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THE READING OF

THE BIBLE DURING

GREAT LENT

RevdDrDoruCostacheSeniorLecturerinPatristicsSAGOTCALentenLectureSeries18/03/12

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WhatDoWeReadWithintheDivineLiturgy,weekendcycleHebrewsMark

WithinotherservicesMatins:Isaiah

Vespers:Genesis,Proverbs

8/2/2019 Lenten Talk 18 March 2012

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WhatDoWeReadMatins:BookofIsaiahReason:theneedtowakeupspirituallyatthepropheticcallingsothatwecanundertakeourpersonalrenewal

Hear,Oheavens,andgiveear,Oearth;fortheLordhasspoken:SonshaveIrearedandbroughtup,buttheyhaverebelledagainstme.Theoxknowsitsowner,andtheassitsmasterscrib;butIsraeldoesnotknow,mypeopledoesnotunderstand.Ah,sinfulnation,apeopleladenwithiniquity,offspringofevildoers,sonswhodealcorruptly!TheyhaveforsakentheLord,theyhavedespisedthe

HolyOneofIsrael,theyareutterlyestranged.(1st

Week,Monday)

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WhatDoWeReadVespers:BookofProverbsReason:teachingisnecessaryforonesspiritualformationandprogress

Wisdomcriesaloudinthestreet;inthemarketssheraiseshervoice;onthetopofthewallsshecriesout;attheentranceofthecitygatesshespeaks:Howlong,Osimpleones,willyoulovebeingsimple?Howlongwillscoffersdelightintheirscoffingandfoolshateknowledge?(1stWeek,Tuesday)

8/2/2019 Lenten Talk 18 March 2012

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WhatWeReadVespers:BookofGenesis

Reason:onesrenewalshouldtakethepathsymbolicallydepictedbythemakingoftheworldandtheformationofGodspeople

Godsaid,Letusmakemaninourimage,afterourlikeness;andletthemhavedominionoverthefishofthesea,andoverthebirds

oftheair,andoverthecattle,andoveralltheearth,andovereverycreepingthingthatcreepsupontheearth.SoGodcreatedmaninhisownimage,intheimageofGodhecreatedhim;maleandfemalehecreatedthem.AndGodblessedthem,andGodsaidtothem,Befruitfulandmultiply,andfilltheearthandsubdueit;and

havedominionoverthefishoftheseaandoverthebirdsoftheairandovereverylivingthingthatmovesupontheearth.AndGodsaid,Behold,Ihavegivenyoueveryplantyieldingseedwhichisuponthefaceofalltheearth,andeverytreewithseedinitsfruit;youshallhavethemforfood[].(1stWeek,Wednesday)

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WhatDoWeReadLiturgy:LettertotheHebrewsReason:examplesoffaithfulnesstoGodandofaChrist-centredwayoflife

byfaithMoses,whenhewasgrownup,refusedtobecalledthesonofPharaohsdaughter,choosingrathertoshareill-treatmentwiththepeopleofGodthantoenjoythefleetingpleasuresofsin.(1stWeek,Sunday)

sincewearesurroundedbysogreatacloudofwitnesses,letusalsolayasideeveryweight,andsinwhichclingssoclosely,andlet

usrunwithperseverancetheracethatissetbeforeus,lookingtoJesusthepioneerandperfecterofourfaith,whoforthejoythatwassetbeforehimenduredthecross,despisingtheshame,andisseatedattherighthandofthethroneofGod.(2ndWeek,Friday)

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WhatDoWeReadLiturgy:GospelaccordingtoStMarkReason:learningthespiritandpurposeofLenthesaidtothem,TheSabbathwasmadeforman,notmanfortheSabbath;sotheSonofmanislordevenoftheSabbath.[]Andhesaidtothemanwhohadthewitheredhand,Comehere.Andhesaidtothem,IsitlawfulontheSabbathtodogoodortodoharm,tosavelifeortokill?Buttheyweresilent.Andhelookedaroundatthemwithanger,grievedattheirhardnessofheart,andsaidtotheman,Stretchitout,andhishandwasrestored.(1st

Week,Saturday)

8/2/2019 Lenten Talk 18 March 2012

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HowDoWeReadThelessonoftheGreatCanonofRepentanceofStAndrewofCrete:thespiritualjourneyisimpossiblewithoutthespiritualguidanceoftheScriptures

Thespiritualjourneyrequiresaspiritual/mysticalreadingofScripture,nottheliteral/historicalreading:

TheChurchhasacquiredThylife-givingsideasachalice,fromwhichgushesforthforusatwofoldtorrentofforgivenessandknowledgeasatypeofthetwocovenants,OldandNew,OourSaviour(1stWeek,WednesdayPortion,Ode4)

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HowDoWeReadScriptureshouldbereadthroughapersonallensGreatCanon,1stWeek,MondayPortion,Ode9:IhavereviewedMosesaccountofthecreationoftheworld,mysoul,andthenallcanonicalScripturewhichtellsyouthestoryoftherighteousandtheunrighteous.Butyou,mysoul,havecopiedthelatterandnotthe

former,andhavesinnedagainstGod.IambringingbeforeyouexamplesfromtheNewScripture,mysoul,toleadyoutocompunction.Soemulatetherighteousandavoidfollowingthesinners,andregainChristsgracebyprayers,fasts,purityandreverence.

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HowDoWeReadLearningtodiscoverourshortcomingsGreatCanon,1stWeek,MondayPortion,Ode7:Davidoncejoinedsintosin,forhemixedadulterywithmurder,yetheimmediatelyoffereddoublerepentance.Butyoumysoul,havedonethingsmorewickedwithoutrepentingtoGod.

GreatCanon,1stWeek,MondayPortion,Ode8:TheShunammitewomanofoldwithrightgoodwillentertainedtherighteousman.Butyou,mysoul,havetakenintoyourhouseneitherstrangernortraveller.Thereforeyouwillbecastoutofthebridalhallwailing.

YouhavealwaysimitatedthevilemindofGehazi,Owretchedsoul.Ridyourselfofhisloveofmoney,atleastinoldage;escapefromthefireofGehennabyleavingyourevilways.

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HowDoWeReadThecontentofsin

GreatCanon,1stWeek,TuesdayPortion,Ode2:SinwhichstrippedmeofmyformerGod-wovenclothinghasalsosewnonmecoatsofskin.

Iamwrappedinagarmentofshameaswithfigleaves,inreproofofmyselfishpassions.

Iamcladinacoatthatisspottedandshamefullyblood-stainedbytheflowofmypassionateandpleasure-lovinglife.

Ihavebeenanxiouslyconcernedonlyaboutoutwardadornment,andhaveneglectedtheinnertemplemadeintheimageofGod.

Ihaveburiedwithpassionsthebeautyoftheoriginalimage,OSaviour.Butseekandfindit,likethelostcoin.

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HowDoWeReadProgressingontheway

GreatCanon,1stWeek,Mondayportion,Ode4:BecauseofhiscryingneedthePatriarchenduredthescorchingheatoftheday,andheborethefrostofthenight,dailymakinggains,shepherding,struggling,slaving,inordertowintwowives.

Bythetwowivesunderstandactionanddirectknowledgeincontemplation:Leahasaction,forshehadmanychildren,andRachelasknowledge,whichisobtainedbymuchlabour.Forwithoutlabours,mysoul,neitheractionnorcontemplationwillachievesuccess.

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HowDoWeReadProgressingontheway

GreatCanon,1stWeek,MondayPortion,Ode8:Elijahthecharioteeronceascendedbythechariotofthevirtuesastoheavenandwascarriedaboveearthlythings.Considerthen,mysoul,thisascent.

GreatCanon,1stWeek,Tuesdayportion,Ode4:Watch,mysoul!BecourageouslikethegreatPatriarchs,thatyoumayacquireactivityandawareness,andbeamindthatseesGod,andmayreachincontemplationtheinnermostdarkness,andbeagreattrader.

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PatristicInsightsScripturalreadingsandLent

StJohnChrysostom,HomiliesonGenesis2.14: Scripturesaysletyourlightshinebeforemen,sothattheymayseeyourgoodworksandglorifyyourFatherinheaven,inorderthatyourlifemayconfirmwithyourteachingsandyourteachingsrevealyourlife.

StJohnChrysostom,HomiliesonGenesis3.1: readingtheHolyScripturesislikeatreasure.Withatreasure,yousee,anyoneabletofindatinynuggetgainsforhimselfgreatwealth;likewise,inthecaseofSacredScripture,youcangetfromasmallphraseagreatwealthofthoughtandimmenseriches.

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PatristicInsightsScripturalreadingsandLent

StJohnChrysostom,HomiliesonGenesis8.9: insayingletusmakeahumanbeinginourimageandlikenesshedidnotstopthere,butthroughthefollowingversemadecleartouswhatwasthereasonforchoosingthewordimage.Whatinfactdoesthetextgoontosay?Letthemhave

controlofthefishofthesea,thebirdsofheaven,andallthereptilescreepingontheearth.So,imagereferstothematterofcontrol[];inotherwords,Godcreatedthehumanbeingashavingcontrolofeverythingonearth,andnothingonearthisgreaterthanthehumanbeing,underwhoseauthorityeverythingfalls.

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PatristicInsightsScripturalreadingsandLent

StJohnChrysostom,HomiliesonGenesis9.7: Asthewordimageindicatedasimilitudeofcommand,sotoolikeness,withtheresultthatwebecomelikeGodtotheextentofourhumanpowerthatistosay,weresemblehiminourgentlenessandmildnessandinregardtovirtue,asChrist

alsosays,BelikeyourFatherinheaven.Yousee,justasonthiswideandspaciousearthsomeanimalsaretamerandothersmoreferocious,sotoointhewidespacesofoursoulsomeofourideasaremorelethargicandresemblebrutebeasts,othersmoreferociousandsavage.Sothereisneedtocontrolandtamethemandsubmitthemtotheruleofreason.