Holy Martyrs Manuel, Sabel and Ismael. Our Venerable Father Hypatius, Hegumen of Ruphenia (446).
Apostles’ Fast.
Romans 12:4-5, 15-21. Matthew 12:9-13.
Read Romans 12:4-5, 15-21
In the second half of his letter to the Romans, the Apostle Paul addresses primarily the Gentiles of the early Christian community. He is writing to those who had little to no experience with the Jewish faith and its law and way of life. He is issuing a teaching and corrective to those who are from a culture and society far from God and His Law.
In a way, roughly two thousand years later, he is writing directly to us.
Our modern western world, whilst having some of the trappings of the Christian-dominant culture of the past, is in reality very far removed Christianity. Our hyper-individualistic society accepts and even celebrates deviant and destructive sexuality, the slaughter of the unborn in abortion, the rejection of God’s timing for our lives in euthanasia. While being the wealthiest society in history, so many people are plagued by loneliness, addiction, homelessness without family or other supports in place to assist them. Violence and crime continue to increase year after year.
This is the world we’re in. So what can the Apostle of Christ from the first century teach us?
Most importantly, the bond established by our baptism is even greater than the bond of human family. All who are baptized belong to one another and are part of one body whose head is Christ. We all have different functions but belong just the same. Therefore, our hearts are united to others in their lives—we rejoice with others when they rejoice and weep when they weep. This is in direct opposition to the individualism of our culture where we tend to exist as our own islands if we’re not careful.
Another important corrective that Paul offers us is the call for humility. This is all the more relevant during the secular ‘Pride Month’ which celebrates dangerous and destructive ways of living in opposition to God’s will. Humility allows us to associate with and serve those who are seen as ‘less than’ in society. Humility allows us to live with peace and contentment no matter what happens in our lives.
And since humility, first and foremost, is simply the ability to see reality as it truly is, with God’s eyes, it allows us to see good for good and use that good to overcome the evil around us.