Fourth Sunday of the Great Fast: St. John Climacus, Tone 8; Our Venerable Father Benedict of Nursia (547)
Great Fast Day 28
Hebrews 6:13-20; Ephesians 5:9-19; Mark 9:17-31; Matthew 4:25-5:12
Read Hebrews 6:13-20
If you visit the catacombs in Rome you will notice three symbols that our Christian brothers and sisters etched into the walls throughout the centuries: a dove, a fish, and an anchor. The dove symbolizes the Holy Spirit and the initials of “fish” in Greek (ιχθύς) form an acronym for “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour.” The anchor represents Christ as the anchor of a Christian’s life.
St. Paul refers to this anchor in our reading today, telling his Hebrew audience that the Lord’s promise can be trusted and relied upon like an anchor can be relied upon to keep a ship safe from nautical threats. We follow a God who has kept His promises to Abraham and now has provided the fulfillment of those promises by giving us a Holy Priest, His own Son, not to serve at a human temple but to intercede for us and welcome us into the Heavenly Temple.
This letter to the Hebrews was written at a time of great turmoil within Jerusalem. In fact, in a few short years Roman soldiers would level the city, destroying the Temple and effectively ending the religious way of life of so many Jewish believers. In another short stretch of time Christians will be targeted by emperors as scapegoats and be martyred. Rome itself will fall to the Visigoths and become a swamp. St. Benedict, (who we also celebrate today) will rely on the anchor of Christ to form communities of monks who will preserve the faith and re-establish culture in these dark times.
No matter how difficult and trying the times that we are currently living through, Christians hope not in the strength of this world, or even their own powers and or talents, but continue to rely on the anchor of Christ to keep us from drifting into despair or delusion. Let us continue to place our hope and faith in Him who saves!