Our Venerable Father and Confessor Basil, Ascetical Companion of Procopius (716-40)
Great Fast Day 17. Abstention from meat and foods that contain meat. According to liturgical prescriptions, the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated today.
Read
Genesis 7:6-9
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
If we can imagine for a moment being part of Noah’s family, working on the ark and then preparing to enter it. The rain starting and the animals packing in tightly into their reserved places. What relief one must feel when the doors are closed and the waters begin to rise. The feeling of confirmation that I have trusted God and He has harboured me. These feelings of affirmation and comfort may fade over time because of our weakness. The smells on the boat become unbearable, the constant noice and restlessness of the other passengers become irritating. There must be another way to salvation. It only takes a walk on the deck to realize that there is no other way. That the way to salvation is not an easy path.
The image of the ark is given for us to contemplate as a sign fulfilled by the Church. Many of us may have experienced at one time or another a waning enthusiasm and zeal for the Church. We may feel like we are tightly packed and that the boat stinks and is filled with boorish passengers. The reality is that this is the truth. Sometimes our fallen human nature gets the best of us and we revert to animal like behaviour and make life difficult for those around us onboard the ark of salvation. There is no other way of salvation except through the Church for life around the boat is filled with storms of the fallen world. Life within the boat may at times become uncomfortable, but discomfort is what really challenges us to love like God loves—God loves those who don’t love Him. This is the challenge of transformation set out before us. We who are on the ark are called, by God’s grace, to transform our animal passions. My brother and sister is here to help me and so I’m grateful for not only the gift of the ark, but most of all the co-passengers.