READINGS: LENT THURSDAY V

Invitatory Psalm & BACK

PSALMS and BACK

אֲשֲׁר בְּתוֹרַת יְהוָה יֶהְגֶּה — פִּרְיוֹ יִתֵּן בְּעִתּוֹ

Even Years: Numbers 20:1-13; 21:4-9 1 וַיָּבֹאוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל כָּל־הָעֵדָה מִדְבַּר־צִן בַּחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן וַיֵּשֶׁב הָעָם בְּקָדֵשׁ וַתָּמָת שָׁם מִרְיָם וַתִּקָּבֵר שָׁם׃ 2 וְלֹא־הָיָה מַיִם לָעֵדָה וַיִּקָּהֲלוּ עַל־מֹשֶׁה וְעַל־אַהֲרֹן׃ 3 וַיָּרֶב הָעָם עִם־מֹשֶׁה וַיֹּאמְרוּ לֵאמֹר וְלוּ גָוַעְנוּ בִּגְוַע אַחֵינוּ לִפְנֵי יְהוָה׃ 4 וְלָמָה הֲבֵאתֶם אֶת־קְהַל יְהוָה אֶל־הַמִּדְבָּר הַזֶּה לָמוּת שָׁם אֲנַחְנוּ וּבְעִירֵנוּ׃ 5 וְלָמָה הֶעֱלִיתֻנוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם לְהָבִיא אֹתָנוּ אֶל־הַמָּקוֹם הָרָע הַזֶּה לֹא מְקוֹם זֶרַע וּתְאֵנָה וְגֶפֶן וְרִמּוֹן וּמַיִם אַיִן לִשְׁתּוֹת׃ 6 וַיָּבֹא מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן מִפְּנֵי הַקָּהָל אֶל־פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וַיִּפְּלוּ עַל־פְּנֵיהֶם וַיֵּרָא כְבוֹד־יְהוָה אֲלֵיהֶם׃ פ 7 וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר׃ 8 קַח אֶת־הַמַּטֶּה וְהַקְהֵל אֶת־הָעֵדָה אַתָּה וְאַהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ וְדִבַּרְתֶּם אֶל־הַסֶּלַע לְעֵינֵיהֶם וְנָתַן מֵימָיו וְהוֹצֵאתָ לָהֶם מַיִם מִן־הַסֶּלַע וְהִשְׁקִיתָ אֶת־הָעֵדָה וְאֶת־בְּעִירָם׃ 9 וַיִּקַּח מֹשֶׁה אֶת־הַמַּטֶּה מִלִּפְנֵי יְהוָה כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּהוּ׃ 10 וַיַּקְהִלוּ מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן אֶת־הַקָּהָל אֶל־פְּנֵי הַסָּלַע וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם שִׁמְעוּ־נָא הַמֹּרִים הֲמִן־הַסֶּלַע הַזֶּה נוֹצִיא לָכֶם מָיִם׃ 11 וַיָּרֶם מֹשֶׁה אֶת־יָדוֹ וַיַּךְ אֶת־הַסֶּלַע בְּמַטֵּהוּ פַּעֲמָיִם וַיֵּצְאוּ מַיִם רַבִּים וַתֵּשְׁתְּ הָעֵדָה וּבְעִירָם׃ ס 12 וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה וְאֶל־אַהֲרֹן יַעַן לֹא־הֶאֱמַנְתֶּם בִּי לְהַקְדִּישֵׁנִי לְעֵינֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לָכֵן לֹא תָבִיאוּ אֶת־הַקָּהָל הַזֶּה אֶל־הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַתִּי לָהֶם׃ 13 הֵמָּה מֵי מְרִיבָה אֲשֶׁר־רָבוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־יְהוָה וַיִּקָּדֵשׁ בָּם׃...	1 The Israelites, the whole community, arrived in the first month at the desert of Zin. The people settled at Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried. 2 There was no water for the community, so they banded together against Moses and Aaron. 3 The people laid the blame on Moses. 'We would rather have died', they said, 'as our brothers died before Yahweh! 4 Why have you brought Yahweh's community into this desert, for us and our livestock to die here? 5 Why did you lead us out of Egypt, only to bring us to this wretched place? It is a place unfit for sowing, it has no figs, no vines, no pomegranates, and there is not even water to drink!' 6 Leaving the assembly, Moses and Aaron went to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. They threw themselves on their faces, and the glory of Yahweh appeared to them. 7 Yahweh then spoke to Moses and said, 8 'Take the branch and call the community together, you and your brother Aaron. Then, in full view of them, order this rock to release its water. You will release water from the rock for them and provide drink for the community and their livestock.' 9 Moses took up the branch from before Yahweh, as he had directed him. 10 Moses and Aaron then called the assembly together in front of the rock. He then said to them, 'Listen now, you rebels. Shall we make water gush from this rock for you?' 11 Moses then raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the branch; water gushed out in abundance, and the community and their livestock drank. 12 Yahweh then said to Moses and Aaron, 'Because you did not believe that I could assert my holiness before the Israelites' eyes, you will not lead this assembly into the country which I am giving them.' 13 These were the Waters of Meribah, where the Israelites laid the blame on Yahweh and where, by their means, he asserted his holiness.
Odd Years: Hebrews 12:1-13       τοιγαροῦν καὶ ἡμεῖς, τοσοῦτον ἔχοντες περικείμενον ἡμῖν νέφος μαρτύρων,       ὄγκον ἀποθέμενοι πάντα καὶ τὴν εὐπερίστατον ἁμαρτίαν,       δι' ὑπομονῆς τρέχωμεν τὸν προκείμενον ἡμῖν ἀγῶνα,       ἀφορῶντες εἰς τὸν τῆς πίστεως ἀρχηγὸν καὶ τελειωτὴν Ἰησοῦν,       ὃς ἀντὶ τῆς προκειμένης αὐτῷ χαρᾶς ὑπέμεινεν σταυρὸν αἰσχύνης καταφρονήσας,       ἐν δεξιᾷ τε τοῦ θρόνου τοῦ θεοῦ κεκάθικεν.       ἀναλογίσασθε γὰρ τὸν τοιαύτην ὑπομεμενηκότα ὑπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν εἰς ἑαυτὸν ἀντιλογίαν,       ἵνα μὴ κάμητε ταῖς ψυχαῖς ὑμῶν ἐκλυόμενοι. οὔπω μέχρις αἵματος ἀντικατέστητε πρὸς τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἀνταγωνιζόμενοι, καὶ ἐκλέλησθε τῆς παρακλήσεως, ἥτις ὑμῖν ὡς υἱοῖς διαλέγεται, υἱέ μου, μὴ ὀλιγώρει παιδείας κυρίου, μηδὲ ἐκλύου ὑπ' αὐτοῦ ἐλεγχόμενος:       ὃν γὰρ ἀγαπᾷ κύριος παιδεύει, μαστιγοῖ δὲ πάντα υἱὸν ὃν παραδέχεται.       εἰς παιδείαν ὑπομένετε: ὡς υἱοῖς ὑμῖν προσφέρεται ὁ θεός:       τίς γὰρ υἱὸς ὃν οὐ παιδεύει πατήρ;       εἰ δὲ χωρίς ἐστε παιδείας ἧς μέτοχοι γεγόνασιν πάντες,       ἄρα νόθοι καὶ οὐχ υἱοί ἐστε.       εἶτα τοὺς μὲν τῆς σαρκὸς ἡμῶν πατέρας εἴχομεν παιδευτὰς καὶ ἐνετρεπόμεθα:       οὐ πολὺ δὲ μᾶλλον ὑποταγησόμεθα τῷ πατρὶ τῶν πνευμάτων καὶ ζήσομεν;       οἱ μὲν γὰρ πρὸς ὀλίγας ἡμέρας κατὰ τὸ δοκοῦν αὐτοῖς ἐπαίδευον,       ὁ δὲ ἐπὶ τὸ συμφέρον εἰς τὸ μεταλαβεῖν τῆς ἁγιότητος αὐτοῦ.       πᾶσα δὲ παιδεία πρὸς μὲν τὸ παρὸν οὐ δοκεῖ χαρᾶς εἶναι ἀλλὰ λύπης,       ὕστερον δὲ καρπὸν εἰρηνικὸν τοῖς δι' αὐτῆς γεγυμνασμένοις ἀποδίδωσιν δικαιοσύνης. διὸ τὰς παρειμένας χεῖρας καὶ τὰ παραλελυμένα γόνατα ἀνορθώσατε, καὶ τροχιὰς ὀρθὰς ποιεῖτε τοῖς ποσὶν ὑμῶν, ἵνα μὴ τὸ χωλὸν ἐκτραπῇ, ἰαθῇ δὲ μᾶλλον.
1 With so many witnesses in a great cloud all around us, we too, then, should throw off everything that weighs us down and the sin that clings so closely, and with perseverance keep running in the race which lies ahead of us. 2 Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, who leads us in our faith and brings it to perfection: for the sake of the joy which lay ahead of him, he endured the cross, disregarding the shame of it, and has taken his seat at the right of God's throne. 3 Think of the way he persevered against such opposition from sinners and then you will not lose heart and come to grief. 4 In the fight against sin, you have not yet had to keep fighting to the point of bloodshed. 5 Have you forgotten that encouraging text in which you are addressed as sons? My son, do not scorn correction from the Lord, do not resent his training, 6 for the Lord trains those he loves, and chastises every son he accepts. 7 Perseverance is part of your training; God is treating you as his sons. Has there ever been any son whose father did not train him? 8 If you were not getting this training, as all of you are, then you would be not sons but bastards. 9 Besides, we have all had our human fathers who punished us, and we respected them for it; all the more readily ought we to submit to the Father of spirits, and so earn life. 10 Our human fathers were training us for a short life and according to their own lights; but he does it all for our own good, so that we may share his own holiness. 11 Of course, any discipline is at the time a matter for grief, not joy; but later, in those who have undergone it, it bears fruit in peace and uprightness. 12 So steady all weary hands and trembling knees 13 and make your crooked paths straight; then the injured limb will not be maimed, it will get better instead.

Even Years: Didymus of Alexandria, Treatise on the Most Holy Trinity, Book 2:13-14 (PG 39, 691-698) Ἔστι γὰρ ἡ κολυμβήθρα τῆς Τριάδος, ἐργαστήριον πρὸς σωτηρίαν πιστῶν πάντων ἀνθρώπων· καὶ τοὺς λουομένους ἐν αὐτῇ, τοῦ δήγματος ἀπαλλάττει τοῦ ὄφεως, καὶ μήτηρ πάντων γίνεται, τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι μένουσα Παρθένος. The font in which they are baptized in the name of the Trinity is the source of salvation for all believers, and those washed in it escape the jaws of the serpent. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the font becomes a universal mother while remaining a virgin. Ἐν αὐτῇ γὰρ, ὡς εἴρηται, πάντα ὑποδεχόμεθα τῆς διανομῆς τὰ χαρίσματα, καὶ ἐκεῖσε τοῦ παραδείσου αἱ δωρεαὶ ὑπογράφονται, καὶ νύμφην ἑαυτῷ τὴν ἡμετέραν ψυχὴν λαμβάνει ὁ ποιήσας αὐτὴν, κατὰ Παῦλον ἐπιστέλλοντα· Ἡρμοσάμην ὑμᾶς ἑνὶ ἀνδρὶ παρθένον ἁγνὴν παραστῆσαι τῷ Χριστῷ. Καὶ τί δὲ συντόμως τὸ μεῖζον οὐ λέγω ἐν αὐτῇ; Ὃν οὐ τολμῶσιν οἱ ἐν οὐρανοῖς Πατέρα καλεῖν, ἡμεῖς μανθάνομεν ἐπὶ γῆς καλεῖν, μηδένα φοβούμενοι. Καὶ τοῦτό ἐστιν, ὃ ἐν κϛʹ ᾄδεται ψαλμῷ· Ὁ πατήρ μου καὶ ἡ μήτηρ μου ἐγκατέλιπόν με· οὐ γὰρ, φησὶν, ἔμειναν ἀθάνατοι Ἀδὰμ καὶ Εὔα· ὁ δὲ Κύριος προσελάβετό με. Καὶ ἔδωκέ μοι, φησὶ, μητέρα τὴν κολυμβήθραν, πατέρα τὸν Ὕψιστον, ἀδελφὸν τὸν δι' ἡμᾶς βαπτισθέντα Σωτῆρα. Νῦν οὖν οἶδα ἀληθῶς γεννηθεὶς ὁμοῦ καὶ σωθεὶς, ὅτε μηκέτι ἀκούω· Κλαύσατε τεθνηκότα, ὅτι ἐξέλιπε φῶς· ἀλλὰ τὴν εὐκταίαν φωνήν· Δεῦτε, πάντες οἱ κεκοπιακότες καὶ πεφορτισμένοι, κἀγὼ ἀναπαύσω ὑμᾶς, ἀλείψας, λούσας, ἐνδύσας ἕκαστον ἀδιασπάστως ὅλον ἐμαυτὸν, καὶ θρέψας τῷ σώματί μου καὶ τῷ αἵματι In that font we receive every grace. In it we are given a pledge of the blessings of paradise; in it he who created our soul takes it for his bride, according to the words of Paul: I have betrothed you to Christ, so as to present you as a pure bride to this one husband. But how shall I tell briefly of the most wonderful grace of all? He whom the angels in heaven do not dare to call Father, we on earth learn to call by that name without fear. In psalm twenty-six we sing: My father and mother have forsaken me (because Adam and Eve lost their immortality), but the Lord has taken me into his care. It is the same as saying: 'The Lord has given me baptism as a mother, the Most High as a father, and the Saviour who was baptized for us as a brother. Now I know that I have really been born again and have been saved, since I no longer hear it said, Weep for the dead man who lies in darkness, but the invitation I longed for, Come, all you that labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. I will anoint each one of you, I will wash you and clothe you with myself, completely and for ever, and I will feed you with my body and blood.' Καὶ δὴ καιρὸς ἥκει τῷ λόγῳ, τὰς τῷ θεϊκῷ Πνεύματι καὶ τῷ ἀθανάτῳ βαπτίσματι οἰκείας ἀποδείξεις ἀναλεγόμενον ἐκ μέρους καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς πρεσβυτέρας διαθήκης, ὡς ἂν δύνωμαι, γράφειν. Ἄρξομαι δὲ μικρὸν ἄνωθεν. Now it is time to enumerate the passages I have found, some even in the Old Testament, that refer to the Holy Spirit and to the baptism by which we are born to eternal life. Ἡ ἀδιαίρετος καὶ ἄῤῥητος Τριὰς, προορῶσα ἐξ αἰῶνος τοῦ ἀνθρωπίνου βίου τὰ ὀλισθηρὰ, ἅμα τῷ παραγαγεῖν ἐκ μὴ ὄντων τὴν ὑγρὰν οὐσίαν, ηὐτρέπισεν ἀνθρώποις τὴν ἐν τοῖς ὕδασιν ἴασιν. Τοιγάρτοι τῇ ἑαυτοῦ ἐπιφορᾷ τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα ἐκ τότε ἁγιάσαν αὐτὰ, καὶ ζωογόνον ἀποτελέσαν φαίνεται The undivided and transcendent Trinity, foreseeing from all eternity the frailty of human nature, created water out of nothing for our healing. It is clear, therefore, that when the Holy Spirit moved over the waters, they were sanctified for ever and endowed with life-giving power. Τοῦτο δὲ συνενδείκνυται οὐ μικρῶς, καὶ τὸ ὕπερθεν τῶν Ἰορδανείων ῥείθρων γεγενῆσθαι τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα, τοῦ Δεσπότου βαπτιζομένου, καὶ μεμενηκέναι ἐπ' αὐτόν. Ὤφθη δὲ τὸ τηνικαῦτα ἐν εἴδει περιστερᾶς. Ἐπειδὴ τὸ ζῶον τοῦτο ἀκέραιόν τέ ἐστι καὶ χολῆς ἐστέρηται. Γίνεσθε γὰρ, φησὶν, ἀκέραιοι ὡς αἱ περιστεραί The Holy Spirit appeared above the waters of the Jordan when our Lord was baptized and rested upon him. The Spirit appeared this time in the form of a dove because the dove is a symbol of innocence and the Lord said: You must be innocent as doves. Καὶ ὁ κατακλυσμὸς τοίνυν, ὁ τὴν ἀρχαίαν ἀδικίαν ἐκκαθάρας τοῦ κόσμου, προεφήτευεν οἱονείπως ἐπικεκρυμμένως τὸν ἀπὸ τῆς θείας κολυμβήθρας τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν καθαρισμόν· καὶ ἡ κιβωτὸς αὐτὴ, σώσασα τοὺς ἐν αὐτῇ εἰσφρήσαντας, εἰκὼν τῆς σεπτῆς ἐτύγχανεν Ἐκκλησίας καὶ τῆς ἐντεῦθεν ὑπαρχούσης ἡμῖν ἀγαθῆς ἐλπίδος· καὶ ἡ περιστερὰ, κλάδον ἐλαίας κομίσασα ἐν τῇ κιβωτῷ, καὶ τῆς γῆς τὴν ἀνάδειξιν μηνύσασα, ἐσήμαινε τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος τὴν ἐπιφοίτησιν καὶ τὴν ἄνωθεν διαλλαγήν· σύμβολον γὰρ ἡ ἐλαία τῆς εἰρήνης. The flood too, which purified the world from its primeval wickedness, prefigures our purification from sin by holy baptism. And the ark itself, which saved those who entered it, was an image of holy Church and of the good hope she holds out to us. The dove that carried an olive branch to the ark as a sign that the waters had subsided symbolized the coming of the Holy Spirit and our reconciliation with God, the olive being a symbol of peace. Ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ ἐρυθρὰ θάλαττα εἰσδεξαμένη Ἰσραηλίτας, οὔτ' ἐνδυάσαντας, οὔτ' ἐπ' ἀδήλῳ πιστεύσαντας, καὶ τῶν ἐπηρτημένων αὐτοῖς κακῶν ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ ἀπὸ Φαραὼ καὶ τοῦ στρατεύματος αὐτοῦ ἀπαλλάξασα, καὶ πᾶσα δὲ ἡ ὑπόθεσις τῆς ἀπὸ Αἰγύπτου αὐτῶν ὁδοῦ, τύπος ἦν τῆς ἐν τῷ βαπτίσματι σωτηρίας. The Red Sea received the Israelites whose faith did not waver and delivered them from the perils they faced in Egypt from Pharaoh and his army. The whole history of their journey from Egypt was therefore a foreshadowing of our salvation through baptism.

Odd Years: John Chrysostom, Homily 28 on Hebrews, 2 (PG 63, 195) Τρέχωμεν, φησὶ, τὸν προκείμενον ἡμῖν ἀγῶνα. Εἶτα τὸ κεφάλαιον τῆς παρακλήσεως, ὃ καὶ πρῶτον καὶ ὕστερον τίθησι, τὸν Χριστόν· Ἀφορῶντες, φησὶν, εἰς τὸν τῆς πίστεως ἀρχηγὸν καὶ τελειωτὴν Ἰησοῦν. Ὅπερ οὖν καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Χριστὸς τοῖς μαθηταῖς συνεχῶς ἔλεγεν· Εἰ τὸν οἰκοδεσπότην Βεελζεβοὺλ ἀπεκάλεσαν, πόσῳ μᾶλλον τοὺς οἰκιακοὺς αὐτοῦ; καὶ πάλιν· Οὐκ ἔστι μαθητὴς ὑπὲρ τὸν διδάσκαλον, οὐδὲ δοῦλος ὑπὲρ τὸν κύριον αὑτοῦ. —Ἀφορῶντες, φησί· τουτέστιν, ἵνα μάθωμεν τρέχειν, βλέπωμεν εἰς Χριστόν. Καθάπερ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῶν τεχνῶν πασῶν καὶ τῶν ἀγωνισμάτων πρὸς τοὺς διδασκάλους ὁρῶντες, οὕτως ἐντυποῦμεν τῇ διανοίᾳ τὴν τέχνην, διὰ τῆς ὀπτικῆς κανόνας τινὰς λαμβάνοντες· οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθα, εἰ βουλοίμεθα τρέχειν, καὶ μαθεῖν καλῶς τρέχειν, πρὸς τὸν Χριστὸν ὁρῶμεν, τὸν ἀρχηγὸν τῆς πίστεως καὶ τελειωτὴν Ἰησοῦν. We must persevere patiently in the course we have begun, without growing faint or discouraged. Let us run the race that lies ahead of us, the Apostle urges. Then, as the highest encouragement, the supreme exhortation, the first and last of all the examples he proposes to us, he goes on to say: We must keep our eyes fixed on Jesus who leads us in our faith and brings if to perfection. Keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus means that we must observe the example Christ gave us if we are to learn to run our race. In all arts and athletics the skill of our instructors is impressed upon our minds as we watch them, and we ourselves become proficient by observing these masters in action. So also, in the race of life, if we want to run well and learn to keep a straight course, we must fix our eyes on Jesus who leads us in our faith and brings it to perfection. Τί ἐστι τοῦτο; Τουτέστιν, αὐτὸς ἐν ἡμῖν τὴν πίστιν ἐνέθηκεν, αὐτὸς τὴν ἀρχὴν δέδωκεν. Ὃ καὶ πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς ὁ Χριστὸς εἶπεν· Οὐχ ὑμεῖς με ἐξελέξασθε, ἀλλ' ἐγὼ ἐξελεξάμην ὑμᾶς. Καὶ ὁ Παῦλος δέ φησι· Τότε δὲ ἐπιγνώσομαι, καθὼς καὶ ἐπεγνώσθην. Εἰ δὲ αὐτὸς τὴν ἀρχὴν ἡμῖν ἐνέθηκεν, αὐτὸς καὶ τὸ τέλος ἐπιθήσει. Ὃς ἀντὶ τῆς προκειμένης αὐτῷ, φησὶ, χαρᾶς, ὑπέμεινε σταυρὸν, αἰσχύνης καταφρονήσας. Τουτ έστιν, ἐξῆν αὐτῷ μηδὲν παθεῖν, εἴπερ ἐβούλετο. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἁμαρτίαν ἐποίησεν, οὐδὲ δόλος εὑρέθη ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτοῦ· καθὼς καὶ αὐτός φησιν ἐν τοῖς Εὐαγγελίοις· Ἔρχεται ὁ τοῦ κόσμου ἄρχων, καὶ οὐκ ἔχει ἐν ἐμοὶ οὐδέν. Προὔκειτο τοίνυν αὐτῷ, εἴπερ ἐβούλετο, μὴ ἐλθεῖν εἰς τὸν σταυρόν· Ἐξουσίαν γὰρ ἔχω, φησὶ, θεῖναι τὴν ψυχήν μου, καὶ ἐξουσίαν ἔχω πάλιν λαβεῖν αὐτήν. Εἰ τοίνυν ὁ μηδεμίαν ἔχων ἀνάγκην τοῦ σταυρωθῆναι, ἐσταυρώθη ἡμῶν ἕνεκεν· πόσῳ μᾶλλον ἡμᾶς δίκαιον πάντα γενναίως ὑπομένειν; What does this imply? Surely it means that Christ has given us our faith, and we owe its very first movement within us to his inspiration. As he said to his disciples: You did not choose me, I chose you. In a similar manner Saint Paul declares: Then I shall know just as I am known. If Christ has given our faith its first impetus, he himself will direct it to its goal. He endured the Cross and thought nothing of the shame of it for the sake of the joy that lay ahead of him. He had committed no sin and there was no deceit on his tongue; this means he could have avoided suffering if he had so wished. The Gospel records Jesus' own statement that the prince of this world was on his way, but he had no power over him. And so, in fact, it was open to Christ to refuse the Cross if he chose. I have the power to lay down my life, he says, and I have the power to take it up again. He was under no necessity of being crucified; he was crucified for our sake. Surely then it is only reasonable that we should bravely endure all the trials that we ourselves encounter. Ὃς ἀντὶ τῆς προκειμένης αὐτῷ χαρᾶς, φησὶν, ὑπέμεινε σταυρὸν, αἰσχύνης καταφρονήσας. Τί δέ ἐστιν, Αἰσχύνης καταφρονήσας; Τὸν ἐπονείδιστον, φησὶν, εἵλετο θάνατον. Ἔστω γὰρ, ἀπέθνησκε· τί καὶ ἐπονειδίστως; Δι' οὐδὲν ἕτερον, ἀλλ' ἡμᾶς διδάσκων μηδὲν ἡγεῖσθαι τὴν παρ' ἀνθρώπων δόξαν. Διὰ τοῦτο, οὐχ ὑποκείμενος ἁμαρτίᾳ εἵλετο αὐτὴν, παιδεύων ἡμᾶς κατατολμᾷν αὐτῆς, καὶ μηδὲν αὐτὴν τίθεσθαι And so Scripture tells us that for the sake of the joy that lay ahead of him Christ endured the Cross thinking nothing of the shame of it. What exactly is meant by thinking nothing of the shame? The simple fact, as Saint Paul says, that Christ chose an ignominious death, that he chose it in full freedom because he was not subject to sin. By so doing Christ has taught us to face disgrace boldly and make light of it. Τί οὖν τὸ τέλος; ἄκουε, ἐπάγει γάρ· Ἐν δεξιᾷ τοῦ θρόνου τοῦ Θεοῦ κεκάθικεν. Ὁρᾷς τὸ ἔπαθλον; Ὅπερ καὶ ὁ Παῦλος γράφων φησί· Διὸ καὶ ὁ Θεὸς αὐτὸν ὑπερύψωσε, καὶ ἐχαρίσατο αὐτῷ ὄνομα τὸ ὑπὲρ πᾶν ὄνομα, ἵνα ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ πᾶν γόνυ κάμψῃ. Τὸ κατὰ σάρκα φησί. Μάλιστα μὲν οὖν, εἰ καὶ μηδὲν ἦν ἔπαθλον, ἱκανὸν τὸ ὑπόδειγμα πεῖσαι πάντα ἑλέσθαι· νυνὶ δὲ καὶ ἔπαθλα ἡμῖν πρόκειται, οὐ τὰ τυχόντα, ἀλλὰ μεγάλα καὶ ἀπόῤῥητα. Let me remind you of the goal he achieved: he has taken his seat at the right hand of God. You see the prize to be won in this conflict. [So Paul writes: "Therefore God exalted him and gave him a name that is greater than any other name, so that in the name of Jesus Christ every knee should bow." He is talking about Christ in the flesh. It is all the more true that, even if there were no prize, the example is sufficient evidence to persuade us to choose all sufferings. But now rewards do await us, not haphazard ones, but great and ineffable ones.] Ὥστε καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐπειδάν τι πάθωμεν τοιοῦτον, πρὸ τῶν ἀποστόλων ἐννοῶμεν τὸν Χριστόν. Διὰ τί; Ὅτι ὅλος ὁ βίος αὐτοῦ ὕβρεων ἔγεμε· καὶ γὰρ μαινόμενος ἤκουεν ἀεὶ, καὶ πλάνος, καὶ γόης Καὶ ταῦτα ἤκουε παρ' αὐτῶν, εὐεργετῶν, θαυματουργῶν, Θεοῦ ἔργα ἐπιδεικνύμενος. Therefore, whenever we ourselves have to suffer some disgrace, let us think of Christ, remembering that his whole life was filled with insults. He was continuously hearing himself called a madman, deceiver, and sorcerer, by the very people among whom he went about doing good, for whom he performed miracles, and to whom he revealed the works of God.

Prayer