Our Venerable Father and Confessor Chariton (350); Holy Viacheslav, Czech Prince; Synaxis of the Venerable Fathers of the Monastery of the Caves in Kiev Who Repose in the Nearer Caves of the Venerable Anthony; Passing into eternal life of Blessed Nykyta Budka (1949), First Bishop of Canada and Confessor of Karaganda
2 Corinthians 4:6-15; Luke 6:17-23
Polyeleos Feast
Read Luke 6:17-23
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
Jesus was very popular when people could get something from Him. As today’s reading tells us, huge numbers of people came from all over to hear Him teach, be healed of their diseases, and receive freedom from demonic oppression. These were the people shouting “Hosanna!” during Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday; these were the same ones shouting “Crucify Him!” a few days later on Great and Holy Friday. When Jesus challenges people with a tough teaching (Jn 6:66) or an inconvenient request (Mt 26:38), suddenly they lose interest in following Him. Let us be reminded that it is only those who persist to the end who will be saved (Mt 24:13).
When Jesus taught, He often held paradoxes in tension and reversed many expectations that people had. Today we hear Him say, “Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven” (Lk 6:22-23). Nobody wants to be hated, excluded, reviled, or defamed, but Christ is telling us to “rejoice” and “leap for joy” when these things happen to us. We will not be rewarded here and now for the trials we bear, but we should still conduct our lives joyfully. We remember that our reward will be great in heaven, and so we Christians also must be forward-looking.