DYNAMIS!
A publication of St. George Orthodox Christian Cathedral
Wichita, KS

Galatians 6:11-18     (9/13)      Epistle for Sunday before the Elevation of the Precious Cross

 

Only the Cross: Galatians 6:11-18, especially vs. 14: “But God forbid that I should boast except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”  Consider this intuition of Archimandrite Sophrony Sakharov: “And suddenly the Almighty reveals Himself in His indescribable humility.  This vision moves the soul, astonishes the mind.  Involuntarily, we bow before Him.  And however much we try to become like Him in humility, we do not attain to Him.”  Look at Him on the Cross; embrace living Truth immersed in death, and receive the love of the Crucified - everything changes.  New priorities overturn old values.  This is to move in “...a new creation” (vs. 15).

In every century some desire this present world rather than God’s new creation.  But in the present passage Saint Paul strives for the hearts of those to whom he had introduced the new vision in Christ: he urges them to embrace the Cross as a way of life and to “...walk according to this rule...” (vs. 16).  Yes, he is speaking to us also, for the temptation persists to adopt lesser visions and diminish God.  When one picks and chooses among the Lord’s words to his own liking rather than embracing the whole Word Himself, he walks according to the flesh.

What does a human vision of God look like?  Throughout Galatians, Saint Paul speaks of such a lesser vision: “...turn again to the weak and beggarly elements...” (vs. 4:9), “...to be under the law...” (vs. 4:21), to be “...entangled...with a yoke of bondage” (vs. 5:1), to “...attempt to be justified by law...” (vs. 5:4).  Such a diminished vision embraces the Old Covenant “...which gives birth to bondage...” (vs. 4:24).  God, however, revealed Himself partially at Mount Sinai - to prepare for the New Covenant “...the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ...” (6:14).

Reduce God’s revelation to law and we embrace rules and codes and narrow the relationship with God solely to an impossible obedience.  In religion as pure obedience, God the Lord is defined as a Law-Giver Who must be obeyed on pain of death (Deut. 28:15-68).  While this is true of God, we are severely diminished.  Saint Paul says, “...God forbid that I should boast except in the Cross...” (Gal. 6:14).  He does not boast in his law-abiding obedience, scrupulous as that may have been.  He boasts in the One on the Cross, God in the flesh, the God-man embracing mankind’s most bitter enemy - death.  The Law-Giver is disclosed in “indescribable humility,” obediently dying as we do because of our disobedience.

“Suddenly” we see beyond God’s righteous and holy demands in laws to His unrestrained love.  The image of pure mercy captures the heart.  He forgives us in a humility beyond imagining.  Now we see that the good life is not mere obedience, but an affirmation, a “Yes!” to Jesus our Savior and God, a reframing of every thought and act in response to Him.  He loves us!

The Cross is no ‘yoke of bondage,’ but ‘God’s yoke,’ which is “...easy and...light”(Mt. 11:29,30).  Our battered souls question such a vision: Is there a yoke that is easy and light?  Yes, because our Lord Himself labors with us as a yokefellow, pulling with us, for us.  Can you imagine God born from a human Virgin yoking Himself to us?  How poor are those who abandon relationship with the Crucified and Risen One for a religion of obedience to a set of laws!

Enough of the badges of a narrow seeking after a perfect obedience!  Sign yourself with the Cross and say, “...the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Gal. 6:14).  Bear in your body “...the marks [the stigmata] of the Lord Jesus” (vs. 17).  Rejoice: His grace is with and in our poor spirits (vs. 18).  Live your life in response to being loved by God, even unto death.

O Lord, save Thy People and bless Thine inheritance, granting to Thy People victory over all their enemies, and by the power of Thy Cross preserving Thine Kingdom.

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