The Holy Priest-Martyrs and Bishops of Cherson Basil, Ephrem, Capiton, Eugene, Etherius and Others (284-305); Passing into Eternal Life (1935) of Blessed Leonid Fedorov, Exarch of the Russian Catholic Church, and Martyr
Great Fast Day 24. Abstention from meat and foods that contain meat. According to liturgical prescriptions, the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated today.
Read
Sixth Hour – Isaiah 26:21-27:9
Presanctified – Genesis 9:18-10:1; Proverbs 12:23-13:10
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
Today’s Genesis reading gives us a strange sequence of events that may leave us scratching our head. Noah and his family finally reach dry ground and are able to get off the boat. As one would expect after the long duration on the boat Noah, a tiller of the land, desired to reconnect with the land. To feel the dirt between his fingers and taste of the produce and fruits once more. Celebrating God’s mercy a little too much Noah lays drunk in the confines of his tent. What happens next is a strange exchange between Noah and Ham: his son ‘saw the nakedness of his father’. There are a few possible interpretations of what this means: Ham purely saw his father naked, Ham had sexual relations with his fathers wife, or Ham took sexual advantage of his unconscious father. The text is not completely clear, but based on Noah’s strong reaction to being violated most likely he is not reacting to being seen naked by his son. Lev. 20:11 says, ‘The man who lies with his father’s wife has uncovered his father’s nakedness; both of them shall be put to death, their blood is upon them.’ We could understand this text to mean two possible things. That having sexual intercourse with someone is equated to uncovering their nakedness or that having sexual intercourse with ones mother uncovers the nakedness of your father.
Regardless of the interpretation we apply to this strange event the general teaching we can gather is clear. We must not take advantage of those who are in a weak state, even if they are to blame for their trouble. The Christian always walks backwards toward their weak and hurt neighbour and carries a blanket of love to cover over their weakness with compassion and forgiveness: ‘Above all hold unfailing your love for one another, since love covers a multitude of sins.’ (1 Peter 4:8)