The Divine Lamp

This article is pretty straight-forward, therefore I will be commenting on it very briefly. To Read the five previous articles of the lecture, and my notes on them, click on the words “Catechetical Lecture” under this blog’s title.

6. Look, I beseech thee, how great a dignity Jesus presents to thee. Thou wert called a Catechumen, which means, hearing with the ears, hearing hope, and not perceiving; hearing mysteries, yet not understanding: hearing Scriptures, yet not knowing their depth. Thou no longer hearest with the ears, but thou hearest within; for the indwelling Spirit henceforth fashions thy mind into a house of God. When thou shalt hear what is written concerning mysteries, then thou shalt understand, what thou knewset not. Amd think not it is a trifle thou receivest. Thou, a wretched man, receivist the Name of God; for hear the words of Paul, God is faithful (1 Cor 9:1); and another Scripture, God is faithful and just (1 Jn 1:9). This the Psalmist foreseeing since men were to receive the Name ascribed to God, said in the person of God, I have said, ye are Gods, and are all the children of the Most High (Ps 82:6). But beware lest with the name of believer thou have the purpose of an unbeliever. Thou hast entered into the struggle; labor therefore in the race, for season thou hast no other. If thou hadst thy wedding day before thee, wouldest thou make light of aught besides, and be full of preparations for the feast? And wilt thou not then, when on the eve of consecrating thy soul to a heavenly spouse, let go carnal things that thou mayest take hold of spiritual?

NOTES: Section 6 of the Protocatechesis continues the dominant theme of the lecture, namely honesty of purpose, the need to receive baptism with integrity of purpose

Thou wert called a Catechumen, which means, hearing. The Greek word katechein means to teach by word of mouth, and is derived from a word meaning to echo, thus implying something that is heard.

When thou shalt hear what is written concerning mysteries, then thou shalt understand. The Scripture was meant to be taught, it was not given so that every man could become his own teacher (see 1 Tim 4:6-16; 2 Tim 3:10-4:5; ).

Thou hast entered into the struggle; labor therefore in the race, for season thou hast no other. Struggle, labor, and race are common terms in the NT for designating perseverance in the Christian way of life. Season here means opportune time. This time the people must not squander-a point the saint has made before and will again in article 7.

If thou hadst thy wedding day before thee, wouldest thou make light of aught besides, and be full of preparations for the feast? Any decent person would put off all other things to prepare for his/her wedding. In article 3 the saint had used the parable of the wedding feast from Matthew’s Gospel 22:1-14, to great effect. There the unprepared wedding guest was thrown out and the saint warned: Seeing, then, what happened to that man, make your own condition safe. In article 4 the catechumens are told to come into the wedding hall and see what the spouse of Christ (the baptized) wear and to imitate their “dress”: If your soul is dressed in avarice, put on a different garment and come in. Put off your former garment. Continue not to cloak yourself in it. I beg of you, strip off your garments of fornication and uncleanness, and don the glorious robe of chastity. This charge I give you, before Jesus the Bridegroom of souls come in and see what fashion they (those espoused to Christ) wear.

When studying the Catechetical Lectures one should pay close attention to the repeated use of images and themes.