Pre-feast of Theophany. Synaxis of the Seventy Holy Apostles. Our Venerable Father Theoctistus, Hegumen of the Cucomo Monastery in Sicily.
James 1:19-27; Mark 10:17-27.
Read Mark 10:17-27
Christ is born! Glorify Him!
The beginning of a new year always seems so full of new possibilities. Many people are using this time to set new goals, which, we hope, will help us to actualize some of these possibilities to improve our lives for the better. We want to lose weight or get in shape, make a certain amount of money, or attain some professional or educational milestone. These are all good and worthy pursuits in their place, but the occasion should also cause us to reflect on the possibilities open to us in the spiritual life.
Today’s Gospel is the account of the rich young man, who comes and inquires of Jesus how he might attain to eternal life. The young man’s instinct is correct – he desires to know what he must do to inherit the life of the kingdom. His fundamental misunderstanding though is that eternal life in the kingdom of God does not come later as a result of accomplishing specific good deeds. Rather it is a gift to be experienced now, as a result of his communion with Christ. As such, it is incompatible with attachment to the good things of this world.
We are now in the liturgical period of the forefeast of Theophany, the feast of Our Lord’s Baptism. In our baptism, we are incorporated into Christ and grafted into His divine life. The image of God that was disfigured through sin is renewed in us and that foundational ability to grow into the likeness of God is again made a possibility for us.
As we reflect on today’s Gospel reading, let us be encouraged by the possibility of beginning and experiencing our transformation – our theosis, in this life. Rather than visualizing our fit, wealthy, and successful selves, let us gaze upon the icon of Christ and realize that what God wants to give us goes well beyond materially flourishing in this life. Eternal life is something that starts now, “for all things are possible with God.”