DYNAMIS!
A publication of St. George Orthodox Christian Cathedral
Wichita, KS
Friday, September 1, 2006
The Indiction: The Beginning of the Ecclesiastical Year
2nd Vespers Indiction: Leviticus 25:3-12, 14-17,
19-24
Epistle: 1 Timothy 2:1-7 Gospel: St. Luke 4:16-22
Prayer and Time: 1 Timothy 2:1-7, especially vss.
3, 4: “...God our
Savior...desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the
truth.” We take for granted that the civil year begins January
1st, but it is often little-known that September 1st is the beginning of the Orthodox Church year. The First Ecumenical Council held in
Nicaea in 325 AD fixed upon that date.
For a number of reasons, September 1st makes a very suitable beginning for the Church’s
yearly cycle of prayer. In
northern latitudes, September is the primary month of harvest. Furthermore, during this season, in the
Synagogue at Nazareth, the Lord Jesus read the words: “The Spirit of the Lord
is upon Me, because He hath anointed Me to preach good tidings...” to signal
the opening of His ministry (see Lk. 4:18 and Is. 61:1).
Historically, September has had another special
importance for Christians, for, during this month, Constantine the Great
defeated his rival Maxentius and proceeded to grant Christians freedom of
worship throughout the Roman Empire.
For centuries, on this day, the Church has appointed special prayers of
supplication to be offered immediately before the conclusion of the Divine
Liturgy - prayers for the Church and for all cities and the countryside
throughout the world. This
service provides an opportunity to obey the Apostolic injunction of Saint Paul
found in today’s reading: “I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers,
intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men” (1 Tim. 2:1).
When he directs us to pray for all men, the Apostle
specifies both “supplications and intercessions,” yet, we should note, there is
no essential difference between these types of petitions, for both are
“prayers” offered on behalf of others in need. And when one considers mankind’s physical, emotional, and
spiritual requirements, the range of possible human problems is vast. Hence, the Apostle does not limit us,
but, rather, urges us to pray for the concerns and afflictions befalling our
fellow men.
In addition, St. Paul exhorts us to pray for “all
men,” and not for Christians only, his directive being inclusive. Hence, as we pray, we are to beseech
God in particular for rulers (vs. 2).
Why? So that the Church may
live under conditions that promote a peaceful and quiet life for growth in all
godliness, so that we may conduct ourselves before the world in a God-pleasing
manner (vss. 2,3). When the Faith
is embodied in purity, holiness and joy, more people are encouraged to “come to
a knowledge of the truth,” and to “be saved” (vs. 4).
Finally, the Apostle admonishes us not to confine our
prayers to mere ‘asking.’ He adds
to the exhortation that prayers should be offered up “eucharistically,” or, as
translated here, by the “giving of thanks” (vs. 1). No doubt this added reference is an allusion to the regular
prayers of praise and thanksgiving on behalf of all humanity found in the Divine
Liturgy.
In the Liturgy, as the prayer of the Anaphora makes
poignantly clear, every single person is presented to our God and “Master Who
lovest mankind,” to the One Who hast fashioned us “from the dust of the earth
and...honored [us] with [His] own image,” even when we “disobeyed” and were
“led astray by the guile of the serpent and rendered subject to death.” Observe that the entire drama of human
redemption is offered up in these prayers, revealing the Church’s yearning for
the restoration of all by the Lord Jesus, the “express Image” of the “Person”
of God the Father. Without
question, the constant offering day after day, year after year, through all
time, unto the ages of ages of such eucharistic thanksgiving to God enables us
to live before others so that they are drawn to the Faith “to be saved and to
come to the knowledge of the truth” (vs. 4).
O God, enable us to live and pray so that all men will
be drawn to the path of salvation.
Return to the September Calendar