Holy Priest-Martyr Blaise, Bishop of Sebastia (313-24)
1 John 2:7-17; Mark 14:3-9
There is no fasting or abstinence today
Read Mark 14:3-9
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
In the prayer behind the Ambon at the Divine Liturgy, the priest prays to God the Father, asking Him to “sanctify those who love the beauty of Your house.” This prayer asks that God the Father bless those who care for the beauty of the church. Our churches are beautifully adorned with icons, gold, fine vestments, etc.
It would be very easy for an outsider to look inside one of our churches and utter the same words that we hear in today’s Gospel, asking why is money wasted on these costly items instead of being given to the poor. This question comes up from time and time, especially in relation to the Vatican which has many treasures from over the centuries.
While it is true that there are many poor people in this world, our elaborate adornment of God’s house with the very finest is not a rejection or neglect of the poor. We must never forget that our Church is the house of God. In this house, we worship the One God in the Holy Trinity as a community, and it is befitting to use the very best and most beautiful to adorn God’s house.
If we think about our own homes, we can recall times when we spared no expense in order to make our home beautiful. This should be our attitude when adorning God’s house. We use the very best because our God is worthy of the very best. And this very best is what God has prepared for us in eternal life with Him.