Sunday After Theophany

(Matt. 4:12-17)

We hear in today’s Holy Gospel a quotation from Isaiah the prophet, saying: ‘The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death, Light has dawned.’ This quote from the prophecy of Isaiah is presented to us by the Evangelist Matthew in the context of his description of Christ’s baptism by John in the Jordan.

The great event of Christ’s baptism is the manifestation of the Holy Trinity and Christ shines forth His Light to the world. Indeed, in the Kontakion of the feast of Theophany we sing: ‘Thou hast appeared today to the whole world, and Thy light, O Lord, hath been signed upon us who hymn Thee with understanding. Thou hast come, Thou hast appeared, the Light unapproachable.’

Christ’s appearance to mankind brings Light to the world. But as we hear in the opening verses of the Gospel of St John: ‘In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not.’

The Light of Christ’s love and truth shines upon us and upon the whole world, but we do not comprehend it. Indeed, so much of the reality of the spiritual life which surrounds us – the presence of God, the life of the Church, the temptations of the evil one – all of this remains obscure to us, and we go about our lives like blind men and women.

If our spiritual eyes were truly open and we could see the crafty deceptions of the demons, if we could see the tireless protection and prayers of our guardian angel, if we could perceive the patient knocking of our Lord Jesus Christ upon the closed door of our heart… Oh, dear brothers and sisters, if we could only see the both the beauty and the seriousness of the life given to us in which to work out our salvation – perhaps then we would heed the call of our Lord Jesus Christ from this morning’s Gospel: ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!’

This awareness of the presence of God is that ‘one thing needful’ which sets everything else in proper perspective. As the Gospels teach us: ‘Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all things will be added unto you.’

The Light of Christ has shone upon the world, yet the world clings to its darkness and we go about our lives as blind men…

The Gospel reading for this Sunday tells us about a certain blind man who sat by the road begging. When the crowd surrounding Jesus started to pass by, he asked what was happening and was told that Jesus of Nazareth was approaching. In the boldness of his hope and faith, he began crying out: ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Those around him warned him to keep quiet, but he just cried out all the more: ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’

And our Lord heard his cries and commanded that the blind man be brought to Him. Christ asked the blind man: ‘What do you want Me to do for you?’ The blind man replied: ‘Lord, that I might receive my sight.’ Then Jesus said to him: ‘Receive your sight, your faith has made you well.’ And immediately, his sight was restored.

Here is a beautiful lesson set before us!

With this feast of the Theophany and with the Gospel readings appointed for this day, we have a clear and accurate picture of the reality of the state of mankind, the intercessions and revelation of God, and instruction guiding us toward our healing from the blindness which besets us.

That accurate picture of the reality of the state of mankind is expressed by the Gospel as ‘a people who sat in the darkness’. It is very much like the famous analogy of Plato who speaks of men who sit with their backs to the entrance of the cave and content themselves with seeing the shadows on the wall. The Light and the Life awaits them outside the entrance of the cave, but they prefer the darkness and can scarcely believe that another world exists.

Yet with the baptism of the Lord, the fulness of the Trinity is made manifest! The voice of the Father bears witness to His Son and the Spirit in the form of a dove confirms the Truth of His Word. With the coming of Christ, the Light shines in upon the darkness and we are invited to come into that Light.

And what clear and beautiful instruction is given to us in the example of the blind man from today’s Gospel… sensing the presence of the Lord, the blind man calls out to him: ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’

This simple prayer has been echoed and loved by Christians since the time of Christ’s ministry here on earth. ‘Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner’. This prayer, in its great simplicity, yet deep profundity, expresses the essence and the heart of our faith.

This prayer, the Jesus Prayer as it has come to be known, is also a Theophany… a revelation of the Trinity. In it we confess our Lord Jesus Christ. We declare Him to be the Son of God – which references the Father. And the Apostle Paul tells us that no one can declare Jesus Christ as Lord, except by the Holy Spirit. So, you see… in this simple prayer, we find the revelation of the Holy Trinity.

And in this prayer we ask God to have mercy on us. In doing so we are not merely asking God to have clemency on us, but to extend His lovingkindness and His grace upon us. We are calling down grace and asking God to transform us by the grace of His mercy.

This simple prayer brought sight to the blind man who called out in faith. And this prayer can illumine our darkness as well if it said with sincerity, humility, and attention. Don’t get caught up in fulfilling a certain quantity of prayers and don’t take up the prayer as a technique to achieving some expected spiritual state. Let this prayer be your companion and consolation in life… calling out God when you face temptations: ‘Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ Calling out to Him to bring His presence into your day to day life and struggles. Calling out to Him as a time-tested expression of our love for Him and of our longing to draw close to Him… ‘Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, God grant that we all may be spiritually sensitive enough to recognize the presence of this great Light which has come into the world – our Lord Jesus Christ. May we then also have the humility to see ourselves as we really are and to call out in all sincerity and hope: ‘Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ And may we be granted those longed-for words from our Savior: ‘Receive your sight, your faith has made you well.’