Week 2: Sour Fruits
The Readings of Isaiah for the Second Week of the Great Lent
Monday: Is 4:2 - 5:7
Tuesday: 5:7-16
Wednesday: 5:17-25
Thursday: 6:1-12
Friday 7:1-14
Isaiah the prophet continues his prophecy in the fifth chapter, which is read on Tuesday and Wednesday. He addresses the sins, evils, and different causes that obstruct our holy journey during the Lent, causing us to neglect the grace of God and bear sour fruits, as happens nowadays with many Christian. God - who with His own hands and with pleasure has planted His vine (church) - is saddened when He sees us running along with the world bringing forth fruits that are no different from the world's!!
+ TO ADORE POSSESSIONS: Woe to those who join house to house..." (Is 5: 8) Today, the world attracts the children of God to the lust of possession: real estate, houses, lands... to the extent that nowadays when a Christian is called successful, usually refers to his great possessions and not to a pious God-fearing life.
+ LACK OF KNOWLEDGE: "...my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge" (Is 5:13) Spiritual knowledge - the knowledge of Christ - is essential for a safe journey for He says: "I am the way" (Jn 14:6) and: "my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge" (Is 5:13). There are many false and evil knowledge and philosophies, which are worse than lack of knowledge.
+ DESPISING THE WORD OF THE LORD: "...because they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel" (Is 5: 24) The word of God and His law are light for our path and a lamp for our feet (Ps 118:105). Neglecting the Holy Bible is a disaster for those who are sojourners in the world. They will undoubtedly lose the way. Our Lord Jesus Christ answered Satan from the Bible. Indeed the enemy himself misquoted the Bible in his temptations.
+ VAINGLORY: "Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!" (Is 5:21) Whoever studies the Bible with his human wisdom, shall reap only arrogance and wisdom in his own eyes! Since humility is the paramount condition to walk in the journey of the Lent, arrogance is indeed the primary stumbling block. It will preclude all gains and blessing in the journey. Therefore, the devil in this week has tempted Christ, by pride and arrogance telling Him to throw Himself from the top of the mount, and God should send His angels to preserve Him. The Savior answered in meekness: "Thou shall not tempt the Lord thy God" (Lk 4:12).
+ HYPOCRISY: "Woe for them that call evil good and good evil..." (Is 5:20) The Lord has rebuked the Pharisees for their hypocrisy like no one else. Christianity is founded on clearness and plain faith. It is difficult for a hypocrite to endure the journey of the Lent, therefore Isaiah says: "Woe for them that call evil good and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!" (Is 5: 20).
This concludes the prophecies of Tuesday and Wednesday. It is a warning from the prophet for us to mend the vine during the Lent so it can bear good fruits. Amen.
The Experience (Trial) of Facing God for the Sake of Serving Him
(Is. 6:1-12)
Are fasting and serving the Lord related?
The answer is yes: Fasting and prayer are those which the apostles pursued and preached to all nations and baptized them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Isaiah the prophet is a faithful servant of God. How should he begin his service?
The foundation and crux of service is to soundly build the servant's spirituality. Isaiah summarized this by facing God in prayer, then by purifying his lips with the live coal from off the altar. Finally, after a little delay, he said: "Here am I; send me" (Is 6:8).
- The saintly servants of God must have a strong life of prayer, where they face God, and He reviles their weakness, so they are humbled. Their souls will be shaken, and they will perceive the power of God Whose train fill the temple. They will see the smoke that separates them from the temple. Serving God should start from the temple, the house of prayer. It starts with the fear of God in the heart and feeling our weakness and sin.
- The life of the servant and purging (purifying) it starts from off the altar, as St. Cyril (Kyrellos) the Great says in the divine liturgy: "Give us the living coal that purges the spirit, the body and the soul; which is the divine body and precious blood of your Christ." The sacrifice of Christ on the altar is the point from which the life of the servant takes off.
- Isaiah's obedience to God's request: After God presented to Isaiah all these spiritual matters and experiences, Isaiah had no choice but to quickly obey and serve God, despite the fact that - at that time - the prophets service was one that is filled with dangers. Prophets often had to carry unwelcome news to the kings.
This topic, the church arranged in the middle of the week of temptation, because every new experience with God is a point of a new start in God's service.
The Experience of Deep Prayers
"For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered" (Rom. 8:26). In fact, we ask a lot of God, but we ask for trivial and superficial matters.
Here is the dialogue between God and Ahaz: "Moreover the Lord spoke again to Ahaz, saying, 'Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above.' But Ahaz said, 'I will not ask, *nor will I test the Lord!*'" (Is 7: 10-12). Isaiah said: "'...but will you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel'" (Is 7:13, 14)
Thus, God - in prayer - is ready to give, even His own self! However, we do not ask in depth or height above, and are weary to ask for great things for fear that we should tempt the Lord.
In the New Testament, the Lord is our portion. He is the portion of the prodigal son, the Samaritan woman, the lame and the born blind! Mary chose the good portion that shall not be taken away from her. Let us ask that Christ Himself - and nothing less - be our portion: "my strength and my song; he also has become my salvation" (Is 12:2).
This is the fruit of deep prayer, the way Isaiah experienced it and present to us during the journey of the holy Lent.
- Fasting and prayer: are those which Moses pursued, until he received the law and the commandments written by the finger of God.
- Fasting and prayer: are those which the people of Nineveh pursued, so God had mercy upon them.
- Fasting and prayer: are those which the Apostles pursued and carried out their mission.
- Fasting and prayer: are those which raised Elijah to heaven.
- Fasting and prayer: are those with which Daniel shut the mouths of the lions.
- Fasting and prayer: are those which the martyrs pursued, and they shed their blood for the name of Christ.
- Fasting and prayer: are those which the righteous, and the just pursued, and dwelt in the mountains, deserts and holes of the earth, because of their great love for Christ the King.