First Thursday of the Great Fast

Title

Love and Trust

Outline

Two pictures await us in our readings

The first is the creation of humanity in narrative form

God made the human being from the earth

This is the basis of “dust you are and to dust you shall return” that the priest says while imposing ashes in the Latin Rite

Where in Gen 1 God says “let there be” and “let the earth bring forth”, for the human he says, “let us make in our image” - the crown and governor of creation

Then in Gen 2 he places the human being into a temple garden with a river flowing from it - the temple as the source of a river appears repeatedly up through Revelation - and the tree of life in its middle.

And since he is a Trinity, he creates divides the human into two equal parts, male and female, so there is a vertical trinity and a human trinity of male - female - child.

This harmony and likeness is the culmination of creation.

The second is what is necessary to return to this harmony

It is summed up in the words: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.  Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.”

That is the job of the Great Fast - turning from our ways and seeking God’s ways, turning to live in the harmony that God created us for, for that is life and that is good.

Of course, it is the Creator who tells us what is good.

So that is our job this Great Fast:

First, to realize what love God had for us to create us for good and harmony.

Second, to realize what freedom God has given us which enables us to choose against the good and, by his grace, for the good.

Third, to make the choice for the good ourselves so that we can experience forgiving grace and a return in our heart to the harmony of the Temple with an ultimate expectation of life within the true Temple garden in the future.

Readings

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 3-10-2022: First Thursday of Great Lent

OLD TESTAMENT

Genesis 2:4–19

4 These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created.

In the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens, 5 when no plant of the field was yet in the earth and no herb of the field had yet sprung up—for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no man to till the ground; 6 but a mist went up from the earth and watered the whole face of the ground—7  then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. 8 And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east; and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9  And out of the ground the LORD God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

10 A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there it divided and became four rivers. 11 The name of the first is Pishon; it is the one which flows around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; 12 and the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there. 13 The name of the second river is Gihon; it is the one which flows around the whole land of Cush. 14 And the name of the third river is Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.”

18 Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” 19 So out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 3-10-2022: First Thursday of Great Lent

OLD TESTAMENT

Proverbs 3:1–18

3 My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments;

2 for length of days and years of life

and abundant welfare will they give you.

3 Let not loyalty and faithfulness forsake you;

bind them about your neck,

write them on the tablet of your heart.

4  So you will find favor and good repute

in the sight of God and man.

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart,

and do not rely on your own insight.

6 In all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make straight your paths.

7  Be not wise in your own eyes;

fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.

8 It will be healing to your flesh

and refreshment to your bones.

9 Honor the LORD with your substance

and with the first fruits of all your produce;

10 then your barns will be filled with plenty,

and your vats will be bursting with wine.

11  My son, do not despise the LORD’S discipline

or be weary of his reproof,

12 for the LORD reproves him whom he loves,

as a father the son in whom he delights.

13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom,

and the man who gets understanding,

14 for the gain from it is better than gain from silver

and its profit better than gold.

15 She is more precious than jewels,

and nothing you desire can compare with her.

16 Long life is in her right hand;

in her left hand are riches and honor.

17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness,

and all her paths are peace.

18 She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her;

those who hold her fast are called happy.

Notes

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) (3-3-2022: First Thursday of Great Lent)

THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 2022 | TRIODION AND GREAT LENT

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 3-10-2022: First Thursday of Great Lent

FIRST THURSDAY OF GREAT LENT

Dark Vestments

Old Testament Isaiah 2:11–22

Old Testament Genesis 2:4–19

Old Testament Proverbs 3:1–18