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Fr George's Letter

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Written by: Fr George

 

HEALING ON THE SABBATH.

 

 

“The virtues build a new person radiating love to the world.”

(Metropolitan Paul (Yazigi) of Aleppo who consecrated our temple.)

 

“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”  

                                                                                                     (Hebrews 4:15-16)

 

“Do not be offended if anyone speaks or behaves insincerely to you, for do you yourself always speak and behave sincerely with others? Are you not often hypocritical? Do you always converse sincerely, not hypocritically, with God in prayer! Do not your lips often pronounce words of truth, while your heart lies? Do you walk before God in sincerity, in simplicity? If you yourself are not right before God and men, if you are often false, hypocritical, then do not be angry if others behave insincerely, hypocritically towards you. “Wherewithal a man sinneth, by the same also shall he be punished.  (Wisdom of Sirach 11:16). Be indulgent to others in that in which you yourself sin.” (St. John of Kronstadt, “My Life in Christ.”)

 

“Perhaps we’ve all done a little too much talking about converts --- the pitfalls into which they fall are really the same ones that any believer can and does fall into!” (Fr. Seraphim Rose)

 

SUNDAY 7^th DECEMBER.   St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan (397). St. Gregory, Founder of Grigoriou Monastery (Mt. Athos 14^th). Translation of the relics of St. Philothea the New to Curtea de Arges (14^th). St. Nilus of Stolbensk Lake (1554). St. Anthony, Abbot of Siya (Novgorod 1556).

 

TODAY’S GOSPEL. Luke 13:10-17. “Now He was teaching in of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman you are loosed from your infirmity.” And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and he said to the crowd, “There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed them and not on the Sabbath day.” The Lord then answered him and said, “Hypocrite! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it away to water it? So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound---think of it---for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?” And when He said these things, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the multitude rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by Him.”

 

What presence must Jesus have exhibited as He was teaching in the synagogue, remembering that in the Gospels He is often referred to as “Rabbi”, which literally translates as “my teacher” or “my master”. It was a title of respect for one being knowledgeable about the Jewish scriptures, traditions and religious laws. Christ’s presence, however, transcends the mere observance of religious laws and rules, He is the embodiment and consummation of them all. He is the Incarnate God whose words we listen to and hang on to and, if faithful enough, act on.

In the Gospel account for today we hear His words but, more importantly, we see His actions.... “And He laid His hands on her.....” He spoke the words but also touched the woman who was straight away restored from being bent double to standing upright after eighteen years of being disabled. We would expect the people in the synagogue to be thrilled at such an event and if they were, the man in charge of that particular place of devotion to God was keen to put things right. Jewish rules restrict work on the Sabbath, a rule observant Jews keep today. The man did not directly attack Jesus but proclaimed that those seeking healing should do so on the other six days of the week. The woman just came to the synagogue as usual; it was Christ who called her to Him, an even more unusual event as men and women were strictly segregated.

“Hypocrite!”, the word cuts like a knife to the very heart of what it is to be faithful to the Living God. We may be very observant as Orthodox Christians, observing all the rules and regulations of the Church, forgetting that our compassion and love towards others is our first calling as shown by Christ Himself in the Gospels. Yes, we need our rules to protect the proclamation of the Gospels and the validity of our faith; but we must never forget that the words of Jesus to the ruler of the synagogue may be applied to us. Let our actions speak louder than words and our love be more than empty echoes and our touch be for healing. Beloved of God let us listen to and act on His words as He wants us to and not let the cold hand of certainty that we may find in church law, extinguish the warmth of the Holy Spirit that fills our churches and enables us to aspire to be like Him, who we will soon welcome on the Feast of the Nativity. Let us pray that in all our joy we may not hear the word “Hypocrite!” directed against us.

 

                                                                                                           Much Love,

 

                                                                                                           Fr. George.   

Please continue to pray for peace in the world and for all those suffering from the many afflictions and pain with which we are burdened and that Christ's healing hand may rest upon them.​