TwentyThird Sunday after Pentecost 2023

No special Ambon Prayer

The Holy Martyrs Galaction and Episteme; the Passing of the Blessed Martyr Gregory Lakota, Auxiliary Bishop of Peremyshl (1950)

Title

God Who Is Rich in Mercy

Outline

American culture has celebrated death this week

Halloween started as a type of religious celebration mocking death in the light of the saints, who are more alive after death than they were in life. Now it is a celebration making light of death and associated powers to ease our fear, consciously or unconsciously.

At the same time there is the dance of death in both the Ukraine and in Palestine, but especially in Palestine. Having unleashed death towards Israel Hamas has brought death in spades upon itself and the whole Palestinian people. Meanwhile, Israel, having reeled back from the death of its citizens, has poured forth the same in a torrent upon Palestinian citizens, not just the legitimate targets, the leaders of Hamas. What is missing is the ability to give life and the the mercy which characterizes God.

Look at mercy overcoming death in our gospel

Twelve years earlier that the narrative two events took place: an upper class religious family, the family of Jairus, for he is named, rejoiced in life at the birth of a daughter. But in what was most likely a more ordinary family a woman started experiencing unusual hemorrhaging, had become unclean or outcast for those twelve years, and had become impoverished, having spent all she had on physicians who could not help her.

Jesus is just off a boat but Jairus rushes to him because his daughter is dying. Jesus does go with him, but his encounter with the woman indicates to all that Jairus’ special place in the community does not merit mercy or co-opt mercy for the woman.

The woman, trusting that Jesus can heal, apparently does not see herself as worthy of mercy, so sneaks up behind Jesus and simply touches the tassel on his garment. She is healed, but Jesus insists on publicly exposing being touched by an “unclean” or “outcast” woman so that he can communicate that the mercy that overcame death in her was not stolen from him but willed by him. “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

Of course, this delay in his getting to Jairus’ house had given time for Jairus’ daughter to die. Neither the messenger nor, it seems, Jairus believed that Jesus’ mercy could overcome death, so Jesus says, “Do not fear; only believe, and she shall be well.” They go on, Jesus dismisses the mourners, having only his own witnesses present, raises the girl from the dead, and simply tells Jairus and his wife, “Give her something to eat.” Otherwise they were to shut up. No calling in friends and former mourners to have a party, no banquet honoring Jesus, no recognition of Jairus’ status, and certainly to request for an honorarium. Jairus has received unmerited mercy; death has been defeated; any connection to his status or piety is removed. Like the woman he is left in private thankful amazement at Jesus. It was all mercy.

Now we can understand Paul

We were living in or at least grew up in a culture of death and self-focus, our determining the value of our lives and some lives being valued more than others. The end of life is, in our culture, death, but it can be joked about or feared, but not overcome.

Paul points out that God’s mercy, his great love, reached out to us, when we were spiritually dead - and the dead do not do anything to aid themselves. He made us alive “together with Christ,” raised us up with him and made us live with him in heavenly places - now spiritually, now in the Divine Liturgy, now in inner experience, but eventually we will be raised physically. And then Paul underlines: all you did was trust God like the woman did - you did nothing, not even religious duties, that would merit such mercy.

In fact, God planned this life from the dead including the good works, the charity done coram deo, before we existed. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

For us this should engender astounded gratitude; and when we look at the death going on in the world it will hopefully create in us the trust that somehow God’s mercy will triumph, even if we never see it with our physical eyes.

Readings

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 11-12-2023: Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost

EPISTLE

Ephesians 2:4–10

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up with him, and made us sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God— 9 not because of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 11-5-2023: Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost

(24th Sunday, Slavic)

Luke 8:41–56

41 And there came a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue; and falling at Jesus’ feet he besought him to come to his house, 42 for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying.

As he went, the people pressed round him. 43 And a woman who had had a flow of blood for twelve years and had spent all her living upon physicians and could not be healed by any one, 44 came up behind him, and touched the fringe of his garment; and immediately her flow of blood ceased. 45 And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the multitudes surround you and press upon you!” 46 But Jesus said, “Some one touched me; for I perceive that power has gone forth from me.” 47 And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. 48 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”

49 While he was still speaking, a man from the ruler’s house came and said, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more.” 50 But Jesus on hearing this answered him, “Do not fear; only believe, and she shall be well.” 51 And when he came to the house, he permitted no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child. 52 And all were weeping and bewailing her; but he said, “Do not weep; for she is not dead but sleeping.” 53 And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But taking her by the hand he called, saying, “Child, arise.” 55 And her spirit returned, and she got up at once; and he directed that something should be given her to eat. 56 And her parents were amazed; but he charged them to tell no one what had happened.

Notes

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) (11-5-2023: Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost)

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2023 | OCTOECHOS

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 11-12-2023: Twenty-Third Sunday after Pentecost

TWENTY-THIRD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

Matins Gospel Matthew 28:16–20

Epistle Ephesians 2:4–10

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 11-5-2023: Twenty-Second Sunday after Pentecost

Gospel Luke 16:19–31 (22nd Sunday, Greek) or Luke 8:41–56 (24th Sunday, Slavic)