Our Venerable Father Onuphrius the Great (c. 337); Our Venerable Father Peter of Athos (892); Krystynopil’ Icon of the Mother of God
Apostles’ Fast
Read
Romans 10:11-11:2; Matthew 11:16-20
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
Sorrow and Joy. As Christians, we find that these two are our companions along the path of life. One could call them our two main asceticisms – the asceticism of sorrow and the asceticism of joy. While not mutually exclusive, one could say that to the first belong penance, lamentation, and self-denial, and that two the second belong transfiguration, resurrection, and abounding life; both are aspects of a life of repentance – to leave that which is sinful and part of the culture of death, and to join that which is filled with life and virtue.
But some, like the Jewish elders in today’s Gospel, reject both. They prefer to remain apathetic, filled with acedia whereby nothing seems desirable. They are like children who see other children playing a game back and forth (sorrow and joy) but refuse to participate. We prefer our self-contentment! It really is a form of pride.
Sorrow and Joy. Each alone does not save us. It is the Lord who saves us! Sorrow and Joy do awaken us to the presence of the Lord and recognize His daily activity in our lives. For this, we cannot remain on the sidelines!