not see,

And hearing they may not understand.'

 

 "Now the parable is this:  The seed is the word of God.  Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.  But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.  Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.  But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience."

 

- Luke 8:1–15 

 

Yesterday we read that one of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him.  And He went to the Pharisee's house, and sat down to eat.  And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.  Now when the Pharisees who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, "This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner."   And Jesus answered and said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you."  So he said, "Teacher, say it."  "There was a certain creditor who had two debtors.  One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.  And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both.  Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?"  Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more."  And He said to him, "You have rightly judged."  Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman?  I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head.  You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in.  You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil.  Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much.  But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little."  Then He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."  And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"  Then He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you.  Go in peace."

 

  Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God.  And the twelve were with Him, and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities -- Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance. The Orthodox Study Bible points out to us that these women were faithful to Christ to the end (Luke 23:49, 55), and they were also the first to receive and proclaim the news of Christ's Resurrection (Luke 24:1-10).  In the Scriptures, the number seven often symbolizes totality and completeness.  This indicates that Mary called Magdalene had been thoroughly given over to darkness before her healing.  

 

 And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable:  "A sower went out to sow his seed.  And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it.  Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture.  And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.  But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold."  When He had said these things He cried, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"  At this great multitude gathered to Christ, who come to Him from every city, Jesus begins His practice of speaking in parables.  The Study Bible has a lengthy article on parables; it calls them stories in word-pictures, which reveal spiritual truth.  The Gospels (and all of Scripture) are filled with parables; that is, images drawn from daily life in the world to represent and communicate the deep things of God.  It says that parables give us glimpses of the One whose thoughts are not our thoughts and whose ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9).  Here, as in St. Matthew's Gospel, Jesus begins with the parable of the Sower.

 

Then His disciples asked Him, saying, "What does this parable mean?"  And He said, "To you it as been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that 'Seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.'"  The Study Bible notes that the truth communicated by Jesus' parables is not evident to all who hear them.  The listener must have spiritual ears to hear, and even then not all have the same degree of understanding.  Thus Jesus quotes from Isaiah 6:9-10, indicating the extent to which people may be responsible for their own lack of receptivity.  These mysteries of the kingdom of God are not obscure intellectual concepts, but rather the presence of the Kingdom of God which cannot be defiled.  The Study Bible further comments that a person's unwillingness to understand Christ's parables is due to a rejection of His Kingdom.  It cites St. John Chrysostom's commentary:  "If the blindness were natural, it would have been proper for God to open their eyes; but because it was a voluntary and self-chosen blindness, He does not overthrow their free will."  Doing so would have been not only to "no advantage for them, but an even greater condemnation."

 

  "Now the parable is this:  The seed is the word of God.  Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.  But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.  Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.  But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience."  As the Sower in the parable, Christ fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah 55:10-13.  The Study Bible asks us to note that while some might teach that a person is permanently saved at the moment he professes faith (which is a view never held by the historic Church) the teaching of Jesus is clear here that it is possible to believe for a while and then fall away.  

 

How do we hear what Christ wants us to hear?  How do we know a message is for us, or even that the seed Christ plants today must be developed a certain way through our cooperation?  Whichever ways we understand this parable, it is clear that the "good ground" depends upon us as much as anything else.  In this concept of spiritual growth (and the fruit it produces), our own cooperation with and receptivity to Christ and to the Holy Spirit play a part.  This is understood as "synergy," a response to grace.  This is what Christ seeks in His parables.  Our own benefit from them depends upon a heart open to them, spiritual eyes and ears that may perceive.  This capacity may change throughout our lifetimes, and it's important to remember that repentance -- "change of mind" as the word literally means in Greek -- is always open to us.  We may always turn toward God.  In the image of Himself as Sower, Jesus indicates that the seeds are His teachings, the gospel message of the Kingdom of God.  These seeds are also held in the gifts Christ gives as the sacraments in the Church and the power of prayer.  Even the benefits we receive from the sacraments (such as the Eucharist) depend upon the ground of ourselves in which they are planted.   Prayer is especially important to this endeavor.  Indeed, there is a prayer attributed to St. Ambrose, who has so prolifically contributed to our understanding of the Gospels, for exactly this purpose:  "O Lord, who has mercy upon all, take away from me my sins, and mercifully kindle in me the fire of your Holy Spirit.  Take away from me the heart of stone, and give me a heart of flesh, a heart to love and adore You, a heart to delight in You, to follow and enjoy You, for Christ’s sake.  Amen."  Emphasizing the soil of the heart, St. Cyril of Alexandria says of Christ,  "He is truly the Sower of all that is good, and we are His farm" (Commentary on Luke, Homily 41).  We know that farms and gardens continually require attention to the soil, amendments and preparation.  So, as His "farm," let us continually prepare the good soil of the heart for His seeds and the explosive growth of grace and the Kingdom.  

 

 

 

 

 

Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little

 

 Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him.  And He went to the Pharisee's house, and sat down to eat.  And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.  Now when the Pharisees who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, "This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner."   And Jesus answered and said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you."  So he said, "Teacher, say it."  "There was a certain creditor who had two debtors.  One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.  And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both.  Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?"  Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more."  And He said to him, "You have rightly judged."  Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman?  I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head.  You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in.  You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil.  Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much.  But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little."  Then He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."  

 

And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"  Then He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you.  Go in peace." 

 

- Luke 7:36–50 

 

Yesterday we read that the disciples of St. John the Baptist reported to him concerning all these things that Jesus was doing.  And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to Jesus, saying, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?"  When the men had come to Him, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, 'Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?'"  And that very hour He cured many of infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits; and to many blind He gave sight.  Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard:  that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them.  And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me."  When the messengers of John had departed, He began to speak to the multitudes concerning John:  "What did you go out into the wilderness to see?  A reed shaken by the wind?  But what did you go out to see?  A man clothed in soft garments?  Indeed those who are gorgeously appareled and live in luxury are in kings' courts.   But what did you go out to see?  A prophet?  Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.  This is he of whom it is written:  'Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.'  For I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet  than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."  And when all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John.  But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.  And the Lord said, "To what then shall I liken the men of this generation, and what are they like?  They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, saying:  'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we mourned to you, and you did not weep.'  For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.'  The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'  But wisdom is justified by all her children." 

 

  Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him.  And He went to the Pharisee's house, and sat down to eat.  And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.  Now when the Pharisees who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, "This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner."   And Jesus answered and said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you."  So he said, "Teacher, say it."  "There was a certain creditor who had two debtors.  One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.  And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both.  Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?"  Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more."  And He said to him, "You have rightly judged."  Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Do you see this woman?  I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head.  You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in.  You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil.  Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much.  But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little."  Then He said to her, "Your sins are forgiven."   Of today's entire reading, the Orthodox Study Bible reports of this Pharisee that he was intrigued by Christ, which we infer from his invitation to Him.  However, the Pharisee clearly does not believe in Him, as shown by his reaction to the mercy shown by Christ.  Moreover, Jesus Himself remarks upon even the Pharisee's lack of common hospitality to Him.  The Study Bible adds that the encounter with the sinful woman in today's Gospel reading is an icon of the grace which is found only in the Church.  It cites the commentary of St. Ambrose of Milan, who states that, through her, "the Church is justified as being greater than the Law, for the Law does not know the forgiveness of sins, nor the mystery in which secret sins are cleansed; therefore, what is lacking in the Law is perfected in the Gospel."

 

 And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?"  Then He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you.  Go in peace."   According to the Orthodox Study Bible, that a man could forgive sins was beyond the bounds of the Law as the Pharisees understood it (see Luke 5:21).  Yet Christ is not a mere man, it says, but the very Lawgiver Himself.  It cites St. Cyril of Alexandria, who asks, "Who could declare things that were above the Law, except the One who ordained the Law?"

 

Turning again to St. Ambrose of Milan, we find a beautiful commentary on today's passage.  He writes, "Blessed is one who can anoint the feet of Christ even with oil. Simon had still not anointed him, but more blessed is she who anoints with ointment. The grace of many flowers gathered into a bouquet scatters different sweetness of fragrance. Perhaps none but the church alone can produce that ointment. The church has innumerable flowers of different fragrance" (Exposition of the Gospel of Luke 6.21).   In the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, as we prepare for Holy Communion, the priest prays, "For the precious Gifts here presented and consecrated, let us pray to the Lord.  That our God Who loves mankind, having accepted them at His holy and celestial and mystical altar as an offering of spiritual fragrance, may in return send down upon us the divine grace and the gift of the Holy Spirit, let us pray."  In the Scriptures, a spiritual fragrance is frequently united to prayer in the offering of incense.  In Psalm 141, we read, "Let my prayer be set before You as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice" (Psalm 141:2).  In several places, the Book of Revelation refers to this fragrance rising up as the prayers of the saints (see Revelation 5:8; 8:3-4).  St. Ambrose has an additional interesting commentary on this passage. He wrote of this woman that "she fittingly assumes the likeness of a prostitute, because Christ also took upon himself the form of a sinner" (Exposition of the Gospel of Luke 6:21); see also 2 Corinthians 5:21.  St. Ambrose was Bishop of Milan from 374 to 397 AD.  These were years of what was still the early Church; in fact, it was during his tenure as Bishop that Christianity became the official state religion of the Roman Empire.  Since that time, of course, an uncountable number of saints have glorified the Church.  But even from those first few centuries, St. Ambrose had the understanding of the holy people of God as the "innumerable flowers of different fragrance."  We have the understanding of the saints not as all alike but each as distinct.  In fact, in our faith, through holiness, the process of what is known as theosis reveals in each a unique identity in Christ.  With our Christian spiritual development, we do not become more conformed to some popular idea or flat way of being.  On the contrary, Christ will teach us to be who we truly are; we become more "ourselves" in this sense of revealing the true image in which we are created.  So we can turn to the saints, who are truly a bouquet of the innumerable flowers of different fragrance which St. Ambrose so beautifully illustrates in this image given to us.   Let us cherish our Church, and the Lord Who has come in the likeness of one of us in order to grant us this freedom, and to elevate human beings to the freedom to embody all the possibilities our Creator gives us.  That indeed includes the notoriously sinful woman who gives Christ Himself the gift of love returned to Him.  For today's story reveals that the connection between love and sinfulness is Christ's forgiveness.  St. Cyril of Alexandria writes on this same passage that Christ "came that he might forgive the debtors much and little and show mercy upon small and great, that there might be no one whatsoever who did not participate in his goodness" (Commentary on Luke, Homily 40).  As has been written, love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8; Proverbs 10:12).  For "her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much."

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wisdom is justified by all her children

 

 Then the disciples of John reported to him concerning all these things.  And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to Jesus, saying, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?"  When the men had come to Him, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, 'Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?'"  And that very hour He cured many of infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits; and to many blind He gave sight.  Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard:  that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them.  And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me."  

 

When the messengers of John had departed, He began to speak to the multitudes concerning John:  "What did you go out into the wilderness to see?  A reed shaken by the wind?  But what did you go out to see?  A man clothed in soft garments?  Indeed those who are gorgeously appareled and live in luxury are in kings' courts.   But what did you go out to see?  A prophet?  Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.  This is he of whom it is written:

'Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,

Who will prepare Your way before You.'

"For I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet  than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."  And when all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John.  But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him. 

 

And the Lord said, "To what then shall I liken the men of this generation, and what are they like?  They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, saying:

'We played the flute for you,

And you did not dance;

We mourned to you,

And you did not weep.'  

"For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.'  The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'  But wisdom is justified by all her children." 

 

- Luke 7:18-35 

 

Yesterday we read that when Jesus concluded all His sayings of the Sermon on the Plain in the hearing of the people, He entered Capernaum.  And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear to him, was sick and ready to die.  So when he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to Him, pleading with Him to come and heal his servant.  And when they came to Jesus, they begged Him earnestly, saying that the one for whom He should do this was deserving "for he loves our nation, and has built us a synagogue."  Ten Jesus went with them.  And when He was already not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying to Him, "Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof.  Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You.  But say the word, and my servant will be healed.  For I also am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me.  And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."  When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him, and turned around and said to the crowd that followed Him, "I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!"  And those who were sent, returning to the house, found the servant well who had been sick.  Now it happened, the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd.  And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow.  And a large crowd from the city was with her.   When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, "Do not weep."  Then He came and touched the open coffin, and those who carried him stood still.  And He said, "Young man, I say to you, arise."  So he who was dead sat up and began to speak.  And He presented him to his mother.  Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has risen up among us"; and, "God has visited His people."  And this report about Him went throughout all Judea and all the surrounding region. 

 

  Then the disciples of John reported to him concerning all these things.  And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to Jesus, saying, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?"  When the men had come to Him, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, 'Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?'"  And that very hour He cured many of infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits; and to many blind He gave sight.  Jesus answered and said to them, "Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard:  that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them.  And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me."  The Orthodox Study Bible comments here that St. John the Baptist was imprisoned soon after the Baptism of Jesus (Mark 1:14).  Though John had directed his disciples to follow Christ (John 1:29-31, 35-37), there were still those who remained with him.  While John's own faith was undoubtedly strengthened by the signs Christ performed, the Fathers universally see this encounter as a means John used to convince his remaining disciples that Jesus was truly the Coming One.  

 

When the messengers of John had departed, He began to speak to the multitudes concerning John:  "What did you go out into the wilderness to see?  A reed shaken by the wind?  But what did you go out to see?  A man clothed in soft garments?  Indeed those who are gorgeously appareled and live in luxury are in kings' courts.   But what did you go out to see?  A prophet?  Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet.  This is he of whom it is written:  'Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.'  For I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet  than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."  And when all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John.  But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.  The Study Bible explains that, although St. John the Baptist was the greatest prophet (as Jesus declares here), his earthly life and ministry remained in the period of the old covenant.  The new covenant so far surpasses the old that the least in the kingdom is greater than the greatest outside it.  This is not meant to imply that St. John will not be resurrected to the Kingdom; it merely teaches that his life on earth came before something far superior.  Note that Jesus here indicates that the ministry of St. John the Baptist fulfilled the prophesy found at Malachi 3:1.  Regarding the Pharisees and lawyers, the Study Bible directs us to Mark 11:27-33.  

 

And the Lord said, "To what then shall I liken the men of this generation, and what are they like?  They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, saying:  'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we mourned to you, and you did not weep.'  For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.'  The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'  But wisdom is justified by all her children."  The Orthodox Study Bible explains Jesus' comparison here to children.  This is a reference to a children's game, which was played by dividing into two groups.  One group would mimic musicians, and then the other would refuse to respond appropriately to the type of music being played -- either festive songs for dance, or those for lamentation.  The Study Bible comments that the Pharisees were so rigid in their religion that they were not able to respond and engage the world around them.  So, therefore, they rejected John as being too mournful and ascetic, while they condemned Christ as being too merciful and joyous.  But, in spite of both being rejected by the Pharisees, John and Christ are justified, not by the opinions of other people, but by their children.  That is, by those who would come to believe and be faithful.  

 

There are aspects of today's reading that suggest elements touched upon in Jesus' Sermon on the Plain (Luke 6:20-49).   In particular, we're put in mind of Christ's teaching that a tree is known by its fruit (Luke 6:43-45).  This is an important teaching that will be repeated throughout the Gospels, and indeed, even in the Epistles and Revelation, which together form the entire New Testament.  That theme is the concern with distinguishing the false from the true, a particularly difficult problem when one considers that, indeed, the false will mimic the true, and often appear to be entirely in keeping with what is genuine.  Moreover, that need for understanding is given to us in the complexity in today's reading involving the differences between Jesus and St. John the Baptist and their respective ministries.  As Jesus says Himself,  in making His critique regarding the bad judgment of "the men of this generation," "They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, saying:  'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we mourned to you, and you did not weep.'  For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.'  The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'"  Jesus Himself acknowledges the differences in appearance of St. John the Baptist's ministry and His own:  John was particularly ascetic, following strict rules of the spiritual discipline associated with the Nazirites.  On the other hand, Jesus was known to eat dinner at the homes of tax collectors, and wine was a part of His fellowship at meals, which we can read repeatedly in the Gospels.  As Jesus said Himself, His disciples would fast when He was gone, but wine is for the wedding feast, and the Bridegroom (Himself) was with them.  Judging purely by appearances, without spiritual insight or discernment, one could easily miss that John was preparing the way for the ministry of Jesus.  But what the Lord tells us, in fact, is that each is justified by their children, meaning, according to the Study Bible, those who would follow in faith justify the wisdom common to both.  In this sense, "children" are like the fruits of the tree that teach us whether the tree is bad or good, and so the teachings of Christ have this common thread of understanding.  Moreover, in this light we should consider Christ's parable of the wheat and the weeds (Matthew 13:24-30).  In the parable, those weeds (called "tares") closely resemble wheat, but they are inedible, difficult to digest.  They are not good for human consumption.  So it is with heresies, which, in the history of the Church, have been seen to be symbolized in that parable.  For often, heresies resemble truth in one aspect or another, but they are false and mislead human beings; in this sense, they are not fit for our consumption.  So, therefore the Church has practiced its discernment through Councils convened specifically to identify such heresies.  Returning to the context of Christ's teaching on the fruits of the tree, in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus has added the image of wolves in sheep's clothing to describe false prophets who lead people astray, those who come claiming to follow Christ but who do not really care for His flock (Matthew 7:15).  So, repeatedly, we are called to discernment, to distinguish the counterfeit from what is genuine.  The Pharisees and other religious leaders often show themselves and their own hypocrisy, which goes hand in hand with their own poor leadership, as well as their lack of true discernment.  For in their rush to condemn others, they themselves misjudge; as they look for something by which they can accuse, they repeatedly make false accusations.  Here Jesus suggests they do so for both St. John the Baptist and Himself.  So let us take Christ's warnings seriously, and consider in our own times how desperately we, also, need to learn to distinguish God's truth from misleading imitation.  Our own vigilance and watchfulness is required of us just as much as it ever was, for this was part of the instruction He has left to us.  In a modern age of communications and constant new innovations for imitation, perhaps we need to practice Christ's means of discernment more than ever.  In this context, His commands remain to serve us well, focusing on our own spiritual growth and correction, our prayers, our humility, our capacity for the love of God and God's truth.  In and out of the Church, we need ears to hear and eyes to see, the discipleship He teaches as did the saints and faithful who followed.  Let us be attentive.