🕃 The Holy Great-Martyr Theodore the General; The Holy Prophet Zechariah.
Post-feast of the Encounter. Saint with Six Stichera.
2 Timothy 2:1-10; Matthew 10:16-22.
Read 2 Timothy 2:1-10
St. Paul encourages Timothy to remind his flock of the baptismal commitments they have made and the resulting priorities of their lives. Life in Christ means death to the world, as lived through the baptismal font—the waters of baptism clean, kill, and bring new life.
Our baptism however is not a “once and done” event. We must struggle daily to put to death our passions and live in the Truth of Christ. Imagine a hot air balloon: it can only ascend when the weight is lifted. We cannot soar closer to God without first letting go of our fallen earthly attachments. In this way, kenosis—emptying ourselves—enables us to move toward theosis, where we are filled with the divine love of Christ. It’s a glorious exchange, but it starts with that first brave step of letting go—of true repentance.
One important thing we must consider “letting go” of is how we can distract with our words. St. Paul mentions “godless chatter” and disputing over semantics. Living in the Truth means bridling the tongue. What can I contribute to this conversation which will lead us closer to Christ? Am I speaking with real knowledge in this situation? These are a couple important questions to ask ourselves as we continue the work of emptying ourselves to allow Christ to fill us up again!