Lent V

John V: 1-18

Until the 19th century, there was no evidence outside of St. John’s Gospel for the existence of the Pool of Bethesda, so some argued that the gospel was written later, probably by someone without first-hand knowledge of the city of Jerusalem, and that the ‘pool’ had only a metaphorical, rather than historical, significance. However, at the end of the 19th century, archaeologists discovered the remains of a pool fitting the description in John’s Gospel. Its proximity to the Temple has made some scholars conclude that it was a mikvah, or Jewish ritual bath, whilst the discovery of many pagan votive offerings suggest that in Roman times, it was used by the pagans to honour Asclepius, the god of healing.

The paralytic man, who had been coming to the pool for an incredible thirty-eight years, spoke of the tradition that once a year the waters were agitated by an angel, and the necessity of being the first person lowered into the pool after this visitation. As he had no one to assist him, he remained unhealed. Bearing this in mind the Lord’s question, “Do you want to be healed?” might seem to be rather foolish and indeed the patristic interpretation of it reveals a variety of interpretations.

The fourth century bishop, Amphilochius of Iconium, interprets it as demonstrating our Lord’s modesty saying, “He did not want to make himself appear someone great by making an announcement, as it were, of his miracles.” St. John Chrysostom views the paralytic as one whose heart has been crushed through extended illness, so that he does not respond angrily to the question, but answers gently and with great mildness, relating all his circumstances, asking for nothing further, as though he was speaking to a physician and merely wanted to tell the story of his sufferings. “Perhaps he hoped that Christ might be of some use to him in putting him into the water and hoped to stir up some sympathy with his words.” Saint Cyril the Great, on the other hand, sees this as part of the “Great goodness of Christ in that he does not wait for the entreaties from the sick but anticipates their response with his own lovingkindness. See how he runs to the one who is lying down and how compassionate he is to one who was sick with no one to comfort him.” He also suggests that “the inquiry as to whether he would like to be relieved from his infirmity was not that of one saying out of ignorance what was obvious, but of one stirring up an increased desire and diligent entreaty. The question as to whether he wanted to obtain what he longed for is huge. It has the kind of force and expression that conveys that Jesus has the power to give and is now ready to do so, only waiting for the request of the one who will receive this grace.”

The paralytic may not have known whom he had encountered but, with the benefit of hindsight, we know that this was an encounter with God. It may not have had the grandeur of Moses speaking face-to-face with God in the burning Bush, but we know that all those who encountered the Saviour were changed. Whether it was Simon Peter being called from his fishing, with a lifetime of apostolic ministry ahead of him; the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, called to sit as judge of his creator; or the repentant thief on the cross, with only minutes to live: yet their lives were irreparably changed.

In the light of the Saviour’s penetrating gaze, where our human condition of sin and alienation from God – our spiritual sickness – as well as our individual faults, are revealed, then the question “Do you want to be healed?” is actually very appropriate. Being healed changes everything. Although the Lord forgives and heals freely, there is always a cost. Are we willing to pay that cost? Are we willing for the change that it brings ? The Book of Hebrews tells us that, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (X: 31). Yet strange as it might appear, there are some people who do not want to be healed. Their ailments have come to define them. They do not want to be helped out of their weakness or can’t be bothered to make the effort. They have become used to thriving on the sympathy and pity of others. Too often they shrink from assuming responsibility for their own lives. It is a tragic truth, but there are people who will openly turn their backs on the deliverance offered them, all because of the responsibility that will come with it. They fear they won’t be able to handle the changes or the responsibilities that will become a regular part of their lives if they accept healing. What is true of physical, mental and emotional maladies is even more the case with spiritual sickness.

The Lord’s response in this case is very direct. “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” St Augustine suggests that the word “Rise” was the word of  healing, because we are told that at once he was healed; whilst St. Ephraim the Syrian points out that the command to carry his bed was to demonstrate the fullness and instantaneousness of his healing, not like the sick who  come back to health gradually.

Unlike some of the other healings performed by our Lord, the healed paralytic is not brought to faith and, indeed, has no idea who it is who has healed him. Indeed, when challenged by the Pharisees for carrying his bed on the Sabbath he passes the responsibility to Jesus, which might at first appear as betrayal of his benefactor, but as Chrysostom says, is a bold confession of his cure. When our Lord later meets him in the Temple, he is told, “See, you are well ! Sin no more, that nothing worse befall you.” We should not use this text to imply that all illness is the result of sin. In healing others the Lord often makes no mention of sins at all and Chrysostom suggests that this may be a specific matter addressed to this man, or the Lord may have admonished him, knowing his great patience of mind, anticipating that he would be an admonition, keeping him healthy both by the benefit of the healing and the fear of future ills, for he knew what sins he had formally committed.

The Church in her wisdom has chosen accounts of physical healing, not merely to reveal the glory of God and the compassion of the Lord but also to remind us of our spiritual sicknesses and lead us to review our lives, turn to God in repentance and seek His healing grace.  There is a charge in the Byzantine Rite of Confession, where the priest standing beside the Penitent, and pointing to the ikon of the Saviour, says: “Behold, my child, Christ standeth here invisibly and receiveth thy confession: wherefore, be not ashamed, neither be afraid, and conceal thou nothing from me; but tell me without hesitation all things which thou hast done; and so shalt thou have pardon from our Lord Jesus Christ. Lo, His Holy Image is before us: and I am but a witness, bearing testimony before him of all things which thou hast to say to me. But if thou shalt conceal anything from me, thou shalt have the greater sin. Take heed therefore, lest, having come to a physician, thou depart unhealed.”

May this holy season, in which through prayer and repentance, we seek an encounter with the living God, bring us closer to our Saviour Jesus Christ, the Healer and Great Physician of our souls. Amen.0000

I have been very touched by the many messages of condolence and sympathy sent to me from abroad, following yesterday’s terrorist attack on Parliament. Although, by comparison with other countries, we have been spared such serious attacks recently, we knew that it was only a matter of time before something of this nature occurred again. Sadly these incidents are all too frequent and come close to each of us. Even in Charlton, a generally quiet London suburb, I vividly recall the explosion of the IRA bomb at the nearby King’s Arms pub in 1974 and, more recently (May 2013), the vicious murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby, only a few hundred yards from the Church Secretariat.  Indeed, it is only a few months since I wrote in a similar vein to H.H. Pope Tawadros about the bombing in al-Boutroseya Church. The international dimension of terrorism overflows the boundaries of nation states, so that in yesterday’s atrocities the injured included tourists from South Korea and French schoolchildren.

For me, the symbol of humanity and compassion was the picture of paramedics in the grounds of parliament trying to save the life of the perpetrator of those atrocities, alongside one of our government ministers covered in the blood of the murdered policeman, who had been trying mouth to mouth resuscitation on the victim. Both scenes emphasised the sanctity of life and a common humanity which transcends all other thoughts. In our prayers last night for the dead and injured we also prayed for the soul of the murderer, who will have to stand before a just and righteous God alongside his victims.

It is my hope that those high ideals, which are derived from and are embedded in our Christian faith, will continue to inspire all decent people, whilst those who believe that violence is the only way to achieve their aspirations will be repelled by the indiscriminate cruelty and pointlessness of such heartless barbarity.

+ Seraphim

Lent IV

Ephesians VI: 10-24

Ancient Rome was a military Empire and it is hardly surprising, therefore, to find that the Apostle St. Paul frequently uses military metaphors to highlight the need for Christians to be disciplined and focused in their spiritual lives. In Philippians  (II: 25) and Philemon (I: 2) he describes Christians as “fellow soldiers” and uses the image of a soldier in his second letter to Timothy as a metaphor for hard work and dedication. In his first epistle to the Corinthians (IX: 7) this image is related to church workers receiving payment, with a metaphorical reference to a soldier’s rations and expenses. However, it is here in Ephesians that he develops more fully the image of the armour of God, replicating exactly what the Roman legionary would have worn: breastplate, belt, sandals and helmet, whilst being armed with a sword and shield.

The key to interpreting this is offered by St. Jerome, who reminds us that in Romans (XIII: 14) the Apostle has told us to clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ.

“From what we read of the Lord our Saviour throughout the Scriptures, it is manifestly clear that the whole armour of Christ is the Saviour himself. It is he whom we are asked to put on. It is one and the same thing to say ‘put on the whole armour of God’ and put on the Lord Jesus Christ.’ Our belt is truth and breastplate is righteousness. The Saviour is called both truth and righteousness. So no one can doubt that he himself is that very belt and breastplate. On this principle is also to be understood as the preparation of the gospel of peace. He himself is the shield of faith and the helmet of salvation. He is the sword of the spirit, because he is the Word of God, living and efficacious, the utterance of which is stronger than any helmet and sharp on both sides.”

This armour is required by us in our battle against the Devil’s schemes, or as the Authorised version translates it, “wiles.” I prefer this term as it conveys the sense of devious or cunning stratagems employed in manipulating or persuading someone, a disarming or seductive manner intended to ensnare. St. John Chrysostom warns us,

“The enemy does not make war on us straightforwardly or openly but by his wiles. What are the Devils wiles? They consist in trying to capture us by some shortcut and always by deceit … The devil never openly lays temptation before us. He does not mention idolatry out loud. But by his stratagems he presents idolatrous choices to us, by persuasive words and by employing clever  euphemisms.”

The Apostle tells us that we are not contending against flesh and blood, that is real physical assaults of an enemy, but against “principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” In other words, we are battling against spiritual forces, against fallen angels who are agents of the devil.

Most of the armour mentioned by the Apostle is defensive. The faithful are girdled about by truth. Righteousness, must always accompany faith and defends us like a breastplate. Our feet carry the promised gospel, which will bring peace both to the nations and to us. Faith, the chief of virtues, assures us of God’s providence and thus acts as a shield against temptation. Christ, as our helmet, protects our inward affections.

Our only weapon is the word of God, described here as the ‘sword of the spirit’, by which we put the devil to flight; but are we to understand this as telling us to draw inspiration, protection or even quote from the scriptures in our battle ? It is actually much more, because the Greek word used here is Rhema, not Logos, and conveys the sense of light or edification spoken from God. It is “a word that is spoken”, when the Holy Spirit delivers a message to the heart such as the faith given to us through hearing the word of Christ (Romans X: 17) or living on every word (rhema) that comes from the mouth of God. It is in fact the activity of the Spirit (Matthew IV: 4) in prayer as verse 18 amplifies our understanding by employing this word for “prayer in the spirit.”

There is a great Orthodox spiritual classic, “Unseen Warfare,” which began life as a counter-reformation book of spiritual direction, but was later richly amplified by an Athonite monk and a Russian Orthodox bishop. This lists four dispositions and spiritual activities, as it were arming yourself with invisible weapons, “the most trustworthy and unconquerable of all”: first, never rely on yourself in anything; secondly, bear always in your heart a perfect and all-daring trust in God alone; thirdly, strive without ceasing; and fourthly, remain constantly in prayer, through which the first three weapons are acquired and gain full force, and from which all of other blessings are obtained.[1]

 “Prayer is the means of attracting and the hand for receiving all the blessings, so richly poured on us from the inexhaustible source of God’s infinite love and goodness towards us. In spiritual warfare, by prayer put your battle-axe into God’s hand, that He should fight your enemies and overcome them. But in order that prayer should manifest its full power in you, it is needful that it stay constantly in you, as a natural function of your spirit.”[2]

St Paul is trying to reassure us that we do not enter into battle without being properly equipped. That equipment is twofold: our spiritual preparation and the gifts given to us by God as baptised members of His church. It is appropriate that the church has selected this as one of the Lenten readings, upon which we are called to reflect and to recall us to spiritual vigilance. By emphasising the nature of our enemy he is not intending to frighten or alarm us so that we feel totally inadequate in our preparation for battle: puny Davids setting out to meet Goliath! On the contrary, we are armed with an invincible weapon and assured that if we trust in it, we shall overcome.

[1] Unseen Warfare, chapter 1.

[2] Unseen Warfare, chapter 46.

Father Alexis Raphael will lead a pilgrimage to venerate the relics of St Chad at St Chad’s Roman Catholic Cathedral, Queensway, Birmingham on Monday 27th March. Those wishing to join should meet at 11:00 am outside the front entrance of the cathedral. Afterwards we will have lunch and then visit the Anglican Cathedral in Colmore Row to see the famous Burne-Jones windows. Entrance to both cathedrals is free

For further information please contact Fr Alexis on 07902290225.

Lent III

James III: 1-12

I have often said that during this season of Lent the emphasis on what we do or don’t eat can easily obscure the deeper meaning of our Lenten observance, so rather than touching on the Gospel for today – the well-known Parable of the Prodigal Son – I prefer to direct our meditation to today’s Catholicon, which is an extract from the Catholic Epistle of James. When considering some of the dietary rules handed down in the church, we should also remember our Lord’s warning that, “What defiles a person is not what goes into the mouth; it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles a person.” (Matthew XV: 11), and appropriately the theme of today’s Catholicon is about control of the tongue.

There are many ways in which the tongue can dishonour both the speaker and those of whom he or she is speaking. Using restraint in speech, however, acts as a brake on foolish, indiscreet or unkind words. Tongues loosened by alcohol are notable for indiscretions. The Book of Ecclesiastes notes that “a fool’s voice is known by multitude of words” and counsels, “Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few” (V: 2-3). I particularly like the old maxim, “Better to be silent and thought a fool, than to speak and prove it beyond all reasonable doubt.” St James points out that although the tongue is a small part of the body, it can make great boasts, and he urges us to bring it under control. The bit placed in the mouths of horses or the rudders of ships, which enable us to tame strong animals or steer a ship against prevailing winds, are powerful reminders of the need to exercise prudence when speaking.

Saint Basil the Great tells us that “the sin which is caused by the tongue is very active and many-sided, being active in wrath, lust, hypocrisy, judgement and deception. Do we need to recall the many names which are given to sins of the tongue? From it come slanders, coarse jokes, idiocies, irrelevant accusations, bitterness, swearing, false witness – the tongue is the creator of all these evils things and more.” The Thesaurus is rich in words describing the ready tendency to speak badly of others, and we know how often foolish gossip appropriately referred to as ‘talking behind someone’s back’ or more colloquially “dishing the dirt” can so easily dishonour, defame, damage, scandalise, stigmatise, calumniate, traduce, malign, vilify, denigrate, blacken, tarnish, badmouth, discredit and smear the reputations of someone, leading to us “dragging their good name in the gutter” or “giving a dog a bad name.”

The Book of Proverbs (XVIII:8) says, “The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly,” whilst Leviticus (XIX:16) counsels, “Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people.” Tale-bearing is not indulged in by those seeking the reformation of something wrong, but rather the “choice morsels” exposing human frailty (Proverbs VIII: 8) are essentially malicious. We shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that he who fetches also carries and that what gossips say to us about others, they can also say to others about us.

Even though there may be some truth in what is told, “A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter” (Proverbs XI: 13). Again, the Book of Proverbs warns that, “The one who forgives an offense seeks love, but whoever repeats a matter separates close friends” (XVII: 9) and the Psalmist shows his absolute detestation by declaring, “Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off” (Psalm CI: 5).

The New Testament is equally strong in its condemnation of this evil. St. Paul lists “backbiters” along with “haters of God” (Romans I: 30) and counsels that we “speak evil of no man” (Titus III: 2), which is echoed by St. Peter who directs that we must lay aside “all evil speakings” (1 Peter II: 1).  The fact that it is often mentioned suggests that even among the elect in the primitive Church, this was still an issue and, if we are frank, we can all recognise that it is still prevalent in our churches today.

The Scriptures are clear in their moral condemnation of gossip or backbiting, but even more hateful is indulging in tale-bearing which has no foundation in truth or consists of deliberate lies. Satan is the father of lies (John VIII: 44), and God said that he hates a lying tongue (Proverbs VI:17). According to the Book of Revelation (XXI: 8) all liars will have their part in the lake of fire. Proverbs (XXV:18) also says, “A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow,” because it is a deadly weapon. It can be used to harm others: a maul is a hammer, which can be used at close quarters; the sword has a wider reach, whilst an arrow can travel long distances.

There are many other ways also in which the tongue can be misused. Another form of dishonesty is flattery where excessive and insincere praise is craftily used to insinuate favour and generally further one’s own interests. The Psalmist speaks of flattery as a characteristic of the wicked, not the righteous: “For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.” (V:9). Linked to flattery, the Psalmist also speaks of those who have a proud or boastful tongue, “The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things: Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?” (XII: 3-4)

Sadly, in modern times there is little restraint on the use of bad language and, whilst swearing, cursing and profanity have always been disapproved of, it is now tolerated to such an extent that it is commonly used on the media and even in Parliament. Its use for abusing others is basically spiteful and bitter. “Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness” (Romans III: 13-14). As Christians we should try to lead the way in ensuring that our talk is wholesome and edifying. St Paul warns us, “You must let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but only what is beneficial for the building up of the one in need, that it may give grace to those who hear.” (Ephesians IV: 29)

St. James reminds us that with the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. “Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.” (III:10)

St. Cyril the Great counsels us, “The effective proof of a sound mind and perfect thought is to have nothing faulty on our tongue and to keep our mouths closed when necessary. For it is better to be guided by worthy speech, which is able to express the fullness of all praise. For the most useful talent is to be able to speak wisdom when talking about how to live well. Foolish talk should be foreign to the saints.”

There is a false tendency to regard gossip as a ‘minor’ failing, but that opinion is not borne out by the scriptures or the fathers of the church, who regard it as a great evil. Indeed, Saint Jerome says, “The sword kills the body, but the tongue kills the soul.” Others, however, cloak their mendacity in self-righteousness, like the Pharisee who stood by himself and prayed: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else.’  Our own Venerable Bede wisely warns us, “It is clear from this that the heart which is not right with God cannot bring forth the words of the works of righteousness on the contrary, if the heart is wicked, everything it says and does will be wicked also.”