Forefeast of the Nativity of Christ; The Ten Holy Martyrs of Crete (249-51)
James 1:19-27; Mark 10:17-27
Nativity Fast.
Read Mark 10:17-27
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
This Gospel lesson has so many important teachings for us: the importance of keeping the commandments, obedience to the Lord, how great riches and possessions choke out the spiritual life within us and ultimately bring about a great sorrow. We also see how God works in the lives of willing human beings in order to bring them to salvation. In today’s example we notice that this rich man was devoted from his youth to keeping God’s commandments. This was someone who was engaged in the Jewish faith. By today’s standards we would say: goes to Church regularly, strives to be a moral person and follows the commandments. His sails are up and he is catching the wind of grace, which is guiding him in the direction of a personal encounter with Jesus Christ.
St. Clement of Alexandria says, “God provides a fairer wind for the willing souls. But if they early abandon their eagerness, the wind which God provides is thereby obstructed. For to save the unwilling is an act of compulsion. But to save the willing is the act of one showing grace. (Salvation of the Rich Man 21). St. Clement reminds us that God gently directs us with His grace, but we have to put up our sails to catch the wind. The Lord will not force salvation, but will even allow us to walk away if we so desire something else more than Him. We have to be willing to put God first above all things. Our will is our sail, which catches the energy of grace in order to move us forward to the Kingdom.