Holy Martyr Sozon the Shepherd (304). Zhyrovytsi Icon of the Mother of God
Forefeast of the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God
Ephesians 6:10-17; John 15:17-16:2
Read John 15:17-16:2
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
Indeed, an hour is coming when those who kill you will think that by doing so they are offering worship to God.
It is easy to find people who claim their moral beliefs are superior to Christian morality. Sometimes we even find people who call themselves “Christians” who hold moral views that go against the teachings of Christ. They may silence, attack, or even kill others who disagree with them while falsely believing they act in righteousness.
If we are to be true followers of Jesus Christ, we need to learn His commandments. We need to be prepared to be disliked and embrace holding unpopular opinions. All of us are sinners in need of Christ to save us. We are called to repentance every day of our lives so that, by the grace of God, we may become more like Christ. We need to constantly work to change our minds from our false thinking and adapt our lives accordingly.
Repentance is not easy. Following Jesus’ teachings is not easy. It is a long, repetitive process of falling down and getting back up again. If we feel discouraged and tempted to turn away from Christ, let our prayer become the words of St. Peter to Jesus: “Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life” (Jn. 6:68).
It has been a few months now since Pascha, but I have a reminder for you: Christ is risen! Jesus is alive today, just as was discovered on that first Pascha morning. Jesus “will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,” and we need to be prepared for our judgement. Are we genuine followers of Christ, or do we hold on to beliefs that go against His commandments? Have we ever metaphorically “killed” others in our anger towards them, falsely thinking we act in a way pleasing to God?