The Source and Summation of All

St. John the Revelator calls our Lord Jesus Christ, “the Lamb Slain from the Foundation of the World” (Revelation 13:8). St. John the Baptist focuses our attention: “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). St. Paul says of Christ that God “chose us in him before the creation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4).

Christ is the Word, the Logos of God, who is with God from eternity, and who indeed is God (John 1:1). St. Peter tells us, “He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was manifested in these last times for your sake” (1 Peter 1:20). The author of Hebrews says, “Christ has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself” (Hebrews 9:26). The End is in the Beginning, and the Beginning is in the End.

God made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment — to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. (Ephesians 1:9-10) 

The Incarnation, the coming of Christ into the world, is the unveiling of God’s eternal mystery and purpose. He is the union of all in heaven and on earth, and the fulfillment of time — it all comes together in him. The Cross and Resurrection is not merely an event in time but it is the end of time. All of time is in it. The Creation and Consummation of all things coincides in Christ crucified and risen.

The Sacrifice of the Lamb was not a reaction to sin but the eternal revelation of divine Love at the heart of Creation. The Cross was not an afterthought but the eternal plan of God to “recapitulate” all Creation in Christ. This is what Lord Jesus was speaking of when he said,

Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all to myself. (John 12:31-32) 

The Beginning and the End are one in Christ, who is the Alpha and the Omega, the Creator and the Consummation, the Source and Summation of All Things. Let us then give thanks to the Lord, “For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen” (Romans 11:36).

The Foundation of the World and the End 
of the Ages are One with the Cross and 
Resurrection of Jesus Christ, Who is 
the Source and Summation of All. 

The Sign of Your Favor

The Cross of Christ is the most powerful reality in the world. All of Creation flows from it and is drawn again to it, held together in unity by it. It is the divine favor, the grace of God fully revealed to the world.

Psalm 86 is a prayer of David in a difficult time. He cries out to God, “Hear me, Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Guard my life, for I am faithful to you; save your servant who trusts in you. You are my God; have mercy on me, Lord, for I call to you all day long.” (Psalm 86:1-3)

He recalls the goodness of the Lord and how, in times past, when he cried out for mercy and help, the Lord was faithful to hear and deliver him. There is no help anywhere else that can compare, and so all the nations will finally come before the Lord and glorify his name. The Psalmist is now once again in distress, from arrogant foes, ruthless people out to destroy him — they have no regard for him, or even for God. Once again he cries out to the Lord for help:

But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. Turn to me and have mercy on me; show your strength in behalf of your servant; save me, because I serve you just as my mother did. Show me the sign of your favor, that my enemies may see it and be put to shame, for you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me. (Psalm 86-15-17) 

The favor and grace God has shown beyond all measure is the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ into the world, uniting divinity with humanity, God with humankind, to trample down death by death on the cross, and destroy the power of that arrogant foe who held the power of death — that is, the devil — so to deliver us from the fear of death, from which all sin and darkness arises.

Christ, in his death and resurrection, is the reality of our salvation — the salvation of the whole world. From the earliest days of the Church, the time of the New Testament writings and the preaching of the Gospel, the Cross has been the symbol of this reality. As symbol and sign, it participates in that reality.

The early Church has handed down this symbol to us in a very tangible way, through the Sign of the Cross, the practice of tracing the Cross on the forehead or body with finger or hand. It is most certainly a sign of God’s Favor — one I am never without — and has long been honored in the Church.

Of the beliefs and practices whether generally accepted or publicly enjoined which are preserved in the Church some we possess derived from written teaching; others we have received delivered to us “in a mystery” by the tradition of the apostles; and both of these in relation to true religion have the same force ... Were we to attempt to reject such customs as have no written authority, on the ground that the importance they possess is small, we should unintentionally injure the Gospel in its very vitals; or, rather, should make our public definition a mere phrase and nothing more. For instance, to take the first and most general example, who is thence who has taught us in writing to sign with the sign of the cross those who have trusted in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ? (St. Basil of Caesarea, On the Holy Spirit, 27.66)

Let us not then be ashamed to confess the Crucified. Be the Cross our seal made with boldness by our fingers on our brow, and on everything; over the bread we eat, and the cups we drink; in our comings in, and goings out; before our sleep, when we lie down and when we rise up; when we are in the way, and when we are still. Great is that preservative; it is without price, for the sake of the poor; without toil, for the sick; since also its grace is from God. It is the Sign of the faithful, and the dread of devils: for He triumphed over them in it, having made a show of them openly, for when they see the Cross they are reminded of the Crucified; they are afraid of Him, who bruised the heads of the dragon. (St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lecture 13.36) 

At every forward step and movement, at every going in and out, when we put on our clothes and shoes, when we bathe, when we sit at table, when we light the lamps, on couch, on seat, in all the ordinary actions of daily life, we trace upon the forehead the sign. (Tertullian, De Corona, 3)

But imitate him always, by signing thy forehead sincerely; for this is the sign of his Passion, manifest and approved against the devil if so thou makest it from faith; not that thou mayest appear to men, but knowingly offering it as a shield.  (St. Hippolytus, Apostolic Tradition, 42)

[St. Anthony instructs]: The demons make their seeming onslaughts against those who are cowardly. Sign yourselves therefore with the cross, and depart boldly, and let these make sport for themselves. (St. Athanasius, Life of Antony)

Thus [the devil] suffers and is dishonored; and although he still ventures with shameless confidence to disguise himself, yet now, wretched spirit, he is detected rather by those who bear the sign on their foreheads; and he is even rejected by them, and is humbled and put to shame. (St. Athanasius, Letter to the Bishops of Egypt, 1.2) 

At the beginning of our prayers let us sign ourselves with the seal of baptism. Let us make the sign of the cross on our foreheads, as on the day of our baptism, as it is written in Ezekiel. Let us not first lower our hand to our mouth or to our beard, but let us raise it to our forehead, sing in our heart, “We have signed ourselves with the seal.” This is not like the seal of baptism, but the sign of the cross was traced on the forehead of each of us on the day of our baptism. (Horsiesius, Regulations, 7) 

“Show me the sign of Your Favor,” 
the Psalmist prayed. It is 
the Sign of the Cross.

Faith Energized Through Love

“The only thing that matters,” says St. Paul, “is faith working through love” (Galatians 5:6). This is faith expressing itself through love, energized by love — and that can only be the energy of God at work, for God is Love. Love is not an optional add-on to faith but is essential to it. Faith without love lacks value and gains nothing. Without love, faith is useless.

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)

Faith without works is an abstraction, a concept with no incarnate reality. Faith reaches out in love. Love is the very form of faith. Whatever works we do, though they may otherwise be very good, yet if they are not energized by love, accomplish nothing, for there is nothing of God in them.

See how St. James and St. John, in their letters, agree with St. Paul concerning the dynamic of faith energized through love. 

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. (James 2:14-17)

Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that  a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone ... As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. (James 2:21-24, 26)

Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and in you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining. Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates a brother or sister is still in the darkness. Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them. (1 John 2:7-11)

We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him. This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. (1 John 3:14-18) 

See also how the early Church stands in agreement: 

St. Ignatius of Antioch: “None of these things is hid from you, if you perfectly possess that faith and love towards Christ Jesus which are the beginning and the end of life. For the beginning is faith, and the end is love. Now these two, being inseparably connected together, are of God, while all other things which are requisite for a holy life follow after them.” (Epistle to the Ephesians 14:1) 

St. Basil of Caesarea: “Faith and works must be joined: so shall the man of God be perfect, and his life not halt through any imperfection. For the faith which saves us, as says the Apostle, is that which works by love.” (Letter 295, to Monks)

St. Augustine: “The faith that saves is the faith that the apostle Paul adequately describes when he says, ‘For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision avails anything, nor uncircumcision, but the faith which works through love.’” (Handbook on Faith, Hope and Love) 

St. Leo the Great: “While faith provides the basis for works, the strength of faith comes out only in works.” (Sermons 10.3)

St. Hilary of Arles: “Works give life to faith, faith gives life to the soul, and the soul gives life to the body.” (Introductory Tractate on the Letter of James) 

Faith without works is nothing but 
abstraction and is quite worthless. 
Faith without love gains nothing. 
Nothing of God is in it, 
for God is Love.

Transformative, Incarnational Reality

What is faith? What is salvation? These have often become religious buzzwords, by overuse flattened out into abstraction, holy words sliding into empty slogans. Yet both faith and salvation have definite form and can be discerned in tangible ways. They can be embodied and lived out, realities to be inhabited, not concepts to be admired from afar.

Faith is lived trust, casting all our cares and anxieties upon the Lord, who takes care of us (1 Peter 5:7). It is committing our way to the Lord, entrusting ourselves to him who acts on our behalf (Psalms 37:5). It is following Lord Jesus, walking in his ways: “Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked” (1 John 2:6).

Salvation is transformative reality, as the apostles of our Lord have taught us: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation” (2 Cor. 5:17). “Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God – what is good and well-pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12:2). “Therefore, my dear friends ... continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (Philippians 2:12-13). “Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires” (2 Peter 1:4).

To follow Lord Jesus, walking in his ways, 
entrusting all to him, is the beginning of salvation. 
For neither faith nor salvation are abstractions 
but are livable, transformative, 
incarnational reality.