Our Holy Father Nicephorus the Confessor (829)
Romans 4:13-25; Matthew 7:21-23
Apostles’ Fast. Abstention from meat and foods that contain meat.
Read Matthew 7:21-23
Did you catch that? The Lord is not addressing those whom we may expect – notorious sinners like murderers, professed atheists, selfish and godless rulers. No, he is addressing us – we who profess Him as Lord and King, who act in His Name. “I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.”
There must be a coherence between our religious confession and our conduct. For example, if we state and confess that we are Christian, we can’t go about and disparage the name of our neighbour at the coffee time after the Sunday Divine Liturgy or when we join a varenyky (perogy)-making bee. Another example: if we claim to be Christian, we will uphold the moral teachings derived from our Lord’s own revelation and teaching. We need to truly and personally submit to His lordship in our lives. His grace, love, and mercy are always there for us to accomplish this submission, imitating His own submission to the Father.