DYNAMIS!
A publication of St. George Orthodox Christian Cathedral
Wichita, KS
Saturday, January 27, 2007
The Translation of the Relics of John Chrysostom
2nd Vespers Hierarch: Wisdom 9:1-14 Epistle: 2 Timothy 2 11-19 Gospel:
St. Luke 18:2-8
A Prayer for Wisdom: Wisdom
9:1-14 LXX, especially vss. 4, 5: “Give
me the Wisdom that sitteth by Thy throne, and reject me not from among Thy
children, for I am Thy slave and the son of Thy maidservant.” Dear Christian,
think deeply concerning the Lord our God and of your need for “Christ the power
of God and the Wisdom of God” (1 Cor. 1:24). Then, may you conclude with Solomon, “I would not possess
Wisdom unless God gave her to me - and it was a mark of insight to know Whose
gift she was - so I appealed to the Lord and besought Him, and with my whole
heart”(Wis. 8:21). Thus, each one
may make Solomon’s appeal his own.
By embracing this prayer for one’s self, the
Christian affirms, first of all, that the true Source of Wisdom is the “Lord of
mercy” (Wis. 9:1) Who formed us in His image and gave us dominion over His
creation, a rule to be exercised “in equity and righteousness”(vs. 3). Hence, let us agree that we are to
“execute judgment with an upright heart” (vs. 3). The popular myth that we have been given freedom to please
ourselves and be happy is seductive heresy, for True Wisdom Who knows the works
of God and “was present when [He made] the world; and knew what was acceptable
in [God’s] sight and what is right in [His] commandments”(vs. 9) is none other
than the Lord Jesus Christ before Whom we have bowed down “at Baptism as our
King and God,” pleading “Thy will be done” (Mt. 6:10).
Notice that by adopting these words as our own
prayer, we confess that we are slaves of God, His creatures, men who are “weak
and short-lived, with little understanding of judgment and laws” (Wis.
9:5). If this seems a little
far-fetched or extreme, simply recall the difficulty that the governments of
men have in formulating and putting laws into effect that are useful, helpful,
and beneficial to the welfare of their communities, families, and individual
enterprises.
The truth is that we are nothing apart from
“the Wisdom that comes from [God]” (vs. 6); in fact, we are worse than nothing without God. For we become depraved unless we draw
into our hearts and souls the life-giving grace of Christ, the Wisdom of
God. As St. Justin Popovich wrote:
“I would choose any monster before man, because even the most terrifying
monster is less terrifying than man...Oh, I am speaking the truth, I am
speaking from my heart. For man
invented and made sin, death, and hell.
And this is worse than the worst thing, more monstrous than the most
monstrous thing, more terrifying than the most terrifying thing in all my
worlds.”
Solomon’s prayer holds out a wonderful
promise: when we take his prayer on our lips, and acknowledge and commit
ourselves to the work of God’s “royal priesthood” (1 Pet. 2:9), the Lord will
anoint us to judge His “sons and daughters” (Wis. 9:7) among the children of
men in this world. In other words,
we shall be privileged to assume the task, as did Solomon, to build His Church,
God’s “temple on [His] holy mountain, and an altar in the city of [His]
habitation, a copy of the holy tent which [He] didst prepare from the
beginning” (vs. 8). We will be
helping to create a living witness to Christ our God, to Wisdom become
Incarnate for the world’s salvation.
Beloved of the Lord, let us plead for Divine
Wisdom that we “may learn what is pleasing to [God]. For Wisdom “knows and understands all things, and...will
guide [us] wisely in [our] actions and guard [us] with [His] glory. Then [our]
works will be acceptable, and [we] shall judge [God’s] people justly, and shall
be worthy of the throne” He promises to His Saints (Lk. 22:28-30). In our own strength, which of us “can
learn the counsel of God”, or “discern what the Lord wills?” (Wis. 9:13). Truly, without Divine Wisdom, “our devices are...uncertain” (vs 14).
O only wise and merciful Physician, I beseech
Thy benevolence: heal the wounds of my soul and enlighten the eyes of my mind
that I may understand my place in Thine eternal design.
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