The Holy Martyr Lucillianus and those with him
Romans 1:18-27; Matthew 5:20-26.
No fasting or abstention from foods.
Read Romans 1:18-27
St. Paul reflects today on the underlining reason of human brokenness and misery. One would expect that human misery would have its source in our mistreatment and abuse of each other. Human misery would end only if we could end the evils of racism, or any other injustice, and just get along. As much as overcoming injustice is important, it will not end human brokenness and misery. The injustices of the world are a byproduct of deeper brokenness of the human heart. This is why St. Paul’s answer is focused on the individual response of each human heart. He asks the important question of ‘Who or what do you worship?’
As creatures, we do not have meaning in ourselves. Nor are we the source of our life and so we are dependant on our Creator, who is the source of life, the one who upholds and sustains us. Keeping this relational connection is imperative and this is done through continual praise and thanksgiving—worship. The refusal to give thanksgiving and praise to the true God is the true source of our problems. If only we can walk humbly and lovingly with our creator, but all too often we are too quick to turn away and give that honour and attention, which belongs to God, to the vain imaginations of our own heart. Our idols are the objects, which take us away from God. By being disconnected from our Creator we begin to fall into the control of our disordered desires—the passions—and our misery and brokenness begin to multiply and spread to others who we mistreat and abuse. The only way out of this spiral of darkness is by staying close to Jesus, the one who reconnects us with God and empowers us by the gift of the Holy Spirit.