Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost; Holy Martyr Callistratus and His Companions; Our Venerable Father Nilus, Founder and Hegumen of the Grottaferrata Monastery
2 Corinthians 6:16-7:1; Matthew 15:21-28
Read 2 Corinthians 6:16-7:1
As a child were you ever part of a secret and exclusive club? Perhaps you are a member of an exclusive gym or country club? If so, you will know that with membership in a more exclusive organization comes a higher standard of behaviour and expectation. In our reading today from St. Paul’s second letter to the Church in Corinth, St. Paul is discussing the exclusive nature of being a Christian in a pagan world.
Our modern ears do not like to hear the word “exclusive” because we are very sensitive not to “exclude” anyone, and the virtue of “inclusivity” is one which is particularly focused on in our society. But the exclusive nature of Christianity is not a privilege or an honor which is earned, but a gift which has been freely given by the Lord. There is no way we could have saved ourselves. The higher expectations, moral obligations and scrutiny of living the Christian life is oriented towards the truth that we were walking the path of death, and through and unearned gift of the Lord, we have been put onto the path of life. In this light “exclusion” of the false promises of the world can be seen less as a condemnation of those who are “not with us” and more of a necessary response to the Love of God, or in other words: holiness.
Now, we would not be acting as God acted towards us if we were simply relieved that God spared us from death and left it at that. If our response is either “thank goodness Christ took the consequences of my actions, now I can get back to it” or “I’m happy I’m not going to hell in a hand-basket like those in the world” we have missed the mark. Walking the path of life requires us to constantly cleanse the Temple of our hearts from any idols we have put up there, as well as be willing to meet people in the world and introduce them to Christ who can put them on the right path. Then we can rejoice together that at one point we were both slaves, but God has made us His sons and daughters!