Post-feast of the Dormition; Holy Martyr Andrew the General and those with him (286-305)
2 Corinthians 6:11-16; Mark 1:23-28
Read 2 Corinthians 6:11-16
In today’s Epistle St. Paul calls upon the Corinthians to reflect on their identity. He wants them to remember that they have been redeemed by the ‘blood of Christ’ and are no longer their own, but belong to God. Christ has set them free and united them to the Father by the power of the Holy Spirit. Now only their own wayward affections, or idols, can remove them from this great blessing and grace. The Corinthians have wavered because they have not fully suppressed darkness. They thought that it is possible to call themselves Christian and still continue to hold on to lifestyles, which contradict the Gospel. Through our baptismal union with Christ, we are cleansed and made into a temple, which we were created to be from the beginning: We were created to be filled with light, goodness, purity and love. For this reason, we cannot hold on to both sides. St. Gregory of Nyssa says, “For it is not possible for the good to exist in me unless it is made to live through the death of my enemy. As long as we keep grasping opposites with each of our hands, it is impossible for there to be participation in both elements in the same being. For, if we are holding evil, we lose the power to take hold of virtue. (On Perfection, FC 58:100).