| It has never been hard to find people who view Jesus Christ in a many different ways. Some use His name as a curse word. Some make Him in their own image as an advocate of whatever agenda or cause they prize most in life. Some view Him as a teacher or prophet to be admired, but not as the Son of God to be worshiped. Today’s gospel reading presents Him in a radically different way as One Who restores sight to blind beggars and the ability to speak, to a man who had been possessed by a demon. Christ is not simply a miracle worker, of course, but the Savior of the world Who, as St. Paul wrote, “has welcomed us for the glory of God.”
The Gospel passage (Matthew 9:29-35) concludes with “And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.” (Matthew 9:35) In this verse of the Gospel, the Evangelist Matthew makes it clear that Christ’s work is three-fold: to teach, to preach, and to heal. St. Nicholas of Ochrid, author of the famous hagiography (lives of the Saints) Prologue from Ochrid, wrote: “Jesus taught — He interpreted the spirit of the Old Creation and the Old Law. He preached — He laid the foundations of the New Creation, the Kingdom of God, and the Church of the Saints. He healed — He gave testimony to His teaching and preaching by His acts, the miracles He wrought” As we approach the month of August, we prepare for a rich experience of a number of feasts. We will soon celebrate the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord (August 6), when the spiritual eyes of Peter, James, and John were opened to behold Christ’s divine glory to the extent that human beings are able to do so. The blind beggars in today’s Gospel reading were Jews who asked for mercy from the Son of David, a Jewish term for the Messiah, whom they believed to be a very righteous human being who could work miracles. St. John Chrysostom, in writing on this passage, says: “Even though their faith was far from perfect, as symbolized by their blindness, the Lord had mercy on them and restored their sight. The Transfiguration displays the full meaning of this miracle, for the God-Man enables us not merely to see the things of this world, but to know His divine glory.” Their souls were flooded with the brilliant light of His divinity. The Transfiguration is the feast of Divine Light. On Saturday, August 1, we begin the Dormition Fast, which leads to the feast of the falling asleep in Christ of the Most Holy Theotokos on August 15. Her life on earth ended, but three days after her burial the tomb was found to be empty, as she was the first to follow her Son into the heavenly kingdom as a whole person: body, soul, and spirit. During this period, we abstain from the richest and most satisfying foods and devote ourselves to intensified prayer because we want to become more like the Theotokos, whom the British poet William Wordsworth in his poem, The Virgin, refers to as “Our tainted nature’s solitary boast.” If we want to behold the light of Christ from the depths of our souls, we must humble ourselves and become blind to the temptation to find the ultimate meaning and purpose of our lives anywhere other than in Him, in the Transfigured Lord, in the Lord of Light. Again, blindness is lifted. As well, in today’s Gospel reading, the Lord also casts out a demon from a man and restored his ability to speak. This fellow was a Gentile, which is why the people responded, “’Never was anything like this seen in Israel,’” while “the Pharisees said, ‘He casts out demons by the prince of demons.’” St. Paul made clear to the Christians in Rome, both Jewish and Gentile in heritage, that “together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” No longer enslaved to idolatry with their mouths unable to glorify God, Gentiles may know and glorify the Lord every bit as much as the descendants of Abraham, for the ancient promises extend to all who have faith in the Messiah. The Holy Spirit has united the divided tongues of the tower of Babel such that people of all cultures and backgrounds may join together in the praise of God as members of the household of faith. As we make ready for the Great Feasts of August, the Gospel today bids us to prepare. How do we do this? Sight and speech are both profoundly important human abilities. Jesus addresses both in the passage from Matthew 9. The Lord restored sight to many blind people and often used images of light, darkness, and vision to convey the good news of salvation. He also cured those unable to speak and gave them the means to lift up their voice in prayer. The point was not simply to give the blind the ability to see the things of this world, or those who could not speak the ability to engage in idle chatter and superficial banter. Jesus’ intent was ultimately to call these individuals to know Him through union in holiness from the depths of their souls, from the depths of faith. Each healing was a summons to believe – to the victims in the Gospel and to us as well. Healing follows belief. St. Symeon the New Theologian likens these healing encounters of the Lord to a passage in the Book of Revelation: “Jesus is looking for an opening to be let in so that not only healing may occur but salvation may occur. This is described for us in the Evangelist John’s Book of Revelation where it says “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him” (Revelation 3:20) The healing brought by Jesus is always a “knock” at the door of our hearts. While the Lord knocks, it takes action or faith on our part to let Him in. We must then also knock at His door and ask for salvation. This is confirmed in the words of our Lord when He says “And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” (Luke 11:9) As noted above, it was Jesus’ ministry to teach, to preach, and to heal. It is our spiritual work (askesis) to ask, to seek, and to knock. When Jesus asks those seeking a cure “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” (Matthew 9:28), our Lord does this so that they may publicly proclaim their action of faith when they say “Yes Lord.” When the men respond with the words “Yes Lord”, they leave their fleshly or earthly understanding behind and embrace the spiritual understanding. This is accomplished through their use of the word “Lord” (Kyrios). They no longer recognize Jesus as the Son of David but as the Lord, the Son of God, the God-Man, the Savior of the World. Thus, they are not only healed of their infirmity but they are brought to salvation. This is confirmed by Saint Paul in his epistle to the Romans when he says “whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13) The same is true for us. It is a matter of the heart, not of signs and miracles. In fact, St. John Chrysostom directs us: “Do not therefore seek signs, but the soul’s health. Seek not to see one dead man raised; nay, for you have learned that the whole world is arising. Seek not to see a blind man healed, but behold all now restored unto that better and eternal sight!” The Great Feasts of August, including the Dormition Fast, are means of opening the door to the knocking Christ. They offer us the chance to prepare our hearts and souls for salvific light, for the opportunity to use our speech to praise and thank the merciful God, to do a “heart check” and determine whether or not I live for Christ or for myself. If it is healing that you seek and need, remember that healing follows faith. I urge you to join us on August 6, August 15, and the evenings when we will pray the Paraklesis to the Holy Theotokos. Each service echoes the Lord’s knocking at the door of our hearts. Combined with the Dormition Fast, this month can be a chance for you to re-new your spiritual life and get your “Christ-priorities” in order. I leave you with the words of our Holy Father, St. Gregory Palamas, who captures the spirit of this great liturgical season: “Let us too, brethren, follow the light which illumines both soul and body. Let us make our way towards His brilliance, and “let us walk honestly as in the day of the Lord” (cf. Rom. 13:13). Let us glorify Him with good works, and cause those that see us to give Him glory. Let us flee from the darkness which is opposed to the light, that is, the evil one, the father of lies. As the Sun of all righteousness, integrity, peace, compassion, long-suffering, love, and all the virtues, this Light makes those who devote themselves to Him partakers of life that will never end!” I wish each of you this renewing light as we enter August. May the Healing Lord touch your hearts, may the intercession of the Holy Theotokos bring you protection and peace, and may you know that the Christ of God loves you always! Faithfully in the Lord, Fr. Dimitrios |
