Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well

 

 While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, "My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live."  So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples.  And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment.  For she said to herself, "If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well."  But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, "Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well."  And the woman was made well from that hour.  When Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, He said to them, "Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping."  And they ridiculed Him.  But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose.  And the report of this went out into all that land.

 

- Matthew 9:18-26 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office.  And He said to him, "Follow Me."  So he arose and followed Him.  Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples.  And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"  When Jesus heard that, He said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.  But go and learn what this means:  'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.'  For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."  Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?"  And Jesus said to them, "Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them?  But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.  No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse.  Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined.  But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved."

 

 While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, "My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live."  So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples.  And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment.  For she said to herself, "If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well."  But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, "Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well."  And the woman was made well from that hour.  When Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, He said to them, "Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping."  And they ridiculed Him.  But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose.  And the report of this went out into all that land.  My study Bible comments for us to recognize 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 God the Father, He has this authority (John 5:21).  The healing of the woman demonstrates yet again Christ's power to cleanse and to heal (see this reading).  In the Old Testament, hemorrhage caused ceremonial defilement, and so imposed religious and social restrictions, as contact with blood was strictly prohibited (Leviticus 15:25).  My study Bible says that this suffering woman -- who accounts herself unclean -- nonetheless approaches Jesus secretly and with great faith.  He, in turn, brings her good cheer because of her faith.  Moreover, He corrects her thinking, because she couldn't hide her touch from Him nor was she excluded from Him because of her illness.  Finally, He exhibits her faith to all, so that they might imitate her.  

 

This is yet another time, as with the paralytic, that Jesus' touch (that is, the woman secretly touches the hem of His garment) He heals what is considered to be unclean.  Jesus makes it perfectly clear that He embraces her healing and her action, as He displays her faith to all as an example, and calls her "daughter."  There is also another daughter in this story, and wherever in the Gospels we read the story of one, we also read the story of the other.  The older woman is past her capacity for child-bearing (and certainly her chronic hemorrhage indicates this also), while the younger is on the cusp of maturing.  In a kind of parallel irony, St. Matthew's text tells us that this woman had suffered from this affliction for twelve years; in the stories according to Sts. Mark and Luke we're told that the daughter is also twelve years of age.  In another ironic comparison, the older woman has suffered everything from doctors, spent all of her money seeking treatment, and has only grown worse (Mark 5:25-26); on the other hand the young daughter of a ruler of the synagogue is a child of a person of rank and likely substantial possessions.  She has her father and mother to plead for her, and hired flute players and a noisy crowd come to mourn her.  The first approaches Christ with the humility of her circumstances; the second cannot speak for herself, but is a daughter of relative privilege with a father to speak to Him for her.  In these strange parallels and inverses, we see once again the breadth and depth of Christ.  He can speak with anybody, turns no one away who comes in faith, is approached by all, even the humblest and poorest and most powerless.  He gives equal time to all.  And yet we see He lifts up the lowly, while the proud are humbled (those who ridiculed Him).  And this, also, teaches us that He is God; see Luke 1:46-55, especially verses 51-52.  Thus, He both transcends and traverses all things and people as well.  Above all, we know His compassion, for this is the characteristic of the Incarnation as a whole.  Out of everlasting love, He has been sent to us, and He has been sent to heal all things in all ways (John 3:16).  He is the Physician for all and for all things, even death.  There is another ironic parallel of death and resurrection in today's reading, as blood was considered life and containing the life of all living creatures; while this woman's chronic blood flow was life-threatening and seemingly incurable, He not only heals her but also revives the daughter who was understood to have died.  In all of these things we see Christ at the center, and for all who need what He has to offer.  But in all cases, it is faith that makes the connection, whether it be by a woman coming to Him in secret and without His knowing, or a ruler of the synagogue pleading for his daughter.  High and low, it is faith that is the thread between the Healer and the healed.

 

 

 

Who touched Me?

 

 Now when Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a great multitude gathered to Him; and He was by the sea.  And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name.  And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet and begged Him earnestly, saying, "My little daughter lies at the point of death.  Come and lay your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live."  So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him.  

 

Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians.  She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse.  When she heard about Jesus she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment.  For she said, "If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well."  Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction.  And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched My clothes?"  But His disciples said to Him, "You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?'"  And He looked around to see her who had done this thing.  But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.  And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well.  Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction."  

 

While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue's house who said, "Your daughter is dead.  Why trouble the Teacher any further?"  As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, "Do not be afraid; only believe."  And He permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James.  Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly.  When He came in, He said to them, "Why make this commotion and weep?  The child is not dead, but sleeping."  And they ridiculed Him.  But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying.  Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, "Talitha, cumi," which is translated, "Little girl, I say to you, arise."  Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age.  And they were overcome with great amazement.  But He commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and said that something should be given her to eat.

 

- Mark 5:21–43 

 

On Saturday we read that Jesus and the disciples, following a harrowing, stormy journey across the Sea of Galilee, came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gadarenes.  And when He had come out of the boat, immediately there met Him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no one could bind him, not even with chains, because he had often been bound with shackles and chains.  And the chains had been pulled apart by him, and the shackles broken in pieces; neither could anyone tame him.  And always, night and day, he was in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.  When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him.  And he cried out with a loud voice and said, "What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?  I implore You by God that You do not torment me."  For He said to him, "Come out of the man, unclean spirit!"  Then He asked him, "What is your name?"  And he answered, saying, "My name is Legion; for we are many."  Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country.  Now a large herd of swine was feeding there in the mountains.  So all the demons begged Him, saying, "Send us to the swine, that we may enter them."  And at once Jesus gave them permission.  Then the unclean spirits went out and entered the swine (there were about two thousand); and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and drowned in the sea.  So those who fed the swine fled, and they told it in the city and in the country.  And they went out to see what it was that had happened.  Then they came to Jesus, and saw the  one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind.  And they were afraid.  And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine.  Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region.  And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him.  However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, "Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you."  And he departed and began to proclaim in Decapolis all that Jesus had done for him; and all marveled. 

 

 Now when Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a great multitude gathered to Him; and He was by the sea.  And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name.  And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet and begged Him earnestly, saying, "My little daughter lies at the point of death.  Come and lay your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live."  So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him.    Here Jesus has returned to Capernaum, the "headquarters" of His Galilean ministry, where all know Him.   We can see that Jairus, one of the rulers of the synagogue, is completely familiar with Jesus.  

 

 Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians.  She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse.  When she heard about Jesus she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment.  For she said, "If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well."  Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction.  And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched My clothes?"  But His disciples said to Him, "You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?'"  And He looked around to see her who had done this thing.  But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.  And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well.  Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction."   My study Bible comments that authority over life and death is in the hand of God alone (Deuteronomy 32:39; 1 Samuel 2:6).  As Christ is of one essence with the Father, He has such authority (John 5:21).  This woman's healing, it says, is a demonstration of Christ's power to cleanse and heal (see Matthew 8:1-4).   In the Old Testament, hemorrhage caused ceremonial defilement, and it imposed religious and social restrictions, as contact with blood was strictly prohibited (Leviticus 15:25).  This woman has suffered for twelve years, not only from her ailment but also from the many physicians she's already consulted and only grown worse.  Although she accounts herself unclean, she nonetheless approaches Jesus secretly and with great faith.  Jesus tells her to go in peace, that her faith has made her well.  He corrects her thinking, as she could not hide her touch, neither was she excluded from Him because of her illness.  Finally, He exhibits her faith to everyone. so they might imitate her.

 

While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue's house who said, "Your daughter is dead.  Why trouble the Teacher any further?"  As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, "Do not be afraid; only believe."  And He permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James.  Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly.  When He came in, He said to them, "Why make this commotion and weep?  The child is not dead, but sleeping."  And they ridiculed Him.  But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying.  Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, "Talitha, cumi," which is translated, "Little girl, I say to you, arise."  Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age.  And they were overcome with great amazement.  But He commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and said that something should be given her to eat.  The resurrection of Jairus' daughter is an affirmation of Christ's power over life and death.  According to my study Bible, this healing, together with other resurrections performed by Christ in the Gospels (such as the raising of Lazarus in John 11:1-44) 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).  My study Bible comments that while many people have exercised authority over the living, it's only the Son of God who "has power over both the living and the dead" (words found in the Eastern Orthodox funeral service).  Let us note here that while Christ has power through His word alone (John 11:43), he also touched the child in taking her by the hand, showing (as in the healing of the woman's blood flow) that His body is life-giving.  

 

Touch plays a significant part in today's reading.  That is, the touch that allows people to receive the power of Christ to heal, even to restore life.  We should not be surprised at this, for we are to understand that it is the Incarnation itself that restores us.  God became human to assume all the things of humanity, so that humanity could be healed.  Therefore (and thereby) His body is life-giving.  In the first instance in today's reading,  this woman with the twelve-years flow of blood comes behind Him, in a crowd, and believes, "If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well."  Surely the text indicates to us that this crowd was bumping into one another as it was, for the disciples are incredulous that He'd like them to tell Him who touched Him.  They say, "You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?'"  The impossibility for them of telling Jesus just who it was tells us how crowded this scene was.  But what is the difference between her touch and the possible accidental touch of others in crowd that throngs Jesus?  It is her faith that makes the difference.  Jesus tells her, and the crowd, and His disciples, and us as well that this is so, when He tells her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well.  Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction."  It's remarkable that we're also told she came and confessed to Him what she'd done, even as she feared and trembled, for this is a kind of face-to-face meeting with God.  It is the same sense in coming to repentance and coming before God for reconciliation.  She is reconciled indeed, even as "unclean" as her blood flow makes her, for He calls her "Daughter."  Then there is the case of the little girl, a daughter of one of the rulers of the synagogue.  She is just twelve years old, St. Mark tells us, the age of the number of years the older woman had suffered.  Jesus raises her up, taking her by the hand, commanding the little girl to arise.  In the first case of the woman with the blood flow, the faith was hers that made the difference, and effectively Christ felt His own power go out of Him to heal her.  In this case, the faith of the parents, so desperately needing to be strengthened by Jesus and His closest disciples, is what is at work.  This says to us that the prayers of the Church have an effect, even that we, in our prayers and in our faith, can take stewardship of a kind to help others to come to that healing touch of Christ.  Just as we pay even for the dead in the Church, so our prayers are heard for others even for God's mercy after death.  Surely the stories of resurrection in the Gospels teach us that as well.  (In addition to the story of the raising of Lazarus in John 11, see also the raising of the son of the widow of Nain at Luke 7:11-17).  Surely the power of God is everywhere, and thus our prayers to God are effectively without barrier.  Let us not forget that Christ's body, life-giving as it is for us, also was part of His Ascension, thus the power to heal humanity follows into territory we can't possibly limit nor predict.  Let us not forget our great gift of the Incarnation, feeding us in the Eucharist, and the tremendous and irreplaceable gift of faith.

 

 

 

 

 

If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well

 

 While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, "My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live."  So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples.  And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment.  For she said to herself, "If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well."  But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, "Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well."  And the woman was made well from that hour.  When Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, He said to them, "Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping."  And they ridiculed Him.  But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose.  And the report of this went out into all that land.

 

- Matthew 9:18–26 

 

Yesterday we read that, as Jesus passed on, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office.  And He said to him, "Follow Me."  So he arose and followed Him.  Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in that house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples.  And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, "Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"  When Jesus heard that, he said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.  But go and learn what this means:  'I desire mercy and not sacrifice."  For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."  Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, "Why do and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?"  And Jesus said to them, "Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them?  But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.  No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse.  Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined.  But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved."

 

 While He spoke these things to them, behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, "My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live."  So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples.  And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment.  For she said to herself, "If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well."  But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, "Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well."  And the woman was made well from that hour.  When Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, He said to them, "Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping."  And they ridiculed Him.  But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose.  And the report of this went out into all that land.  My study Bible comments on today's passage that authority over life and death is in the hand of God alone (Deuteronomy 32:39; 1 Samuel 2:6).   As He is of one essence with the Father, Christ has this authority (John 5:21).  The healing of the woman with the flow of blood demonstrates His power to cleanse and to heal (see Matthew 8:1-4).  In the Old Testament, we must understand, hemorrhage caused ceremonial defilement.  This imposed religious and social restrictions, as contact with blood was strictly prohibited (Leviticus 15:25).  This suffering woman counts herself unclean, my study Bible says, but she nevertheless approaches Jesus secretly and with great faith.  Jesus brings her good cheer because of her faith.  He also corrects her thinking, because she could neither hide her touch from Him, nor is she excluded from Him because of her illness.  Finally, Christ even exhibits her faith as an example to all, that they might imitate her.  

 

One interesting thing about today's passage is that the healing of this woman with the flow of blood is always placed "in between" the story of the healing of Jairus' daughter (the ruler of the synagogue is identified as Jairus in the Gospels of St. Mark and St. Luke).  It's interesting to juxtapose the stories of the woman and the girl.  Here we're told that the woman's flow of blood had lasted for twelve years.  Again, in the other Synoptic Gospels, we're told that the girl is twelve years old.  So there are some interesting contrasts and comparisons in this story.  The woman, an outcast because of her illness, comes to Jesus in secret and yet with great faith.  Contrast her actions with the ruler of the synagogue, who boldly comes to Jesus himself and tells Him that his daughter has just died, and asks for Christ's touch to heal her.  The woman with the blood flow has such great faith that her healing is effected through the touching of Christ's hem.  In the ruler's household, Jesus is ridiculed for saying that the child is not dead, but sleeping.  (The flute players and the noisy crowd wailing are mourning her.)  But of course, we notice that Christ's healing happens in both circumstances by touch:  in the first, she touched the hem of His garment; in the second He took her by the hand.  Perhaps the pattern in this story is suggesting to us that there is no "right" way that Christ can heal, no right person Christ can heal.  In some sense, we can say that everything in one story is inversed in the other, for Christ inhabits all dimensions. There is nothing and no place where He is not.  There is nothing in creation that is separate from His rule (John 3:31-36).  And His rule is supreme:  He is the Giver of the Law, and His mercy declares healing and love and responds to faith.  This reminds us of the righteousness of Abraham, accounted to him by his faith (Genesis 15:6,Romans 4:1-22, Galatians 3:6-9, Hebrews 11:8-10, Hebrews 11:17-19).   This woman comes to Christ in great faith.  In the other stories of the Synoptic Gospels, Jairus must be encouraged by Christ to have faith, and we see in today's reading that Jesus must put the people out of the house who ridicule.  In the Jewish culture of the time, public relations between men and women could make touch scandalous, but here in both cases, touch is the means by which God's healing comes.  

 

 

 

 

Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here

 

The White Angel, 1235, fresco. Mileseva Monastery, Serbia

 Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome brought spices, that they might come and anoint Him.  Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.  And they said among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?"  But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away -- for it was very large.  And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.  But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed.  You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified.  He is risen!  He is not here.  See the place where they laid Him.  But go, tell His disciples -- and Peter -- that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you."  So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed.  And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.  

 

Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons.  She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept.  And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.  After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country.  And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.   Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.  And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe:  In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

 

So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.  And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.  Amen.  

 

- Mark 16 

 

Yesterday we read that there were also women looking on from afar at the Crucifixion as Christ died, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joses, and Salome, who also followed Him and ministered to Him when He was in Galilee, and many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem.  Now when evening had come, because it was the Preparation Day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Pilate marveled that He was already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him if He had been dead for some time.  So when he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph.  Then he bought fine linen, took Him down, and wrapped Him in the linen.  And he laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of the rock, and rolled a stone against the door of the tomb.  And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses observed where He was laid.

 

  Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome brought spices, that they might come and anoint Him.  Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.  And they said among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?"  My study Bible explains that because Christ died so close in time to the Sabbath, the burial customs of the Jews could not be completed.  So these faithful women have gone as early as possible in order to complete the rites of burial.  Regarding Mary the mother of James, some patristic commentary teaches that she was the wife of Alphaeus, the this James was one of the Twelve (Luke 6:15).  But the majority hold that this is the Virgin Mary, who was in fact the stepmother of a different James, "the Lord's brother" (see Matthew 13:55; compare to Mark 15:40, 47).  In certain icons of the Myrrhbearing Women the Virgin Mary appears, and in a hymn by St. John of Damascus, it is sung, "The angel cried to the lady full of grace, 'Rejoice, O pure Virgin:  your Son is risen from His three days in the tomb."  Many teach that Salome was the wife of Zebedee, and the other of James and John.  

 

 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away -- for it was very large.  And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.  The stone had been rolled away, my study Bible notes, not to accommodate Christ's exist from the tomb, for in His resurrected body, He needs no such accommodation (John 20:19).  Instead, we're to understand that this was to allow the witnesses -- and ourselves -- to look in and see that the tomb was empty.  

 

 But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed.  You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified.  He is risen!  He is not here.  See the place where they laid Him.  But go, tell His disciples -- and Peter -- that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you."  So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed.  And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.   The messenger (the "young man," an angel) mentions Peter specifically and thus reveals a special care for the one who had denied Christ (see this reading).  My study Bible cites the commentary of Theophylact, who writes that Peter would have said of himself, "I denied the Lord, and therefore am no longer His disciple."  This angel's command is a promise that Peter is forgiven.  That the women said nothing to anyone does not mean that they never said anything -- it means that they kept silent until Jesus appeared to them (see the verses that follow).  

 

 Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons.  She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept.  And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.  After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country.  And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.   Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. My study Bible first tells us that two early manuscripts do not contain these and the following verses as part of St. Mark's Gospel, while nearly all other manuscripts ever discovered have them.  They are canonized Scripture and are considered by the Church to be inspired, authoritative, and genuine.  The text here tells us that Christ appeared in another form to two of the disciples as they walked and went into the country, and that He later appeared to the eleven (see Luke 24:13-43).  Christ's resurrected body transcends not only physical space and time, but appearance as well, according to my study Bible.  He was sometimes recognizable to His disciples, while at other times He was not. 

 

 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned."  This is the Great Commission, Christ's final commandment given on earth.  It is to be lived out in the Church until the Lord returns again.  My study Bible comments that to make disciples cannot be done in the strength of human beings, but only in the power of God.  The power of the Resurrection isn't just for Christ Himself, but is given to all believers for Christian life and mission. 

 

"And these signs will follow those who believe:  In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."  To speak with new tongues is the capacity to speak in languages that one has not learned in order to edify others in worship (1 Corinthians 14) and to preach the gospel (Acts 2:1-11).  To take up serpents is a reference primarily to spiritual battle against demons, my study Bible says.  So, therefore, Christ is promising here to deliver believers from the powers of sin.  Moreover, it would include certain physical protection as well.  St. Paul was bitten by a serpent and suffered no harm (Acts 28:3-6), and according to tradition, Barsabas Justus (Acts 1:23) was forced by unbelievers to drink poison and survived.  However, my study Bible adds, while God's grace can protect believers from both physical and spiritual harm, to test god by deliberately committing harmful acts against oneself is a grave sin (Deuteronomy 6:16; Matthew 4:7).

 

 So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.  And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.  Amen.  This describes what is called the Ascension of Christ, which is celebrated forty days after the Resurrection (Acts 1:3).  My study Bible comments that it fulfills the type given when Elijah ascended in a fiery chariot (2 Kings 2:11), and it marks the completion of Christ's glorification and lordship over all creation.  At the Incarnation, my study Bible explains, Christ brought His divine nature to human nature.  In the mystery of the Ascension, however, He brings human nature to the divine Kingdom.  Christ reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit in His glorified body, revealing His glorified human nature -- indeed, human flesh -- to be worshiped by the whole angelic realm.  At Vespers of Ascension, the Orthodox sing, "The angels were amazed seeing a Man so exalted."  In some icons of the Ascension, Christ's white robes are tinted red to indicate the shedding of His blood for the redemption of the world and the ascent of that life-giving blood into heaven (Isaiah 63:1-3; see also Psalm 24:7-10).  

 

 In today's reading, the risen Christ gives His final commandment on earth:  "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned."   At this stage in the reading of the Gospel, we know what these disciples have been through, what their supporters (and relatives, often mothers) have been through.  We know the struggle, the teaching, the campaigning (so to speak) in ministry, and all the things Jesus and they have been through, including the testing and of course the final effort to bring down and to kill Jesus, the attempt to rid themselves of Him by the religious leadership.  We know the manipulation, the false witnesses, the attempts to entrap Him, and we know there is more to come for His disciples.  And it follows, of course, that the same is in store for the Church, as it is even today.  But we need to ponder His words.  What does it mean to believe?  What does it mean to be saved?  And what does it mean to be condemned?  As is often pointed out on this blog, the word translated as "believe" has as its root the word meaning trust in the Greek (πιστις/pistis).  Think what it means not simply to believe as a kind of flat statement to the effect that you will agree with a teaching, but to trust in a Person.  It adds an entirely different dimension to Christ's teaching to understand belief in this way.  We put our trust into Christ for all times, for every moment in our lives, in our doubts and fears, even when we're terrified to go forward, think what it means nevertheless to trust.  This is a deep personal relationship, which extends to complete communities and forms and shapes those communities.  We are baptized into His life, even as we symbolically die in the waters of baptism.  That is a depth that we can't comprehend, but nevertheless, we trust and go forward into what that means, and the experience of that faith.  This is what it is to be saved, that ongoing forward motion of what it means to trust, and to grow in trust, to entrust our depths -- even those we don't know -- to Christ and to the work of the Holy Spirit, and the Church not built by hands.  What does it mean to be condemned?  In St. John's Gospel, we read the words of Jesus to Nicodemus, "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God" (John 3:18-21).  We so often forget that we are all offered salvation, but not all of us is prepared to take up this trust, to return to Christ the love that He offers to us in His saving gospel.  He asks for our trust, but not all are willing to give it -- and we must note that trust is related to truth.  What hides from the light?  What do we want to hide from the light?  To be condemned is not to be condemned by Christ but to fail to take up that salvation that He offers, to return His love for us by loving Him.  Just like the first disciples had work to do to be His followers, let us not forget He's asking us to take up our own cross, and to follow Him.  He doesn't promise it will be free and easy, but that the way is narrow.  We are all invited in.  How many of us will take up His offer?  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!

 

 Now when He concluded all His sayings 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."  Then 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.

 

- Luke 7:1–17 

 

 We have been reading through Jesus' Sermon on the Plain, in Luke's Gospel (beginning with Tuesday's reading).  Yesterday we read that Jesus added a parable to His teachings:  "Can the blind lead the blind?  Will they not both fall into the ditch?  A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.  And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye?  Hypocrite!  First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye.  For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.  For every tree is known by its fruit.  For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil.  For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.  But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?  Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:  He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock.  And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.  But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell.  And the ruin of that house was great."

 

  Now when He concluded all His sayings 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."  Then 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.   My study Bible says that this centurion, a Roman Gentile, is unusual in his devotion to the Jews.  It notes for us his remarkable characteristics.  He is compassionate, he loves God and God's people; he has humility; and also possesses great faith, as remarked upon by Jesus.  

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.  In the Gospels, there are three recorded resurrections performed by Christ (see also Luke 8:41-56; John 11:1-44).  My study Bible says that they 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, my study Bible says, but only the Son of God "has power over both the living and the dead" (quoting from the Eastern Orthodox funeral service).  While Christ has power through His word alone (John 11:43), here it's observed that He also touched the coffin to show that His very body is life-giving.  Moreover, according to St. Ambrose of Milan, this event prefigures Christ's own Resurrection. Mary will weep for Jesus at the Cross, but her tears will be turned to joy by the Resurrection.  Here, a widow's only son is raised from the dead, and this puts an end to her weeping.

 

I find myself intrigued by the good qualities of this centurion which my study Bible describes.  It notes that the centurion, a Roman Gentile, is unusual in his devotion to the Jews.  Moreover, the qualities he displays include compassion, and a love for God and God's people.  He is also humble.  And Christ Himself praises the centurion's remarkable faith ("I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!" )  Perhaps we might ask ourselves why we hear about this remarkable Roman centurion at this point in St. Luke's Gospel, for it is, indeed, an event to open our eyes when even Jesus points out a faith greater than any He's found in Israel!  One might begin with the events of our recent readings, in which Jesus has chosen His twelve apostles from among His disciples, and given the Sermon on the Plain, which is roughly similar to the Sermon on the Mount although not as extensive.  For in so doing, He has conveyed the gospel message that the apostles are to take out first throughout Israel, but eventually throughout the known world.  So, immediately after giving us all His gospel, Jesus encounters this centurion, who is not only Roman and a Gentile, but even an official of the hated Roman colonial regime which occupies Israel.  If this man's faith surpasses any Jesus has found in Israel, just imagine what that portends for the gospel message which will be sent out to all of the world.  One aspect of this man's faith is -- almost surprising in and of itself -- his understanding of authority and how it works.  Let us note here that Jesus' most persistent accusation and questioning will be over His authority to do the things He does.  He teaches with authority.  When He cleanses the temple in Jerusalem, the first question the religious leaders will bring to Him is the demand to know from where He got the authority to do so, and who gave that authority to Him.  But this man of authority, the centurion (who is a captain or commander over one hundred Roman soldiers) fully invests himself with unquestioned faith in Jesus' authority.  He has no problem giving over his trust entirely, perhaps even instinctively, to Jesus and Jesus' ability to command with authority.  Perhaps we're to understand that a man of authority, rank, and hierarchy in a chain of command like this centurion can recognize the same in Christ.  The centurion serves the emperor, and has a chain of command below and above himself; so he seems to automatically assume Christ has as well.  And this kind of almost instinctive trust is one aspect of faith.  The other qualities that make the centurion a remarkable man are also indispensable for Christian faith and the living of our faith:  he is compassionate, he loves God and God's people, and he is humble.  He has the humility of a man who understands authority and rank, and does not hesitate to put trust in another's authority whom he recognizes.  In the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark, Jesus will teach the apostles about the use of power in the Church by citing for negative contrast the example of the Gentiles.  Jesus teaches, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:25-28; see also Mark 10:42-45).  Therefore, the example of this centurion, which is based so primarily upon his understanding and recognition of authority, is that much more remarkable.  For this Gentile Roman is cited as a splendid example of one who uses authority well and properly and in service to what is great faith in the sight of Jesus Christ.  Let us consider today what constitutes authority and its proper use, for here we have a great example as provided for us in the Gospels.  His respect for faith, his love of God, his service to God's people, his proper humility, and especially his recognition of Christ's authority -- all of these things turn for us this representative of the hated Roman occupiers and their military might into a splendid example of a Christian soldier, and one to make even Jesus marvel.   Let us consider what he is so willing to serve, and how he serves. 

 

 

 

Loose him, and let him go

The Raising of Lazarus.  12th century, St. Katherine's Monastery, Mt. Sinai

 

 And when she had said these things, se went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, "The Teacher has come and is calling for you."  As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him.  Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met Him.  Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, "She is going to the tomb to weep there."  

 

Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died."  Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled.  And He said, "Where have you laid him?"  They said to Him, "Lord, come and see."  Jesus wept.  Then the Jews said, "See how He loved him!"  And some of them said, "Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?"  

Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb.  It was a cave, and a stone lay against it.  Jesus said, "Take away the stone."  Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, "Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days."  Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?"  

 

Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying.  And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.  And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me."  

 

Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!"  And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth.  Jesus said to them, "Loose him, and let him go."

 

- John 11:28-44 

 

Yesterday we read that a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.  It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.  Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, "Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick."  When Jesus heard that, He said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it."  Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.  So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was.  Then after this He said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again."  The disciples said to Him, "Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?"  Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day?  If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.  But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him."  These things He said, and after that He said to them, "Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up."   Then His disciples said, "Lord, if he sleeps he will get well."  However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep.  Then Jesus said to them plainly, "Lazarus is dead.  And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe.  Nevertheless let us go to him."  Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with Him."   So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days.  Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away.  And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.  Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house.  Now Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.  But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You."  Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."  Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day."  Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.  And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.  Do you believe this?"  She said to Him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world."

 

  And when she had said these things, se went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, "The Teacher has come and is calling for you."  As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him.  Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met Him.  Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, "She is going to the tomb to weep there."   Once again, we observe here the difference between these two sisters.  In yesterday's reading (above) we observed Martha, one more inclined to active service, and her efforts at hospitality (similarly to the story found at Luke 10:38-42), as she greeted Jesus while He was still on the road approaching their home, while Mary remained in mourning, in the traditional posture inside the home.  Now that Mary is called by the Teacher, Jesus, she arose quickly and came to Him.  The Jews who were with her in the house are those who have come from Jerusalem and have some connection with the ruling classes of the temple.  They likely reflect that Martha, Mary, and Lazarus are from a prominent family.  

Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died."  Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled.  And He said, "Where have you laid him?"  They said to Him, "Lord, come and see."  Jesus wept.  Then the Jews said, "See how He loved him!"  And some of them said, "Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?"  Here Mary approaches Christ with the identical words used by her sister Martha (see yesterday's reading, above).  While Jesus engaged Martha with words, my study Bible notes, here in today's reading He engages Mary with deeds -- the raising of her brother from the dead.  John emphasizes that Jesus wept and groaned in the spirit.  These show that Christ had fully taken on human nature, and that He was subject to grief as any human being would be.  Weeping, my study Bible says, is the natural human response to the tragedy of death.  Today is Lazarus Saturday, and in the Compline service in the Orthodox Church, it is sung, "Shedding tears by Your own choice, You have given us proof of Your heartfelt love."

 

 Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb.  It was a cave, and a stone lay against it.  Jesus said, "Take away the stone."  Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, "Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days."  Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?"  Although Martha's faith had increased, she still understood neither Christ's will nor His power, my study Bible comments.  The spices and oils used to anoint a dead body would only hold the stench of decomposition at bay for a short time.  In many icons of the raising of Lazarus one can observe bystanders depicted covering their noses, which illustrates both the reality of Lazarus' corrupted flesh and the fact that many did not believe that Christ could raise the dead.

 

 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying.  And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.  And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me."  To show that His divine will is one with the Father's, my study Bible says, and that His human will was freely subject in every way to the Father's, Christ prays aloud for the sake of the people.  

Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!"   My study Bible notes that Christ calls Lazarus forth, not in the name of God the Father, but by His own authority.  What it shows to the people is that while Christ came from the Father, He fully possesses divine authority in Himself.   This event is a fulfillment of Christ's words from chapter 5, spoken to the religious authorities who questioned Him, "Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation" (John 5:28-29). 

 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth.  Jesus said to them, "Loose him, and let him go."   My study Bible comments that the detail that Lazarus was wrapped in his graveclothes is seen as significant in patristic literature.  Many Church Fathers view this as an indication that Lazarus will need them again, that his resurrection continues an earthly life which will once again end in death.  By contrast, it notes, the Savior's graveclothes would be left in the tomb (John 20:5-7).  Unlike the resurrection of Lazarus, Christ's Resurrection transfigures human nature.  Jesus will never die again.  My study Bible further comments that this sign not only prepared the disciples to believe in Christ's Resurrection, but in the words of the hymn for the day, it also "confirmed the universal resurrection," proving Christ has the power to fulfill the promise given to Ezekiel that all the dead will one day rise again (Ezekiel 37:1-13). 

 

 It seems that we don't get a proper sense of the significance of Christ's power without the awe that would accompany this scene, of Lazarus walking out of the tomb in his graveclothes, four days dead, and even smelling of death as well.  Awe may combine vast respect, admiration, fear, wonder, and even terror, and it seems that this event would combine all of those things for the people who witnessed it.  Awe is a product of exposure to something incomprehensible, outside of our realm of experience, unexpected, and belonging to something much greater than ourselves and our lives.  When Jesus says, "I am the resurrection and the life" in yesterday's reading (above), it is easy to take His words, as they have become familiar to us, as statements declaring an identity for Christ in an intellectually descriptive way.  But in this scene of the raising of Lazarus from the dead, we find the discernible elements of just how astounding -- and perhaps terrifying -- those words really are.  For they imply a kind of power that none of us can imagine nor encompass, but are clearly signs of the miraculous and the presence of God -- something much greater than we are or our experience can hold.  We don't have this power, much as we would like to believe that perhaps medical science can provide it to us.  For the people who are mourning with Martha and Mary, one can only imagine the impact of this experience as witnesses, and what a story they have to tell in Jerusalem.  Such is the visceral power of this scene that we have seen it used by others in novels and movies of the horror genre over and over again.  The story of Frankenstein draws on similar motifs of the dead walking again, bodies coming out of the grave and given life.  Inspired by archaeological interest in Egyptian tombs of the past century, films have given us stories of Egyptian mummies walking out of their tombs still wrapped in the bandages of graveclothes -- thus drawing upon this timeless text in John's Gospel, which does not fail to hit its mark and make its impact.  As my study Bible points out, Jesus responds to His friend Mary with action, a demonstration of the power of His identity as the resurrection and the life, as He told Martha in yesterday's reading, above.  Perhaps especially for those of us who have lost loved ones, this story touches upon the terrible mystery of death.  It should open up for us the importance of prayer for those who have passed as we consider that it is only our prayers which can reach into that mystery.  For it is Christ alone who has this power, who will release the captives of death and set the prisoners free; only Christ who has this power of life and death and judgment and resurrection.  When Jesus says about Lazarus, "Loose him, and let him go," we can also hear these words as the ones He will say in the realm of the dead, and for all the dead.  For, as we know, judgment is also about the power of resurrection, which we may note as we revisit His words from chapter 5:  "Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation" (John 5:28-29).  To Christ who has solely been entrusted with this power, we may pray for our loved ones and all who have passed, with a reverence that is appropriate to this image of resurrection in today's reading.  For, as He hears the pleas of Martha and Mary, and experiences so deeply their love and their loss, so He is the one who can also hear ours.

 

 

 

Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God?

 

 Then they sent to Him some of the Pharisees and the Herodians, to catch Him in His words.  When they had come, they said to Him, "Teacher, we know that You are true, and care about no one; for You do not regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth.  Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?  Shall we pay, or shall we not pay?"  But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, "Why do you test Me?  Bring Me a denarius that I may see it."  So they brought it.  And He said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?"  They said to Him, "Caesar's."  And Jesus answered and said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."  And they marveled at Him.  

Then some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him; and they asked Him, saying:  "Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man's brother dies, and leaves his wife behind, and leaves no children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.  Now there were seven brothers.  The first took a wife; and dying, he left no offspring.  And the second took her, and he died; nor did he leave any offspring.  And the third likewise.  So the seven had her and left no offspring.  Last of all the woman died also.  Therefore, in the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be?  For all seven had her as wife."  Jesus answered and said to them, "Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God?  For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.  But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the burning bush passage, how God spoke to him, saying, "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'?  He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living.  You are therefore greatly mistaken."

 

- Mark 12:13–27 

 

Yesterday we read that, after the cleansing of the temple, Jesus and the disciples came again to Jerusalem.  And as He was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to Him.  And they said to Him, "By what authority are You doing these things?  And who gave You this authority to do these things?"  But Jesus answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one question; then answer Me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things:  The baptism of John -- was it from heaven or from men?  Answer Me."  And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?'  But if we say, 'From men'" -- they feared the people, for all counted John to have been a prophet indeed.  So they answered and said to Jesus, "We do not know."  And Jesus answered and said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."  Then He began to speak to them in parables:  "A man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat and built a tower.  And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country.  Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vinedressers.  And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed.  Again he sent them another servant, and at him they threw stones, wounded him in the heard, and sent him away shamefully treated.  And again he sent another, and him they killed; and many others, beating some and killing some.  Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to them last, saying, 'They will respect my son.'  But those vinedressers said among themselves, 'This is the heir.  Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.'  So they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard.  Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do?  He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others.  Have you not even read this Scripture:  'The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.  This was the LORD's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?" And they sought to lay hands on Him,  but feared the multitude, for they knew He had spoken the parable against them.  So they left Him and went away.  

 

  Then they sent to Him some of the Pharisees and the Herodians, to catch Him in His words.  When they had come, they said to Him, "Teacher, we know that You are true, and care about no one; for You do not regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth.  Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?  Shall we pay, or shall we not pay?"  But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, "Why do you test Me?  Bring Me a denarius that I may see it."  So they brought it.  And He said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?"  They said to Him, "Caesar's."  And Jesus answered and said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."  And they marveled at Him.  My study Bible tells us that the Herodians were Jewish political supporters of the ruling house of Herod the Great and therefore willing servants of Rome.  Here they collaborate with the Pharisees to trap Jesus in His words.  A "yes" answer to this question on taxation would turn the Jewish people again Him, while a "no" could bring a charge of treason by the Romans.  My study Bible comments that Jesus defeats their cunning and shows that a believer can render the state its due while serving God (Romans 13:1-7).  As the coin bears the image of the emperor and is properly paid to him, it explains, so each person bears the image of God and therefore belongs to God.  Conflict arises only when the state demands that which is contrary to God.  

Then some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him; and they asked Him, saying:  "Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man's brother dies, and leaves his wife behind, and leaves no children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.  Now there were seven brothers.  The first took a wife; and dying, he left no offspring.  And the second took her, and he died; nor did he leave any offspring.  And the third likewise.  So the seven had her and left no offspring.  Last of all the woman died also.  Therefore, in the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be?  For all seven had her as wife."  Jesus answered and said to them, "Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God?  For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.  But concerning the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the burning bush passage, how God spoke to him, saying, "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'?  He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living.  You are therefore greatly mistaken."   My study Bible explains that the Sadducees represent landowners and other wealthy families in Jerusalem.  They held many high offices in Israel, and controlled the temple and the Sanhedrin.  They differed from the Pharisees in that they were political prudent and had adapted to the presence of the Romans.  Additionally, they interpreted the law even more rigidly than the Pharisees.  Also unlike the Pharisees, they rejected belief in angels and in the resurrection from the dead at the end of the age.  After the destruction of Jerusalem, the Sadducees completely disappeared.  Jesus explains clearly that there will be a resurrection, but it will be something quite different from what the Sadducees imagine.  They think the resurrection will be a continuation of earthly life, including earthly marriage, and so they mock the idea with an absurd scenario.  But, as Jesus says, they are ignorant of the Scriptures and they don't know the power of God.  The Scriptures, understood correctly, reveal a complete transfiguration of life in the resurrection, and make their question irrelevant.  Moreover, they don't understand how Abraham and his sons can live in God even if they're physically dead.  My study Bible declares that it's the clear teaching of Christ that the souls of the faithful who have departed this life are sustained before the face of God in anticipation of the final joy of the resurrection.

 

 Jesus tells the Sadducees, "Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God?"  The Sadducees were a party of people for whom there were only the first five books of the Scriptures, the Torah or Law of Moses, also called the Pentateuch.  But we can read into Christ's words the understanding that regardless of their limitation with regard to what Scriptures they accepted, they also did not know how to properly interpret the Scripture they had, and this is linked to His statement that they did not know the power of God.  If we don't understand the power of God, even if we don't consider grace, and the power of the Holy Spirit, how can we understand the Scriptures or learn how to read what is in them?  Jesus is telling us all quite clearly that without knowing the power of God we can't really understand what's in the Scriptures for us, for there is so much more than the letters on the page, and so much that needs to be seen with the eyes of spiritual perception (called nous in the Orthodox tradition).  This is why a prayerful reading of Scripture is always what we need, and a prayerful orientation to what we read is the way we should approach everything we read.  In my Orthodox Study Bible, from which I quote in the notes I include with the text of the daily reading, all of the commentary is compiled from those throughout the centuries -- many of them saints -- who devoted themselves to prayer and Scripture throughout their entire lives.  It is those who consecrated themselves to such a way of life whose words we trust to help us to understand Christ, for it is in the quest for that life of grace and holiness He made possible that their understanding has been given to us, and as a gift of the Holy Spirit to the entire Church.  Let us all consider how deepening our prayer and our understanding go hand in hand, for this is where our lives can be centered in trust.  It is, indeed, part of the power of God to open our eyes to what is there, and to what more we may well need to see in faith.  

 

Do not weep

 

 Now when He concluded all His sayings 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."  Then 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. 

 

- Luke 7:1–17 

 

Yesterday we read the final reading in the Sermon on the Mount.  Jesus told a parable:  "Can the blind lead the blind?  Will they not both fall into the ditch?  A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.  And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not perceive the plank in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the plank that is in your own eye?  Hypocrite!  First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck that is in your brother's eye.  For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.  For every tree is known by its own fruit.  For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil.  For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.  But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do the things which I say?  Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like:  He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock.  And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock.  But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell.  And the ruin of that house was great." 

 Now when He concluded all His sayings 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."  Then 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.  My study Bible comments that this centurion, who is a Roman Gentile, is unusual in his devotion to the Jews.  It's important to note his characteristics:  he has compassion, a love for God and God's people, humility, and also great faith. 

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.   This is one of three resurrections performed by Jesus that are recorded in the Gospels.  See also Luke 8:41-56; John 11:1-44.  My study Bible suggests that they 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).   It notes that there are may who have exercised authority over the living.  But only the Son of God "has power over both the living and the dead" (quoting from the Orthodox funeral service).  While Christ has power even through His word alone (John 11:43), here He also touched the coffin, which shows that His very body is life-giving.  Moreover, this event prefigures His own Resurrection.  My study Bible notes the commentary of St. Ambrose of Milan, who writes that as Mary would weep for Jesus at the Cross, yet her tears would be turned to joy by the Resurrection, here a widow's only son is raised form the dead, which puts an end to her weeping.  

In the two stories coupled in today's reading, Jesus restores to two people a person who is dear to them, a beloved one.  In the case of the first story, that of the centurion, what we're told is that this is a man of authority who clearly recognizes the authority in Jesus.  The centurion's servant, we're told, was dear to him.  The word translated as dear has as its root a word that means "honor."  That is, the servant is highly honored, valued, precious to the centurion.  In modern Greek usage, it has come to mean trustworthy, another important aspect of what it is to be a valued and precious servant.  The centurion clearly does not want to lose him.   Let's note that the centurion himself is also valued in the community, and considered honorable and trustworthy by the people, who praise that he is "deserving, for he loves our nation, and has built us a synagogue."  In turn, he trusts in Christ, clearly having faith in the authority apparent to him in Christ.  Jesus says, "I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!"  We remember that the word for faith has at its root the word for "trust."  These are important things to observe and understand about the centurion, and a key to how Christ views our own faith.  How do we view Christ's authority?  Do we trust in it?  The second story is about the woman called the widow of Nain.  This story appears only in Luke's Gospel.  In this case, the person at the center of the story is as far away from the centurion in terms of social status and power as one could get.  She is a widow, and not only is she a widow, but she has lost her only son, the sole source of her support in the world.  The crowd is with her, presumably mourning, and Christ is -- as He is many times in the Gospels -- moved with compassion for her.  He tells her, "Do not weep."   These actions are also found in echoes in the story of the raising of Lazarus (John 11:1-44); Jesus is moved by this weeping woman, He has compassion for her, and seeks to comfort and take away her weeping.  Notice the tender movement in this healing, almost understanding:  rather than healing from a distance or merely with a word, Jesus first came and touched the open coffin,  and only then did He give a command, "Young man, I say to you, arise."  And the sound of Christ's voice and command is truly a scene that reminds us of the ultimate, universal resurrection, when this young man sits up and begins to speak.  So we have both the universally astonishing -- and yet the tender also -- in this resurrection story, for of course, the widow has back her precious son, a deeply intimate joy.   Each one rewarded in the particular way he and she are found by Christ.  In Psalm 18, we read:  "With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful; with a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless; With the pure You will show Yourself pure; and with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd. For You will save the humble people, but will bring down haughty looks."   With the authoritative, He is authority; with the tender, he is merciful; but in each case restoring life and giving what is precious back to one who loves and who mourns.  "Do not weep," Jesus says to the widow of Nain.  In so doing, He gives us all cause for joy, and the recognition of His authority of life over death.