👉🏽👉🏽👉🏽A Homily on the Mystery of #Adam #Thursday, The first Thursday after #Resurrection
Beloved brethren in Christ,
Peace be upon you from the risen Lord, who is glorified forever. Let us this day raise our minds and hearts to the contemplation of a profound mystery: the sacred remembrance of Adam Thursday, the first Thursday following the glorious Feast of the Resurrection. This is no ordinary day in the liturgical rhythm of our holy Orthodox Church; it is a day that unveils to us the unfathomable depths of God’s plan for humanity, and the glory bestowed upon man from the beginning, which finds its fulfillment in Christ’s resurrection. Let us unfold the veils and gaze into this mystery with reverence and understanding.
I. The Dignity of Adam – The Crown of Creation
Let no one dare to say that Adam was a weak or useless creature, for the Lord, in His wisdom and providence, did not fashion him in vain. Nay! As a king prepares his throne, as a banquet is laid out before the guest arrives, so too did God prepare the earth before He fashioned Adam. The fields were leveled, the trees rooted, the rivers flowed, and the beasts of the earth stood in waiting then came man, the king of all creation.
“Your king is here,” the heavens proclaimed, as the Lord placed Adam upon the throne of dominion. Before the sovereign can ascend his throne, there must be a people, a land, a kingdom prepared. Thus, before Adam, all was made ready, for Adam was not only the first man he was the ruler of the earth, the steward of creation.
St. Gorgorios the Zealous tells us:
A ruler must have a realm, and a soul must have dominion. The soul is not ruled by flesh, nor is it punished through it. The body follows, but the soul reigns. Thus, Adam’s soul bore the image of dominion and freedom.
O mystery! The throne of Adam was not of stone or iron, but of responsibility and godly stewardship. The birds of the air, the fish of the sea, the beasts of the field all were subject to him.
II. God’s Hospitality Toward Man
As a wealthy and generous host lays out a banquet, so did the Lord our God prepare the world as a feast for His beloved Adam. The flowers of the field were not planted for mere beauty, but to delight the eye of man. The fruit of the trees, the flowing waters, the sun and moon all prepared as gifts.
“Empre Yifatero Le Adam Genete Astadelewo…” God labored six days for Adam’s joy, adorning creation like a bridal chamber for her groom. And St. Yuhannes Afework, with astonishment, declares:
“Do you see this great feast prepared for one man? Do you see how the Lord of all has labored to gift His servant?”
Let us then not treat creation as common, for it was a royal gift. It is the palace of man, and man was meant to be its prince.
III. The Glory of Man – The Meaning of All Things
What architect builds a palace and leaves off the dome? What artist paints a canvas and leaves the centerpiece blank? No, the crown of creation was Adam. The earth, water, fire, and air he was made to govern them. He draws water, ignites fire, breaks the earth, and guides the wind. He domesticates beasts, builds shelters, and feeds upon the fruit of the land.
In sheep, oxen, and even chickens, we see their end fulfilled in the service of man. The Scriptures even declare: “The glory of a chicken is when it dies.” Why? Because its purpose is fulfilled in being food for man. Therefore, man is the interpreter of creation. Without him, the animals do not speak, the elements have no direction. But in man, all creation finds its voice and destiny.
IV. The Promise to Adam – Fulfilled in Christ
Behold the faithfulness of our God. He made Adam, and though Adam fell, He did not abandon him. In Genesis 3:15, the Lord declared a promise: “I will put enmity between your seed and the seed of the serpent. He shall crush your head.” This was not an idle word, for in the fullness of time, on the fifth day after the Resurrection, the Church proclaims Adam Thursday, to remember this fulfillment.
Continues 👇🏽