The Seven Holy Youths of Ephesus; Holy Venerable-Martyr Eudocia (98-117)
1 Corinthians 15:29-38; Matthew 21:23-27
Dormition Fast
Read 1 Corinthians 15:29-38
“Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God.”
On my first date with my wife, we asked each other a variety of questions to get to know the other better. Knowing her favourite flower, where she went to school, and the names of her siblings were not essential information but it was the beginning of my knowledge about her. As the relationship grew, so too did my knowledge about her, but at some point, my knowledge about her was complemented by my knowledge of her. This knowledge of her has grown and continues to within our marriage.
Many people can quote the Fathers of the Church or the Catechism verbatim, yet this is just knowledge about God. Knowledge of God comes in our ongoing relationship with Him. This knowledge is attained as we strive for holiness and push away sin. This knowledge is attained in a patient and enduring life of prayer. Knowing about God through theological writings or catechetical treatises is important, but it alone cannot lead us to knowing God. Rather, it must be combined with a life of prayer and repentance in a relationship with God and neighbour with the ultimate desire of holiness.