DYNAMIS!
A publication of St. George Orthodox Christian Cathedral
Wichita, KS
St. Mark 12:1-12
(2/8) For Friday
of the 37th Week after Pentecost (Fri, of the 32nd Week)
Bear
Fruit: St. Mark 12:1-12, especially vs. 9: “The
owner of the vineyard...will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the
vineyard to others.” This
parable is prophecy from God the Son, Who was sent by the Father to win
“their” respect, and “they” did indeed take and kill
Him and cast Him out of the vineyard (vs. 8). Thereafter, as Blessed Theophylact observes: the Lord Jesus gave “His
people to other husbandmen, that is, to the Apostles;” and the People of
God have continued to bear fruit unto God, “the sacrifice of praise to
God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His Name” (Heb.
13:15). You are of God’s
People. Abide in Him, or be
“cast out as a branch and [be] withered; and they gather them and throw
them into the fire, and they are burned” (Jn.
15:6). Give God His due while you
have time!
Sin is
all around us with its alluring attractions, and so often we do not look ahead
to the consequences of failing to “abide in Him.” Grabbing at moments, we fail to
understand the consequences: our “petty” resistance to
“paying our dues” further deepens the gulf between us and the Giver
of Life. Look at the account of
Adam and Eve and see how rapid was the descent following their first departure
from Life. “It was only a
tiny bite of forbidden fruit. What
was the real harm?” However,
Beloved,
you and I are so close to Life - united to Christ in Holy Baptism, sealed with
the gift of His Spirit, partakers of His Life-bearing Body and Blood. “In Him also we have obtained an
inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all
things according to the counsel of His will” (Eph. 1:11). Do not squander the fruit gained by you
in the Orthodox vineyard. Instead,
consider the failure of the wicked vinedressers, and share what you have been
given: “some of the fruit of the vineyard” (Mk. 12:2), you have
garnered in Christ. How?
First,
honor the servants whom the Lord sends - our Pastors and Bishops. Kiss their hands and fill them with the
fruits of your struggle and labor in the Lord’s Vineyard. What are those fruits? Our God loves truth and is ready to make
you whiter than snow and turn His face away from your sins if you will simply
offer Him “a broken spirit, a heart that is broken and humbled...” (Ps. 50:17 LXX).
Listen to St. Makarios of Egypt: “Being
bountiful and full of love, God awaits with great patience the repentance of
every sinner, and He celebrates the return of the sinner with celestial
rejoicing, as He Himself says, ‘There is joy in heaven over one sinner
who repents’ (Lk. 15:7,10).”
Second,
refuse and resist every corrupting movement within your heart. Rather, give freely, “for God
loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor. 9:7). Dag Hammarskjold urges us to move from
the broken heart of repentance to gratitude: “Weep If you can, Weep, But do not complain. The way chose you-- and you must be thankful.” Beloved of the Lord, He “didst
bring us from non-existence into being, and when we had fallen away didst raise
us up again, and didst not cease to do all things until [He] hadst brought us back to heaven.”
Therefore,
when the Son of God comes in His Holy Mysteries, He is looking for your
respect. When He comes in the garb
of the poor, remember all that He has given you and consider. Offer thanksgiving to the Life-Giver! Use words and say thanks, but also act
thankful. “We praise
Thee, we bless Thee, we give thanks unto Thee, O Lord, and we pray unto Thee, O
our God.”
“Serve
ye the Lord with fear, and rejoice in Him with
trembling. Lay hold of
instruction...blessed are all that have put their trust in Him.” (Ps. 2:11,12,13
LXX)
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