Second Sunday of the Great Fast 2023 The Holy Martyr Canon

Divine Liturgy of St Basil

Ambon Prayer 14

St Gregory of Palamas, St Polycarp (?)

Title

One Cannot Ignore Jesus Safely

Outline

Jesus was a religious teacher, a prophet even

How often have you heard this type of statement? Jesus was a religious teacher like the Buddha, like the Sikh teachers, or a prophet like Mohammed.

It is a dangerous statement, for while it seeks to respect Jesus, it also indicates that one can choose him or choose another as one wishes or that one can disregard or critique him with impunity.

Look at our readings today

Our Gospel tells us that one cannot ignore his claim to unique authority

Jesus has returned to his home base of Capernaum, but does so quietly. Yet in a few days his presence has been discovered and a crowd forms to hear his preaching, a crowd packed so tightly that no one can get near the door.

Four men show up carrying a paralyzed man in a litter or on a pallet. They size up the situation, carry the litter up the outside stairs to the roof, dig through roof to the tiles and remove them, and lower the litter or pallet through hole more or less in front of Jesus.

The situation could not be ignored, for not only was there a man laying there in front of Jesus, but the process had dumped dirt and insects and perhaps soot on numbers of those sitting around him and likely had upset the householder.

Jesus, however, only takes note of their trust in him, and calmly says, “Child, your sins are forgiven.” He had apparently discerned the man’s deepest need and had met it.

But it was controversial. A teacher could not say this. A prophet might say, “By the word of God I say . . .” but Jesus had not used such language. The scribes were correct to observe, “Who can forgive sins but God alone?” However, their conclusion was that the statement was blasphemous rather than that Jesus was God.

Jesus responds equivocally, much like Pope Francis often does, “Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your pallet and walk’?” One has to define easier to know which is easier to say.

Then he responds to his own question, saying, “But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic—11 “I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home.”

This was no prophet, no teacher, but rather one who could back up a tremendous claim with an obvious healing. No wonder people glorified God.

Hebrews draws the conclusion

Hebrews has been contrasting the power and authority of the greatest angels with that of the Son or the Lord.

Our reading starts claiming that the Son/ the Lord was before the creation of the earth and that he will be the one to “role [the heavens] up” and yet still remain.

He is the one to whom God has said, “Sit on my right hand till I make your enemies a stool for your feet.”

And this is said in contrast to the angels, who are great, but are ministering spirits to human beings, in contrast to the Son, who is the savior himself.

The conclusion of this a fortiori or qol we homer argument is: “we must pay the closer attention to what we have heard [from and about the Son]”

Angelic messages in the Old Testament were strictly enforced by God, so “how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard him”

We are not talking about a teacher, not even a prophet, nor about angelic beings who might direct a prophet. We are talking about the Son himself, the eternal one at the right hand of God.

What does that mean for us?

It is said of St Dominic that he constantly carried a gospel book with him that he would pull out, read in, and meditate on whenever he got a spare moment. He was totally under the authority of Jesus, took his every word seriously, and repented any time he realized he had deviated from Jesus’ instructions.

That devotion to the Gospels, but even more to the Lord revealed in the Gospels, was typical of saints up and down the ages and of the liturgy itself. Hebrews extends this to the attestation “by those who heard him,” i.e. the apostles.

We need to follow a similar habit with respect to Jesus and the Gospel that mediates him to us. He was no prophet or teacher, but more than that. Either he was a blasphemer or he was the Son, eternal and creator.

What discipline might we establish during the Great Fast that will continue beyond the Fast that will build such a devotion and submission to Jesus as Lord into our lives?

Readings

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 3-12-2023: Second Sunday of Great Lent or Sunday of Saint Gregory Palamas

EPISTLE

Hebrews 1:10–2:3

10  And,

“You, Lord, founded the earth in the beginning,

and the heavens are the work of your hands;

11 they will perish, but you remain;

they will all grow old like a garment,

12 like a cloak you will roll them up,

and they will be changed.

But you are the same,

and your years will never end.”

13  But to what angel has he ever said,

“Sit at my right hand,

till I make your enemies

a stool for your feet”?

14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation?

2 Therefore we must pay the closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. 2 For if the message declared by angels was valid and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard him,

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 3-12-2023: Second Sunday of Great Lent or Sunday of Saint Gregory Palamas

GOSPEL

Mark 2:1–12

2 And when he returned to Caperna-um after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room for them, not even about the door; and he was preaching the word to them. 3  And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and when they had made an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Child, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak like this? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they questioned like this within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question like this in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your pallet and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic—11 “I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home.” 12  And he rose, and immediately took up the pallet and went out before them all; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

Notes

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) (3-5-2023: Second Sunday of Great Lent or Sunday of Saint Gregory Palamas)

SUNDAY, MARCH 5, 2023 | TRIODION AND GREAT LENT

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 3-12-2023: Second Sunday of Great Lent or Sunday of Saint Gregory Palamas

SECOND SUNDAY OF GREAT LENT OR SUNDAY OF SAINT GREGORY PALAMAS

Bright or Dark Vestments

Matins Gospel Luke 24:36–53 (39th Sunday)

Epistle Hebrews 1:10–2:3

Gospel Mark 2:1–12