Holy Martyr Mamas; Venerable Father John the Faster, Patriarch of Constantinople.
1 Corinthians 4:1-5; Matthew 23:1-12.
Read Matthew 23:1-12
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
When I read this very passage at the time of Divine Liturgy served for the entire community of the Ukrainian Catholic University, I did not hesitate to start my sermon from the acknowledgement that I can easily recognize myself in Pharisees and recognize Pharisees in me. I do not like the first seats at the banquets or too much attention, but I recognize that I way too often do not live up to the ideals of Christian life which I preach in my homilies. I actually belive in what I preach, but at the same time, I am conscious of my many weaknesses and growing edges.
Nonetheless, I also believe that recognizing myself in Pharisees is not necessarily a bad thing, since my shortcomings lead me to humbleness and understanding that I cannot save myself without Jesus, and that I, at one and the same time, need his grace and discipline that can bring my life to the “loving order.”
Love and order, obedience and independence, law and grace may seem to be contradictory without a chance to coexist in a peaceful way. Yet, I firmly believe that in paradoxical way they must be preserved and followed simultaneously. Without this antinomic harmony between true freedom and order I cannot imagine a true religion.
What is our religion? Is that only following the rules as it was understood by the Pharisees? Or is it some kind of intangible spirituality proposed by New Age? Does it lift me up or drags me down? Does it fill me with joy and happiness or lead me to disappointment? Does my religion help me or haunt me? Do I exist for the sake of religion, or it exists for the sake of me?
Many people leave the Church and religion precisely because of the false interpretation of its authentic essence and purpose. For me following the commandments, and being obedient to God takes nothing away from my dignity of being not a slave but a child of my loving God. I am independent because I freely choose to be obedient to the religious principles that do not put pressure on me, but in fact are designed to assist me on my way up to salvation.