The Holy Martyrs Sabinus and Papas (284-305).
Great Fast Day 25. According to liturgical prescriptions, the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated today.
Sixth Hour – Isaiah 28:14-22; Vespers – Genesis 10:32-11:9; Proverbs 13:19-14:6.
Read Genesis 10:32-11:9
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
Is the world blessed or cursed?
Today’s reading reveals God opposing humanity who is ignoring His creation blessing and command in Genesis 1:28 to “fill the earth.” Humanity is not obediently walking in God’s blessing, but unwillingly being “scattered abroad over the face of all the earth.” It comes across as a curse brought about by confusion and misunderstanding.
The first verse of our reading leads into this story, but it is actually the summary statement of the previous chapter which depicts all the nations after God’s re-blessing of humanity in Genesis 9:1 and re-commanding it to, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth.” God faithfully fulfills His creation intention of blessing despite repeated unfaithfulness by humanity.
Separation by distance, whether willingly or forced, will over time inevitably lead to differences between people. God does not oppose the variety of creativity and communication of different cultures; God opposes opposition to His good and blessed intentions for creation and humanity.
There is still much in the history of humanity that speaks of being both blessed and cursed. Moreover, in salvation history revealed in the scriptures, we see God accomplishing His good intentions through it all. In the very next chapter God calls Abram to become Abraham, through whom “all the families of the earth shall be blessed,” leading to Christ our Lord.
It remains God’s intention that each one of us walk in His blessing and that in doing so we each participate in bringing His blessing to “all the families of the earth.”