15th Sunday after Pentecost (15/28Sept)

[Mary Kissel]

The 15th Sunday after Pentecost (15/28 Sept.)



Matins Gospel reading:

Lk 24:1-12 Now on the first day of the week, at deep dawn, they came to the sepulcher, bringing aromatic spices which they prepared; and certain other women came with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulcher. And they entered and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were perplexed about this, indeed, behold, two men also stood by them in shining raiment. And when they became frightened and turned aside their faces to the ground, they said to them, "Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but was raised. Remember how He spoke to you when He was yet in Galilee, saying, 'It is necessary for the Son of Man to be delivered up into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day to rise.'" And they remembered His words. And they returned from the sepulcher and related all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. And there were Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of Iakovos, and the rest of the women with them, who were telling these things to the apostles. And their words seemed as nonsense before them, and they kept on disbelieving them. But Peter arose and ran to the sepulcher; and having stooped to look, he saw the linen cloths lying alone, and departed to his home, wondering at that which had come to pass.

Liturgy Gospel and Epistle readings:

Gal 2:16-20 "Knowing then that a man is not being justified by the works of the law, except through faith in Jesus Christ, even we believed in Christ Jesus, in order that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. But if, while we sought to be justified in Christ, we ourselves also were found sinners, is then Christ a minister of sin? May it not be! For if I build again these things which I destroyed, I constitute myself a transgressor. For I through the law died to the law, in order that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; and I no longer live, but Christ liveth in me; and the life that I now live in the flesh I live in faith, in that of the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me."

2 Cor 4:6-15 Because it is God Who said, "Let there be light" to shine out of darkness, Who shined in our hearts, for the illumination of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the preeminence of the power may be of God, and not from us. In every way we are afflicted, but not straitened; we are at a loss, but not utterly at a loss; persecuted, but not abandoned; cast down, but not destroyed--always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we, the living are always being delivered to death on account of Jesus, that also the life of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So that indeed death energizeth itself in us, but life in you. But having the same spirit of faith, according to that which hath been written: "I believed, wherefore I spoke," we also believe, and therefore speak, knowing that the One Who raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also through Jesus, and shall present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that the grace, which abounded through the majority, might cause the giving of thanks to abound more to the glory of God.

Mk 8:34-9:1 And having called to Himself the crowd with His disciples, He said to them, "Whosoever is willing to follow after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and keep on following Me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever will lose his life on account of Me and of the Gospel, this same one shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he should gain the whole world, and lose his soul? Or what shall a man give as an exchange for his soul? For whosoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this generation, the adulterous and sinful one, also the Son of Man shall be ashamed of him, whenever He should come in the glory of His Father with the holy angels." And He was saying to them, "Verily I say to you, that there are some of those standing here who in no wise shall taste of death, until they see the kingdom of God having come in power."

Mt 22:35-46 And one of them, a doctor of the law, questioned Him, putting Him to the test, and saying, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" And Jesus said to him, "'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it, 'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.' On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." But while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus questioned them, saying, "What think ye concerning the Christ? Whose Son is He?" They say to Him, "David's" He saith to them, "How then doth David in spirit call Him 'Lord', saying, " ' The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit Thou on My right, until I should place Thine enemies as a footstool of Thy feet."' "If David then calleth Him 'Lord', how is He his Son?" And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day to question Him anymore.

[Mary Kissel]

I'm sorry it's taken me so long to post the Scripture readings for this coming Sunday (15/28) as many of you probably know, I've been visiting with my Grandfather in the hospital the past few days, that's why it's been late. I will have the Bible quotes from the ONT up later tonight or else by tomorrow night. Again I appologize.

[尼古拉前执事]

15th Sunday after Pentecost - Master, Which is the Great Commandment?

Matthew 22: 35-46

From The Explanation of the Gospel of St. Matthew
by Blessed Theophylact, Archbishop of Ochrid and Bulgaria

34-40. But when the Pharisees had heard that He had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Out of immeasurable spite this man comes forward to put the Lord to the test. For when they saw the Sadducees put to shame and the Lord praised for His wisdom, they came forward to test Him to see if He would add something to the first commandment, and thus give them the chance to accuse Him of being an innovator who corrects the law. But the Lord discloses their malice, and because they came not to learn, but rather, devoid of love, to show their envy and their spite, He reveals to them the exceedingly great love expressed by the commandments. And He teaches that we ought not to love God partially, but to give all of ourselves to God. For we perceive these three distinctions of the human soul: the vegetative, the animal, and the rational. When the soul grows and is nourished and begets what is like unto it, it resembles the plants; when it experiences anger or desire, it is like the animals; when it understands, it is called rational. See, then, how these three facets are indicated here. Thou shalt love thy God with all thy heart--this is the animal part of a man; and with all thy soul [orlife]--this is the vegetative part of a man, for plants are alive and animate; and with all thy mind--this is the rational. So one must love God with all one's soul, that is, attend to Him with all the parts and powers of one's soul. This is the first and great commandment, training us in piety. The second is like unto it, exhorting us to do to other men what is just and right. For there are two things which lead to perdition, evil doctrines and a corrupt life. Lest we fall into unholy doctrines, we must love God; so that we do not lead a corrupt life, we must love our neighbor. [Levit. 19:18] For he who loves his neighbor fulfills all the commandments, and he who fulfills all the commandments, loves God. So by means of each other these two commandments are welded together and united, containing within themselves all the other commandments. Who is it that loves God and his neighbor, but also steals, or bears grudges, or commits adultery, or murders, or fornicates? This lawyer, then, at the onset came to test Him but then, hearing Christ's answer, he amended his ways, and the Lord praised him, as Mark also says that Jesus looked at him with love, and said, Thou art not far from the kingdom of heaven. [Mk. 12:34]

41-46. While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, What think ye of Christ? Whose son is He? They say unto Him, The son of David. He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call Him Lord, saying, the Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou on My right hand, till I make Thine enemies the footstool of Thy feet? If David then call Him Lord, how is He his son? And no man was able to answer Him a word, neither dared any man from that day forth ask Him any more questions. Since they thought He was a mere man, He overturns their belief and by means of the prophecy of David [Ps. 109:1] teaches the truth, that He is also the Lord, proclaiming His own divinity. For when the Pharisees said that the Christ was the son of David, that is, a mere man, He says, How then does David name Him Lord, and he does not simply name Him Lord, but in spirit, that is, as revealed to him by the grace of the Spirit? He does not say this to deny that He is the son of David, but to show that He is not a mere man, descended only from the Davidic seed. The Lord asks these questions so that if they would answer, "We do not know," they might ask and learn; or if they would answer the truth, that they might believe; or if they could not answer, that they might be put to shame and leave, no longer daring to interrogate Him.

[Justin Kissel]

Patristics

Lk. 24:1-12
Tertullian, Against Marcion, 43

Mk. 8:34-9:1
If you wish to be the Lord's disciple, it is necessary you "take your cross, and follow the Lord: " (Mk. 8:34) your cross; that is, your own straits and tortures, or your body only, which is after the manner of a cross. - Tertullian, On Idolatry, 12

When they came voluntarily to the Capitol,-when they freely approached to the obedience of the terrible wickedness,-did not their tread falter? Did not their sight darken, their heart tremble, their arms fall helplessly down? Did not their senses fail, their tongue cleave to their mouth, their speech grow weak? Could the servant of God stand there, and speak and renounce Christ, when he had already renounced the devil and the world? Was not that altar, whither he drew near to perish, to him a funeral pile? Ought he not to shudder at and flee from the devil's altar, which he had seen to smoke, and to be redolent of a foul rector, as if it were the funeral and sepulchre of his life? Why bring with you, O wretched man, a sacrifice? why immolate a victim? You yourself have come to the altar an offering; you yourself have come a victim: there you have immolated your salvation, your hope; there you have burnt up your faith in those deadly fires. - Saint Cyprian, On the Lapsed

But the discipline of all religion and truth is overturned, unless what is spiritually prescribed be faithfully observed; unless indeed any one should fear in the morning sacrifices, lest by the taste of wine he should be redolent of the blood of Christ. Therefore thus the brotherhood is beginning even to be kept back from the passion of Christ in persecutions, by learning in the offerings to be disturbed concerning His blood and His blood-shedding. Moreover, however, the Lord says in the Gospel, "Whosoever shall be ashamed of me, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed." (Mk. 8:38 ) And the apostle also speaks, saying, "If I pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ." (Gal. 1:10) But how can we shed our blood for Christ, who blush to drink the blood of Christ? - Saint Cyprian, Epistle 62, 15

Teacher of the Latin Church, Thomas Aquinas, Catena Aurea, Gospel of Mark, Chapter 8

Mt 22:35-46
Saint John Chrysostom, Homily 71 on Matthew

For [God] sets before every race of mankind that which is always and universally just, as well as all righteousness; and every race knows that adultery, and fornication, and homicide, and such like, are sinful; and though they all commit such practices, yet they do not escape from the knowledge that they act unrighteously whenever they so do, with the exception of those who are possessed with an unclean spirit, and who have been debased by education, by wicked customs, and by sinful institutions, and who have lost, or rather quenched and put under, their natural ideas. For we may see that such persons are unwilling to submit to the same things which they inflict upon others, and reproach each other with hostile consciences for the acts which they perpetrate. And hence I think that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ spoke well when He summed up all righteousness and piety in two commandments. They are these: `Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy strength, and thy neighbour as thyself.' (Matt. 22:37) For the man who loves God with all the heart, and with all the strength, being filled with a God-fearing mind, will reverence no other god; and since God wishes it, he would reverence that angel who is beloved by the same Lord and God. And the man who loves his neighbour as himself will wish for him the same good things that he wishes for himself, and no man will wish evil things for himself. Accordingly, he who loves his neighbour would pray and labour that his neighbour may be possessed of the same benefits as himself. Now nothing else is neighbour to man than that similarly-affectioned and reasonable being-man. Therefore, since all righteousness is divided into two branches, namely, in so far as it regards God and men, whoever, says the Scripture, loves the Lord God with all the heart, and all the strength, and his neighbour as himself, would be truly a righteous man. - Saint Justin the Philosopher, Dialogue With Trypho, 93

For when the Word of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, came unto all, and gathering alike the learned and unlearned, published to every sex and every age the precepts of salvation He made a large compendium of His precepts, that the memory of the scholars might not be burdened in the celestial learning, but might quickly learn what was necessary to a simple faith. Thus, when He taught what is life eternal, He embraced the sacrament of life in a large and divine brevity, saying, "And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only and true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent." (Jn. 17:3) Also, when He would gather from the law and the prophets the first and greatest commandments, He said, "Hear, O Israel; the Lord thy God is one God: and thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. This is the first commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." (Matt. 12:29-31) "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (Matt. 22:40) And again: "Whatsoever good things ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so to them. For this is the law and the prophets." (Matt. 7:12) - Saint Cyprian, On the Lord's Prayer, 28

There ought also to be no contentions and emulations among you, since the Lord left to us His peace, and it is written, "Thou shall love thy neighbour as thyself." (Lev. 19:18 ) "But if ye bite and find fault with one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another." (Matt. 22:39) From abuse and revilings also I entreat you to abstain, for "revilers do not attain the kingdom of God; " (Gal. 5:15) and the tongue which has confessed Christ should be preserved sound and pure with its honour. For he who, according to Christ's precept, speaks things peaceable and good and just, daily confesses Christ. We had renounced the world when we were baptized; but we have now indeed renounced the world when tried and approved by God, we leave all that we have, and have followed the Lord, and stand and live in His faith and fear. - Saint Cyprian, Epistle 6

For in the beginning of the world He gave to Adam himself and Eve a law, that they were not to eat of the fruit of the tree planted in the midst of paradise; but that, if they did contrariwise, by death they were to die. (Gen. 2:16-17; 3:2-3) Which law had continued enough for them, had it been kept. For in this law given to Adam we recognise in embryo all the precepts which afterwards sprouted forth when given through Moses; that is, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God from thy whole heart and out of thy whole soul; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself; (Deut. 6:4-5; Lev. 19:18; cf Matt. 22:34-40; Mark 12:28-34; Lk. 10:25-28 ) Thou shalt not kill; Thou shall not commit adultery; Thou shalt not steal; False witness thou shall not utter; Honour thy father and mother; and, That which is another's, shall thou not covet. For the primordial law was given to Adam and Eve in paradise, as the womb of all the precepts of God. In short, if they had loved the Lord their God, they would not have contravened His precept; if they had habitually loved their neighbour-that is, themselves -they would not have believed the persuasion of the serpent, and thus would not have committed murder upon themselves, by falling from immortality, by contravening God's precept; from theft also they would have abstained, if they had not stealthily tasted of the fruit of the tree, nor had been anxious to skulk beneath a tree to escape the view of the Lord their God; nor would they have been made partners with the falsehood-asseverating devil, by believing him that they would be "like God; "and thus they would not have offended God either, as their Father, who had fashioned them from clay of the earth, as out of the womb of a mother; if they had not coveted another's, they would not have tasted of the unlawful fruit. - Tertullian, Adversus Judaeos, 2

For the chief points are faith towards God, hope towards Christ, the enjoyment of those good things for which we look, and love towards God and our neighbour. For, "Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and thy neighbour as thyself." (Deut. 6:5) And the Lord says, "This is life eternal, to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent." (Jn. 17:31) And again, "A new commandment give I unto you, that ye love one another. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (Jn. 13:34; Matt. 22:40) - Pseudo-Ignatius, Epistle to the Smyrneans, 6

Behold again: Jesus who was manifested, both by type and in the flesh, (cf 1 Tim. 3:16) is not the Son of man, but the Son of God. Since, therefore, they were to say that Christ was the son of David, fearing and understanding the error of the wicked, he saith, "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool." (Ps. 110:1; Matt. 22:43-45) And again, thus saith Isaiah, "The Lord said to Christ, my Lord, whose right hand I have holden, that the nations should yield obedience before Him; and I will break in pieces the strength of kings." (Is. 45:1) Behold how David calleth Him Lord and the Son of God. - Epistle of (Pseudo-)Barnabas, 12

Teacher of the Latin Church, Thomas Aquinas, Catena Aurea, Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 22

Gal 2:16-20
Saint John Chrysostom, Commentary on Galatians, Chapter 2

Now the works of Satan are all sin, which also thou must renounce;—just as one who has escaped a tyrant has surely escaped his weapons also. All sin therefore, of every kind, is included in the works of the devil. Only know this; that all that thou sayest, especially at that most thrilling hour, is written in God’s books; when therefore thou doest any thing contrary to these promises, thou shalt be judged as a transgressor (cf Gal. 2:18 ). Thou renouncest therefore the works of Satan; I mean, all deeds and thoughts which are contrary to reason. - Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures, 19, 5

I no longer wish to live after the manner of men, and my desire shall be fulfilled if ye consent. Be ye willing, then, that ye also may have your desires fulfilled. I entreat you in this brief letter; do ye give credit to me. Jesus Christ will reveal these things to you, [so that ye shall know] that I speak truly. He is the mouth altogether free from falsehood, by which the Father has truly spoken. Pray ye for me, that I may attain [the object of my desire]. I have not written to you according to the flesh, but according to the will of God. If I shall suffer, ye have wished [well] to me; but if I am rejected, ye have hated me. I no longer wish to live after the manner of men, and my desire shall be fulfilled if ye consent. "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet no longer I, since Christ liveth in me." (Gal. 2:20) - Pseudo-Ignatius, Epistle to the Romans, 8

2 Cor. 4:6-15
Saint John Chrysostom, Homilies on Second Corinthians: (Homily 8) (Homily 9)

This Christ, when He was come, the Jews denied, but the devils confessed. But His forefather David was not ignorant of Him, when he said, I have ordained a lamp for mine Anointed (Ps. 132:17): which lamp some have interpreted to be the brightness of Prophecy (2 Pet. 1:19), others the flesh which He took upon Him from the Virgin, according to the Apostle’s word, But we have this treasure in earthen vessels (2 Cor. 4:7). The Prophet was not ignorant of Him, when He said, and announceth unto men His Christ (Amos 4:13). Moses also knew Him, Isaiah knew Him, and Jeremiah; not one of the Prophets was ignorant of Him. Even devils recognised Him, for He rebuked them, and the Scripture says, because they knew that He was Christ (Lk. 4:41). The Chief-priests knew Him not, and the devils confessed Him: the Chief Priests knew Him not, and a woman of Samaria proclaimed Him, saying, Come, see a man which told me all things that ever I did. Is not this the Christ (Jn. 4:29) - Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures, 10

Saint Gregory the Theologian, Oration 2, 52-56

[Justin Kissel]

Now on the first day of the week, at deep dawn, they came to the sepulcher, bringing aromatic spices which they prepared; and certain other women came with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulcher. And they entered and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. - Lk. 24:1-3

In Bede's discussion of the passage he does a bit of allegorizing, so I hope that I won't be faulted for doing the same to some extent. The passage says that they went to the tomb very early on Sunday (Lk. 24:1; cf Jn. 20:1; Matt. 28:1; Mk. 16:1-2), though as Ambrose rightly points out, Jesus was already gone by the time the women came on Sunday (Exposition of the Holy Gospel According to Saint Luke, 10, 150-151). This was more than simple a changing over of the days, however. This was not just another mundane repeating of a cycle: from the last day (Saturday) to the first day (Sunday). This was a "changing over" unlike anything we could possibly imagine with our limited human minds. He who is "the first and the last," (Rev. 1:11) on that day, not only "trampled down death by death," but also took one of the last steps necessary in bridging time and eternity for our sake.

Saint Justin Popovich eloquently expands on this: "Christ God-human, in His Person, bridged that chasm between time and eternity and restored relations between them. For this reason only he who is organically made one with Christ God-human, one with his body, the Church, can be one to feel himself really immortal and know himself in truth to be eternal. Whereby, for man and for humanity, Christ composes the one and only passage and transition from time to eternity: This is why in the Church, the Orthodox Church, Christ became and remained the one and only way and the single guide from the former to the latter, from the sense of one's own mortality to the sense of one's own immortality, from self-awareness of what is transient to self-awareness of what is eternal and without dimension." (Orthodox Faith and Life in Christ, pp. 22-23)

And it came to pass, as they were perplexed about this, indeed, behold, two men also stood by them in shining raiment. And when they became frightened and turned aside their faces to the ground, they said to them, "Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but was raised. Remember how He spoke to you when He was yet in Galilee, saying, 'It is necessary for the Son of Man to be delivered up into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day to rise.'" And they remembered His words. - Lk. 24:4-8

Who were the first to find out the greatest things ever to be found out by humanity? Who were the first to be filled with that all-saving knowledge in all it's fulfilled fulness, which is priceless? Who were the first to experience that which was the greatest event in human history? Was it the Kings or Emperors? The wise men or oracles or high priests? No! But this is obvious, we already know that God loves the humble, and not those with "important positions," so we take such things as these for granted. But what might we say further? What do we answer to the above "who"? Was it one of the 12 apostles so filled with zeal, perhaps Peter or Simon? Perhaps the disciple who rested on our Lord's chest, John? Perhaps one of the other people who seemed to have a special rule in the ministry of Jesus, such as James? No, it was none of these.

It was Mary the sinner: or more correctly, Saint Mary Magdalene, Equal to the Apostles. Luke is somewhat vague as to exact names, only wishing to establish that multiple people witnessed to what had happened. From reading the other Gospels, however, (cf Jn. 20:1-18; Mk. 16:1-9; Matt. 28:1), it becomes clear that Mary Magdalene had a special role (and the other women had a special role as well, though to a lesser extent). Why is this? I could only speculate. One might say though that Mary had fallen far in life, and so her salvation and her love was a much deeper thing. We might say of St. Mary: "Her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much," noting also that "to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little." (Lk. 7:47)

As the Canon of Saint Mary Magdalene says of her: "The Word of the Father rescued you from the wickedness of spirits and made you holy. You became his disciple and have been filled with the gifts of grace of the all-holy spirit." (Ode 1); "You preferred none of the things on earth to the love of Christ God, but wounded by his beauties only and by the bright beams at once sent forth, following in his footsteps, O all-honoured, you cried out: I magnify you, O most merciful." (Ode 9) We might also remember that, so filled with zeal, faith, and love was St. Mary, that she was one of those who was at the crucifixion (cf Jn. 19:25).

And they returned from the sepulcher and related all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. And there were Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of Iakovos, and the rest of the women with them, who were telling these things to the apostles. And their words seemed as nonsense before them, and they kept on disbelieving them. But Peter arose and ran to the sepulcher; and having stooped to look, he saw the linen cloths lying alone, and departed to his home, wondering at that which had come to pass.

The doubt was among the majority, not just the one normally singled out (ie. Thomas). Yet St. Peter, that bucket of cement who was just beginning to harden into the rock he would shortly become, discerned that there was truth in what was being said. And so Peter did find out the truth, following his divindely directed instinct (as he had done similarly in response to Jesus' question in Matt. 16). And so Peter was left after the Resurrection in the same state that the Theotokos was left after the birth of the God-man: "Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart" (Lk. 2:19) From Annunciation (and before) to Ascension (and after), it is all a great mystery which we will never fully comprehend, but which we will always joyfully meditate on. Sometimes things seem like "nonsense" to us, and we do not wish to believe, but all we must do is raise our hearts to God and run to him, and he will show us the truth.

[尼古拉前执事]

In the first, Christ was simply telling people to give up the world for Him. And that failure to do so, because they are embarrassed to not be worldly, is the worst thing we can do for ourselves and other Christians. Many things like modest dress, head coverings, fasting, praying before and after all meals, etc. can make the world look at us funny, but if we do things or avoid or ignore things just because society expects it, we are not serving Him. In the second the Gospel, Jesus once again plainly shows that He indeed was and is and always shall be God. This is why he could be "Son of David" and be bowed down to by David.

[尼古拉前执事]

Anyone else hear/remember a sermon or homily on the Gospel yesterday, or was I the only one?