The Conception of Saint John the Baptist – Metropolitan of Strumica Nahum
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In the days of Herod, the king of Judea, there was a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years (Luke 1, 5-7).
The entire history and all the events in the immediate family of St. John the Baptist, before his birth, are a true icon of the first stage of spiritual development – cleansing the heart from passions, also they serve as an icon of the transition from the first to the second stage of spiritual development – because of the fruit of the struggle (asceticism, endeavour) we see.
We recognize the first stage of spiritual development in the testimony of the Holy Spirit, the Lord, about John’s parents, his father – the priest Zacharias, and his mother Elizabeth, in the Holy Gospel:
“… they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless (without error). But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years ” (Luke 1, 6-7).
This is exactly what we must recount and commit to memory: “walking according to all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord, without error”. Remember especially – “without error”.
What does this asceticism of theirs show us? It shows us that in spite of their great and unfulfilled desire for which they prayed to God (“for your prayer has been heard” – a testimony that they asked for it), they did not abandon their struggle before God, although both were already old, and even with lost hope in regard to the realization of their desire. This is seen in the words of Zacharias, addressed to the archangel Gabriel: “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.” (Luke 1, 18).
Their asceticism shows us their personal relationship towards God – as a relationship of children of God, free and loving. It is fruitless to keep the law itself, in and of itself or for its own sake, or from the relationship of a slave or hiree. We fulfil the commandments of God for the sake of God, seeking Him and only Him, and not for the sake of some of His rewards. Zacharias and Elizabeth act according to all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord – without error, as children of God, but in the end – the gift is only God’s:
So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And all the people prayed outside at the hour of incense. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Luke 1, 8-17).
But Zacharias had his doubts, for as we said, that his asceticism is a true icon of the first stage of spiritual development – purification of the heart from passions, and that stage, i.e., the level of spiritual development, does not distinguish the enlightenment of the mind. A man with the correct asceticism of the first stage of spiritual development feels things more with his heart than he understands them with his mind.
The un-enlightenment of the mind is also a kind of theological muteness. Muteness, not so much that someone cannot put together a theological word (sentence) – not so much whether he is well-read, or whether he is intelligent, or even unto someone being under demonic influence, but muteness due to the absence of a word in (with) power. That is why the penance that Zacharias receives from the Archangel Gabriel reveals to us exactly that muteness.
And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years. ”And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.” (Luke 1, 18-20).
And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he lingered so long in the temple. But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless. So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house. (Luke 1, 21-23).
None of God’s promises to His faithful children remain unfulfilled. Not so much because of the perfection of their mind, i.e. spiritual reason, that is, belief, but because of the correctness and constancy of their struggle. In Orthodox spiritual life, practice precedes theory, i.e. the contemplation. The Holy Fathers of the Church said: Shed (your) blood – receive the Spirit.
Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, “Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.” (Luke 1, 24-25)
Indeed, our lack of the fruits of the Spirit today is our reproach amongst men (against our people). Our tepid at most, or no bearing of witness to Christ rarely attracts anyone. Christ rarely attracts anyone. Such testimony not only does not attract, but rather repels. We see and feel the great apostasy from God and disinterest all around us. And it will be so until we bear good fruit.
The transition from the first to the second stage of spiritual development occurs with the manifestation of the grace of Holy Baptism from the heart and the gift of the prayer of the mind in the heart, which the Fathers of the Church encompassed with one term, and that is – enlightenment of the mind. It is a transition from the Old to the New Testament; a transition from an unnatural to a natural way of life. It is the fruit of the struggle of purifying the heart from passions which has been conducted in a proper manner.
That fruit is also called the New Testament priesthood, eschatological, royal, internal priesthood which is an internal spiritual covering (aptitude) for the official priestly ranks as the Holy Sacrament of the Church. aptitude
Saint John the Baptist, pray to God to grant us the repentance itself!
Metropolitan of Strumica Nahum
(06.10.2022 08:55)
