Third Saturday in Great Lent
Kathisma 9 (Psalms 64-69)
“Let God arise and let His enemies be scattered, and let them that hate Him flee before His face… And let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice in the presence of God, let them delight in gladness.”
(Psalm 67)
Imagine that there is an armed robbery happening. One person holds another at gunpoint, threatening him and demanding that he hand over his valuables. Suddenly, the blare of police sirens explodes on the scene and lights blaze on the situation. One sudden appearance but two very different reactions to it. If you are the man holding the gun, threatening a victim with violence and mistreating him, the lights and sirens of the police’ sudden appearance is a cause for terror. If you are the man held at gunpoint, being threatened and victimized, the very same lights and sirens fill you with hope and a flood of relief.
This is what happens in Psalm 67 when God arises. His enemies scatter. The law-breakers flee from Him in terror. On the other hand, the righteous are glad when God arises. They rejoice before the lights and sounds of God’s marvelous appearance. Delight and gladness burst forth from the righteous at the appearance of the Lord.
Why the different reactions to the sirens? It all depends on what part you are playing when they sound. The same thing is true when the Lord arises. Those who are the enemies of God and His People are filled with fear and flee. Sinners perish in His presence. On the other hand, those who are waiting for the Lord’s salvation are filled with gladness and rejoicing. It is a worthy discipline, often commended by the Fathers, to keep always in mind the glorious appearance of the Lord, considering whether you would flee in fear as one guilty or rejoice as one whose hope has manifest.
Keep all of this in mind tomorrow as you participate in the work of God’s People, the Divine Liturgy. In the Eucharist, the Lord comes to us in the Mystery. Let God’s enemies be scattered at His coming, but let those who hope in Him draw near. St. Augustine comments that in Psalm 2 the Psalmist speaks of that rejoicing which every mortal who lives in this passing age rejoices as “with trembling,” but in the Divine Liturgy we “lay aside all earthly cares,” and are invited to join with all the choirs of Heaven, not as those who belong to this passing age, but the eternal Kingdom. For this reason, the Psalmist does not in this Psalm speak of “rejoicing with trembling,” but “rejoicing with delight.” Let God arise!
