Post-feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. Holy Martyrs Trophimus, Sabbatius and Dorymedontus (276-82).
Ephesians 5:33-6:9. Luke 4:16-22.
Read Ephesians 5:33-6:9
In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul tells the Ephesians to “be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ” (5:21). He begins by addressing wives, saying: “Wives, be subject to your husbands, as to the Lord” (5:22). Then he turns his attention to the husbands, saying: “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her” (5:25). Today’s reading continues: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right” (6:1). “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (6:4). “Slaves, be obedient to those who are your earthly masters, with fear and trembling, in singleness of heart, as to Christ” (6:5). “Masters, do the same to them, and forbear threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him” (6:9).
Wives, husbands, children, fathers, slaves, and masters were all addressed across these verses from chapters 5 and 6 of Paul’s letter. Paul’s message is that regardless of one’s state in life, we have to “be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ” (5:21). Although we are asked to be subject to one another, we are all ultimately subject to God Who is our Master. Our obedience is always to God in the first place. These verses demonstrate God’s incredible love for mankind and how we are all equal as God’s children, for “whatever good any one does, he will receive the same again from the Lord, whether he is slave or free” (6:8). God “emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross” (Phil. 2:7-8). Christ submitted His own human will to His Father’s will, practicing obedience. By holy obedience, let us grow in humility, show glory to God, and be imitators of Christ.