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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
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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)
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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)
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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.