THEOLOGY FROM THE MARGINS

 

Reflection on the Holy Gospel for the Fourth Sunday of the Great Lent (Canaanite Woman)- St. Matthew 15:21–31.

St. Matthew 15:21–31 stands among the most radical Gospel texts, not because it explicitly speaks about women, but because it allows a woman, foreign, unnamed, and marginalized, to shape the very direction of Jesus’ ministry. The Gospel portion leads us away from familiar religious territory and toward the borders that are geographical, social, and spiritual.

Jesus withdraws to the region of Tyre and Sidon, and there, from the margins, a voice cries out: “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.”(v.22). It is the cry of a woman. A Canaanite woman. St. Matthew names her deliberately. This is not a neutral label.  It shows her marginalized state on at least three counts: gender, ethnicity (being the “other” in Israel’s history), religious exclusion. She comes with no privilege and no authority but only anguish and faith. She is a mother carrying the pain of her child.

And Jesus is silent.

That silence unsettles us; and it should. For in that silence, the Gospel holds up a mirror to us. It reflects the lived experience of countless women whose cries for justice, dignity, and healing are ignored even within religious spaces.

The disciples, too, are uncomfortable, not with the woman’s suffering, but with her voice. Her pain is inconvenient. Her persistence is disturbing. They say- “Send her away, for she cries out after us.”(v.23)

And this discomfort is painfully familiar. Even today, when women ask for accountability, the response often echoes the same refrain: send her away, why does she cry why does she question, earlier generations of women were innocent… they endured silently… they did not question.”. As long as a woman keeps silent, the system functions smoothly; unchallenged and unexposed. Expecting those who are hurt or vulnerable to remain silent so that your life goes on smoothly; and then remaining silent yourself in the face of that injustice, is not neutrality; rather, it amounts to complicity in injustice and protecting those in power.

Jesus allows her cry to linger, not to dismiss it, but to expose what silence does to the wounded and what it reveals in those who hear but refuse to respond. When Jesus finally speaks, He does not shut her down; He draws her into dialogue. Jesus never tells her to be quiet. He never questions her emotions. He never diminishes her pain.

Nobody cared for women the way Jesus did. Again and again, the Gospels show Jesus turning toward women’s suffering, not away from it. The Fourth Gospel preserves His tender words to Mary Magdalene in her darkest grief: “Woman, why do you weep?” This is not an interrogation. It is an invitation to share pain. It is God making space for grief. Jesus asks women to speak, not because He does not know their pain, but because love listens.

Then Jesus articulates the traditional boundary: “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (v.24)

The woman does not withdraw. She persists. And the discourse descends to the language society uses for the “other”: “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”(v.26)

And then comes one of the most daring theological responses in all of Scripture: “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”(v.27)

This is theology spoken from the margins.
This is faith with agency. The Canaanite woman refuses a theology that excludes. She trusts that God’s mercy cannot be confined by borders, ethnicity, or gender. She believes in abundance when the world insists on scarcity.

And Jesus responds with one of the highest affirmations of faith in the Gospel: “Woman, great is your faith!” These words are spoken to a woman. A foreigner. A mother.

The pericope does not end with the Canaanite woman. St. Matthew immediately narrates Jesus healing the lame, blind, mute, and maimed, culminating in the feeding of the multitude. The movement is deliberate: from one excluded woman to an inclusive community of healing. When boundaries are crossed in one courageous encounter, the effects ripple outward. The liberation of one marginalized voice opens space for the healing of many wounded bodies.

For the crumbs that fell from the table became a feast for the world, because one woman dared to believe that God’s mercy could not be contained.

To follow Jesus, then, is to stand beside those who grieve, it is to listen where others turn away, it is to speak where silence wounds. May the Lord grant us ears that truly hear,
hearts that are moved, and voices that speak.

In Christ,

Rincy

 

In the Footsteps of Moses: A Lenten Voyage with St. Gregory of Nyssa (Step#3)

 

Scripture Reading: Exodus chapter 2

Brief outline of Exodus 2:  Moses is born to a Levite family when Pharaoh orders all Hebrew male infants killed. His mother hides him for three months, then places him in a basket in the Nile. Pharaoh’s daughter finds and raises him. Moses' sister arranges for their mother to nurse him. Moses kills an Egyptian beating a Hebrew slave and flees to Midian when Pharaoh seeks to kill him. In Midian, Moses defends the daughters of priest of Midian (Reuel/Jethro) from shepherds and helps water their flock. Reuel welcomes Moses into his home, and Moses eventually marries his daughter, Zipporah. Moses’ time in Midian is a period of preparation and growth, as he learns humility and patience. God hears the Israelites’ cries for help and remembers His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Lessons from St. Gregory of Nyssa (‘Life of Moses’):

After giving birth to her baby, likely with the assistance of midwives, Moses's mother devised a plan to ensure the infant's survival by protecting him from both the Egyptians and potential harm from the water. In a similar manner, free will involves not only initiating a virtuous life but also prudently nurturing it with appropriate spiritual food and safeguarding it against the turbulence of passion. Moses’s mother created a basket to protect the baby in the waters. According to St Gregory, this ark symbolizes education in various disciplines that provide foundational support for enduring life's challenges.

Life is often chaotic and full of distractions. People who strive to live virtuously can sometimes be seen as a burden or an outcast by others. To avoid being overwhelmed by these distractions, we should follow the example of Moses. Baby Moses was crying when Pharaoh’s daughter opened the basket (v.6) even though he was safely tucked in the basket. Regardless of whether we live a life of privilege or are in a stable and secure position or are in place of safety like Moses was in the basket, we should not hold back tears. These tears represent our sincere emotions and prayers, which protect and guide us as we strive to live a virtuous life.

Despite living in the Egyptian palace, Moses stayed connected to his Hebrew roots through his mother’s care. While reflecting on Moses who was raised by Pharaoh’s daughter but nursed by his mother, St. Gregory instruct us that if we are exposed to secular or non-religious teachings during our education, it is imperative not to forsake the teachings and traditions of the Church. This spiritual nourishment helps our souls grow and mature, enabling greater spiritual heights. In essence, while it is acceptable to learn from the external world, we must remain steadfast in our faith and adherence to the teachings of the Church, as they constitute the foundation for our spiritual development.

St. Gregory says that the fight between the Egyptian and the Hebrew symbolizes the struggle between idolatry and true faith, and between vice and virtue- of impiety against self‐ control, of injustice against righteousness, of arrogance against humility. Moses teaches us by his own example to take our stand with virtue as with a kinsman and to kill virtue's adversary. [The commentary on Exodus 2 to be continued in tomorrow’s posting]

Questions for Personal Reflection:

Moses contended with his sense of identity. Reflect on your experiences navigating your Christian faith and identity within a society that may not share your beliefs. Does blending in the community (or even faith community) lead you to forego your faith and ideals?

Moses reacted with anger and killed the Egyptian. Reflect on those instances where you reacted impulsively to a situation? What was the outcome? Even in the most challenging situations, consider how can our actions align with the spiritual or moral values. 

In Christ,

Rincy

 

Ref: Gregory of Nyssa, Saint. The Life of Moses. Translated by A.J. Malherbe and E. Ferguson, HarperCollins, 2006, pp. 33-35. HarperCollins Spiritual Classics series. (Original translation published by Paulist Press, 1978)

Disclaimer: The content presented here is a paraphrased summary based on my reading and understanding of the book cited above and is intended solely for educational and devotional purposes during Lent. They are not intended to replace the original work or represent the views of the author or publisher. Readers are encouraged to refer to the original book for a comprehensive understanding.

 

In the Footsteps of Moses: A Lenten Voyage with St. Gregory of Nyssa (Step#4)

Scripture Reading: Exodus chapter 2 (continuation of Step#3 posting)

Lessons from St. Gregory of Nyssa (‘Life of Moses’):

Moses attempted to intervene in the dispute of two Israelites, advising them that as brothers, they should let reason rather than emotion resolve their conflicts. After being dismissed by the one at fault, he used this experience to develop a broader perspective. He chose to distance himself from the community and lived in solitude thereafter. Regarding the conflict between two Israelites, St. Gregory opines that such conflict occurs within us and amongst us. Heretical teachings arise when the reasoning is flawed and goes against the truth. If we are too weak to ensure that righteousness and truth prevails, then like Moses, we should distance ourselves from the conflict and pursue a path to seek greater spiritual understanding and knowledge.

Moses flees to a foreign land and while waiting near the well in Midian, he helped the daughters of the priest of Midian against the shepherds who did not allow the women to get the water from the well. The daughters of the priest recounted the incident to their father. 

St. Gregory speaks of the father as a man with insight into what is noble, and perceptive in judging the habits and lives of men. The father observed in one act—the attack on the shepherds—the virtues of Moses noting how he fought for the right without seeking personal gain. Moses stood on the side of justice and addressed the wrongs committed by the shepherds, despite having no personal grievance against them. St. Gregory appreciates the father for giving his daughter in marriage to Moses solely looking at Moses’s integrity and considering his virtue in evident poverty to be more valuable than substantial wealth.

Exercising his authority, he allowed Moses to live according to his own preferences. Moses chose to reside alone in the mountains, away from the commotion of urban life; in this remote wilderness, he tended to his sheep. St. Gregory advises that we should strive to live a more focused and solitary life, avoiding unnecessary conflicts and distractions. We should seek to be among people who share our values and beliefs. These like-minded individuals will help guide and nourish our souls, much like a shepherd care for sheep, ensuring that our thoughts and actions are directed by reason and wisdom.

Questions for Personal Reflection:

Moses’ attempt to hide his wrongdoing only delayed its discovery and intensified the consequences. What guilt have you buried deep in your heart that prevents your flight to a life of transparency and virtue? Have you ever tried to hide a mistake or wrongdoing? What were the consequences? Did you ever try to address and rectify your mistakes openly and honestly?

Moses spent 40 years in the desert, accepting a humble position in Jethro’s home, raising a family and pasturing sheep. Are you comfortable working behind the scenes without recognition in your community/church life?

Reflect on a period of waiting in your life. In what areas of my life do I need to trust God’s plan more fully, even when the future seems uncertain? What lessons can I learn from periods of waiting or preparation that I am currently experiencing? How can I remain faithful and patient, trusting that God is at work in my life, even when I cannot see immediate results?

In Christ,

Rincy

 

Ref: Gregory of Nyssa, Saint. The Life of Moses. Translated by A.J. Malherbe and E. Ferguson, HarperCollins, 2006, pp. 9,10,36. HarperCollins Spiritual Classics series. (Original translation published by Paulist Press, 1978)

Disclaimer: The content presented here is a paraphrased summary based on my reading and understanding of the book cited above and is intended solely for educational and devotional purposes during Lent. They are not intended to replace the original work or represent the views of the author or publisher. Readers are encouraged to refer to the original book for a comprehensive understanding.

 

In the Footsteps of Moses: A Lenten Voyage with St. Gregory of Nyssa (Step#2)

Scripture Reading: Exodus chapter 1

Brief outline of Exodus 1:  The sons of Jacob migrate to Egypt where Joseph was already present. The Israelites multiplied greatly, causing a new Pharaoh, who did not know Joseph, to fear them. He subjected them to harsh labour, building cities like Pithom and Rameses. Despite the oppression, the Israelites continued to grow, leading to increased brutality. Pharaoh ordered the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, to kill all newborn Hebrew boys, but they were God-fearing women and defied Pharaoh. As a result, God blessed the midwives with families, and the Israelites continued to multiply. Frustrated, Pharaoh decreed that all newborn Hebrew boys be thrown into the Nile River.

Lessons from St. Gregory of Nyssa (‘Life of Moses’):

St. Gregory, reflecting on the birth of Moses during Pharaoh’s decree, explains that while our physical birth is influenced by external circumstances, there is also a concept of "birth by choice." This notion denotes that although we cannot choose the circumstances of our physical birth, we have the autonomy to decide how we live our lives.

According to St. Gregory, anything subject to change will not remain static, but will continuously transition from one state to another, resulting in either an improvement or deterioration from the previous condition. The spiritual meaning of this concept entails that individuals have the capacity to shape their lives through their free will, choosing to align their actions with either virtue or vice according to their desires.

Like Pharaoh favoured one form of life and decreed to kill the another, likewise, the Evil one will favour the materialistic form of life where one is subservient to passions and will oppose the life of virtue. Despite the tricks and acts of the evil one (‘ruler of the world’), we certainly have the choice to enter into the realm of godly light which is a better state of existence.

To put it simply, our choices shape who we become- we can ‘give birth to ourselves’ and define our identities through our actions and decisions. We can either choose to live virtuously (whose birth/life will not be allowed by the ‘world’) or succumb to our passions (whose birth/life will be favoured by the ‘world’).

Pharaoh’s decree and the response of the midwives highlights the struggle between living a life of virtue versus a life driven by base desires. The midwives symbolize our free will. The midwives had the choice to obey Pharaoh’s orders, but they defied it. Even when faced with opposition, we have the power to transform ourselves through our choices- we can strive for a virtuous life, which brings joy to God, our true parent. The birth that distresses the ‘Pharaoh’ (or the evil one) denotes the beginning of a virtuous life which is achieved through free will and often involves struggle and pain. 

Questions for Personal Reflection:

The saga of the Israelites' redemption from Egyptian tyranny begins with the stories of courageous women who acted righteously despite having a tyrannical ruler at the helm.  Consider areas in your life where you may need to address injustice or wrongdoing. Injustices can occur in various forms, either subtle or obvious, at homes, schools, or workplaces, and can impact self, family members, colleagues, or less privileged people. Are you addressing this call? Reflect on the times when you chose to quieten the still small voice of the conscience and maintained the status quo due to the fear of “pharaohs” of the society. In the light of St. Gregory’s teaching on us having the ability to ‘give birth to ourselves’, reflect on how are you holding yourself accountable for your choices in the face of external influences and temptations?

In Christ,

Rincy

Ref: Gregory of Nyssa, Saint. The Life of Moses. Translated by A.J. Malherbe and E. Ferguson, HarperCollins, 2006, pp. 32-33. HarperCollins Spiritual Classics series. (Original translation published by Paulist Press, 1978)

Disclaimer: The content presented here is a paraphrased summary based on my reading and understanding of the book cited above and is intended solely for educational and devotional purposes during Lent. They are not intended to replace the original work or represent the views of the author or publisher. Readers are encouraged to refer to the original book for a comprehensive understanding.

In the Footsteps of Moses: A Lenten Voyage with St. Gregory of Nyssa (Step#1- Introduction)

Lent is universally regarded as a spiritual journey, characterized by the practices of fasting, prayer, and charity which are designed to cultivate a deeper relationship with God and more profound understanding of their faith. Bishop Kallistos Ware (of blessed memory) writes- “To be a Christian is to be a traveller. Our situation, say the Greek Fathers, is like that of the Israelite people in the desert of Sinai: we live in tents, not houses, for spiritually we are always on the move. We are on a journey through the inward space of the heart, a journey not measured by the hours of our watch or the days of the calendar, for it is a journey out of time into eternity.” (The Orthodox Way).

It is then apt and fitting to meditate on the journey of the Israelites in the wilderness and the man who led them to freedom-Moses. A Christian recognizes in Moses the aspirations and trials of a pilgrim, a faith filled life in God while navigating the desert with a weary and faithless populace.

St. Gregory of Nyssa was a prominent 4th-century Christian theologian and bishop, known for his profound contributions to Christian doctrine and philosophy. Born around 335 in Cappadocia, St. Gregory was the younger brother of St. Basil the Great and a close friend of St. Gregory of Nazianzus, together known as the Cappadocian Fathers.

‘The Life of Moses’ is a work of St. Gregory of Nyssa addressed to a man named Caesarius in response to the latter’s request on guidance to lead a perfect virtuous life. St. Gregory teaches the inquirer (and us) that while everything measurable by the senses has definite boundaries, virtue is unique because its perfection lies in its boundlessness. He cites the example of Apostle St. Paul, who, known for his profound understanding and continual pursuance of virtue, never stopped “straining forward to what lies ahead” (Philippians 3:13).

St. Gregory acknowledges that while attaining complete perfection in virtue is impossible, human beings should still strive for it. We ought to heed to the Lord's commandment: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (St. Matthew 5:48). Striving for goodness, even partially, is valuable and brings us closer to God. Just as the end of life signifies the onset of death similarly ceasing in the progress of virtuous behaviour signifies onset of evil. Therefore, the pursuit of virtue is an endless journey, always striving towards an unattainable perfection.

According to St. Gregory, true perfection does not entail merely avoiding a wicked life out of a fear of punishment, nor performing good deeds in anticipation of rewards, as if treating the virtuous life as a transactional arrangement. Instead, irrespective of the promises or hopes we may have, true perfection lies in viewing the loss of God's friendship as the only thing to dread and considering becoming God's friend as the sole pursuit worthy of honour and desire.

In ‘The Life of Moses’, St. Gregory documents the elements of an exemplary virtuous life led by Moses which is worthy of emulation.  He says like how sailors at sea, who drift away from their intended course, can navigate back by looking for clear signs like a beacon light or a visible mountain peak, the examples of saints in the Holy Scripture, can guide those who are lost in life back to alignment with the divine will.

The life of Moses is broadly divided into two parts- Book 1 (Historia) summarises the biblical account of Moses, and Book 2 (Theoria) explores the spiritual meaning of the Scriptural narrative.

The Book of Exodus consists of 40 chapters. This series (In the Footsteps of Moses: A Lenten Voyage with St. Gregory of Nyssa) will involve daily reading/reflection of chapter(s) from the book of Exodus (and some portions from the Book of Numbers) with the commentary of Moses’s life (in that respective chapter) by St. Gregory of Nyssa and some questions for personal contemplation.

During this Lenten season, let us commit to dedicating time each day to immerse ourselves in the Holy Scriptures and the writings of the Church Fathers and Mothers. Furthermore, moments of quiet contemplation will enable us to internalize these teachings. Engaging in these practices can enhance not only our Lenten journey but also our lives, much like a traveller rejuvenated by the waters of an oasis in the desert. 

“So Moses, who eagerly seeks to behold God, is now taught how he can behold Him: to follow God wherever he might lead is to behold God. His ‘passing by’ signifies Him guiding the one who follows, for someone who does not know the way cannot complete his journey safely in any other way than by following behind his guide.”- St. Gregory of Nyssa

Come in peace O holy lent our Saviour has observed!

In Christ,
Rincy

The Bridegroom beckons.

Reflection on the holy Gospel reading (St. John 2:1-11)- First Sunday of the Great Lent 

“This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.” (v11)

A plain reading of this verse confirms that the public ministry of our Lord embarked when He turned water into wine at the behest of the holy Theotokos at a wedding in Cana of Galilee. It would be an unorthodox way for the Teacher to begin his public ministry- no sermons, no healing, no verbal debates with the religious authorities but a sign in an obscure wedding in Galilee- a sign for those who had the heart and the eyes to behold and understand. 

The wedding was on the third day in Cana of Galilee (v1-2). The third day holds immense importance in the Jewish tradition and Scriptures. One such occurrence was when the Israelites sanctified themselves and waited in anticipation, and on the third day the Lord manifested to Israelites at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19). The events on Mount Sinai were reminiscent of a spiritual wedding. The Ten Commandments were offered to the people, and Israel affirms the covenant. In a symbolic act that affirmed the matrimonial relationship of the Yahweh and His people, Moses took the blood of the sacrifices and sprinkles it on the altar and the people saying- “This is the blood of the covenant which the Lord has made with you according to all these words.” (Exodus 24:3-8). Post wedding celebrations in many cultures have the practice of the bride and bridegroom having the meal together. Even in Mount Sinai, a heavenly feast followed the spiritual wedding, one wherein Moses and the elders of Israel expressed this familial relationship by dining in the presence of the Lord (Exodus 24:9-11).

The intimate relationship of God and His people akin to a matrimonial union was not a novel concept for Israelites. Prophet Hosea expounds the love of God thus:

“I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me
In righteousness and justice, In lovingkindness and mercy;
I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, and you shall know the Lord." (Hosea 2;19,20)

 And now the Bridegroom (as the Baptist labeled Him (St. John 3:29)) manifested in person, beginning His ministry at a wedding in Cana of Galilee, to fulfil the marriage covenant with the bride-the Church.

The usual course of action would have been to work with the hosts to make alternate arrangements for the provisions of wine for the guests; however the Blessed Virgin simply turns to Christ (who is a guest at the wedding) with the hurdle at hand. The history of Israel is replete with men and women waiting faithfully in anticipation of the Messiah. The Blessed Virgin, who was brought up in the Temple, received the annunciation from angel Gabriel, the one who sung the Magnificat that praises the remembrance of the Lord for His servant Israel wasn’t a passive agency but one who actively pondered the events in heart (St. Luke 2:19).

The Blessed Virgin’s call for help -“they have no wine.” (v.3) is akin to the pleading of Israel to the Lord to receive for the wine of salvation during His glorious manifestation: “The new wine fails, the vine languishes,….There is a cry for wine in the streets” (Isaiah 24:7-13).

The prophecy of Isaiah does not end with the lack of wine. The following chapter foretells how the Lord Himself will not only provide wine in a lavish banquet but He will also ultimately conquer death and the people will rejoice in His salvation. The concept of the great Messianic Banquet has its roots in these prophecies:

“..the Lord of hosts will make for all people ..a feast of wines on the lees, Of fat things full of marrow, Of well-refined wines on the lees…..He will swallow up death forever… And it will be said in that day: “Behold, this is our God; We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the Lord; We have waited for Him; We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.” (Isaiah 25:6-9).

On a surface view the viewer might think that the mother of our Lord is asking her Son to help save the prestige of a relative/family friend. However, seen from a Jewish perspective, this very question shows the prayer of the Blessed Virgin to her Son and the Lord to provide the wine of salvation that was spoken of by Prophet Isaiah.

After tasting the new wine, the master of the feast tells the bridegroom how he kept the good wine until now (v.9, v.10). We gather from these verses that it was the bridegroom’s duty to provide for the wine to the guests. Adeline Fehribach shares- “When the mother of Jesus says to Jesus, ‘They have no wine’ (2:3), she places him in the role of the bridegroom, whose responsibility it is to provide the wine.” [The Women in the Life of the Bridegroom].

There were six waterpots each containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece (v.6). With Jesus’s intervention the amount of wine generated would be roughly equal to 700 liters. Seen from Hebrew eyes, the provision of a colossal amount of wine in a small-town wedding would mean the herald of Jesus the bridegroom- not an ordinary one but the Messianic Bridegroom, the Bridegroom of Israel (ibid). 

In this context, the initial response of Jesus makes sense- “..what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.” (v.4). The 'hour', which Jesus alludes to, is the time of His passion and crucifixion. ("Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world ..." (St. John 13:1).

 There will be no turning back once the sign is manifested. It seems that the Lord wants the Blessed Virgin to be really sure of what she is asking. If His hour had not yet come, then her request for help for a Galilean couple on their wedding day (a public event) will set Jesus on the path to Cross. Those with eyes to see would decipher after witnessing the sign that Jesus is indeed the One whom they have been waiting for. They will follow Him, there will be no hidden, regular, private life- in a sense, she will forever lose Him to the followers. The terror of parting with one's own child is unbearable for a mother. In her instruction to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it", she willingly accepts the sword to pierce her own soul.

The presence of Jesus in their lives was so life changing, that the people "tried to keep Him from leaving them" (St. Luke 4:42). When we limit Jesus and His message to ourselves, though this might seem like an act of human love and longing, it is neither expected from Christians nor is it spiritually beneficial. 

As we begin the Lenten journey, may we like the Blessed Virgin, be eager in showing Christ to others though it will involve a 'loss' for us. The wedding residence in Cana had the presence of the Blessed Virgin and Jesus was invited. The homes where the mother of our Lord is present and honored will indeed invite the grace of our Lord through her unceasing intercessions.

May we be strengthened by the prayers of the most holy Theotokos in this journey.

O Great Salvific Lent- come in peace.

In Christ,

Rincy

"Quo Vadis, Domine?"; "To be with the leper"- Reflections on the Gospel reading for the second Sunday of the Great Lent (Garbo Sunday).

Glory to the Triune God!

The Holy Gospel reading for the second Sunday of the Great Lent is from the Gospel of St Luke 5:12-16; 4:40-41. We will focus on the Gospel reading related to cleansing of leper.

“And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately the leprosy left him. And He charged him to tell no one, “But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as a testimony to them, just as Moses commanded.”

However, the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities. So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.” (St Luke 5:12-16; NKJV).

The Jewish Rabbis saw leprosy as the external manifestation of an internal spiritual decay and hence focused on a spiritual care than a medical one. In the Hebrew society, leprosy was 'tzaraat' and it encompassed a wide variety of skin diseases also including the now known leprosy/Hansen's disease. One of the earliest mentions of such disease in the Holy Scripture is the affliction of Miriam, Moses's sister. She speaks ill of Moses when he married an Ethiopian wife. This slander and gossip made Miriam to be stricken with illness that leaves her skin flaky white. (The story is in Numbers 12). 

Will we be more careful with our words if we the result of gossip gave us skin deformity? 

In today's times, gossiping and spreading rumours about others is so much so much prevalent that they no longer attract our attention. Gossiping /speaking ill against a person or community leads to making the human (s)- the Lord' creation, to an object of hate, anger and possibly dehumanize them.

We don't like to accept that we indeed have flaws and that we need help. For us, misgivings only exist in others. It is interesting to note that the disease syphilis was called the "French disease" in Italy, Malta, Poland and Germany, and the "Italian disease" in France. The Dutch called it the "Spanish disease", the Russians called it the "Polish disease", and the Turks called it the "Christian disease". These "national" names served to act as the propaganda against the countries seen as their political/national opponents. As stated earlier, it helped to ‘dehumanize’ the ‘other’ people.

We saw it happening earlier and we see it happening now. Genocide and riots start with hate speech fed into the minds for days, months and years. In the time of this Lenten season let us with tears and prayers, seek our Lord's help as we hear racist hate speeches being orchestrated against the marginalized communities.

The prescribed ritual as seen in the book of Numbers and Leviticus is that the leprosy afflicted person was quarantined for some days. In Jewish concept such separation is seen as the time for repentance. After the prescribed period, "the priest shall go out of the camp, and the priest shall examine him" (Leviticus 14:3; NKJV).

As the 'chosen generation, a royal priesthood' (1 Peter 2:9), we are to go out and seek those who are sick (physically and spiritually) and bring them to the Church which the holy fathers have termed as a 'hospital'. In this Lenten season let us reflect how many times have we chosen to condemn a brother rather than help him to repent and come back!

Helping the physically and spiritually sick was a community task. “So Miriam was shut out of the camp seven days, and the people did not journey till Miriam was brought in again” (Numbers 12: 15; NKJV) The entire Israelite community waited for Miriam before they could journey again.

Our Orthodox faith teaches us that 'we may be lost alone but are saved together'!

"The Messiah at the Gates of Rome" is a traditional story in the Jewish tradition wherein Rabbi Joshua ben Levi has a vision in which he asks Prophet Elijah "When will the Messiah come?" to which the response is  "The Messiah is at the gates of Rome, sitting among the poor, the sick and wretched/lepers".

The Holy Tradition tells us that St Peter was crucified in Rome. A story goes that he was asked by fellow Christians to leave Rome for safety. While St Peter was escaping, he saw a vision of Christ heading towards Rome. St Peter exclaims "Where are you going Master" (Quo Vadis, Domine). Jesus responds that He is going to Rome to be crucified again since St Peter is running away from martyrdom. St Peter repents and goes back to Rome to fearlessly face the physical death.

Weren’t we all outraged when a wall was built to cover the slums when the POTUS visited our country? Isn’t that the way we are? We hate to admit as ours what is not pleasing to ours and others senses. 

And in such times when we see the Lord walking away from us, we call to him and ask- Quo Vadis, Domine? He will respond- "to the leper and outcasts because you aren’t allowing them in your midst"!

The leper in the Gospel reading might have been forgotten by the people (whereas the healing and caring for the sick was a community calling) and he implores the Lord to make him clean. The Lord wills that the leper is cleansed but also tells to show himself to the priest and make an offering for his cleansing. This passage also expounds on the importance of the sacrament of Holy Confession. If we sincerely repent over our wrongdoings, we are instructed by the Lord to share it with the confession father/priest for getting absolution.

Wishing all a blessed season of fasting and repentance.

In Christ,

Rincy John