Our Venerable Father George the Chosebite; Holy Emilian the Confessor. Our Venerable Mother Dominica.
Post-feast of Theophany.
Hebrews 5:11-6:8; Luke 21:5-7, 10-11, 20-24.
Read Hebrews 5:11-6:8
In today’s epistle lesson, St. Paul addresses a sobering reality within the spiritual life: the necessity for believers to grow in faith and understanding. He writes, “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of God’s word. You need milk, not solid food” (Hebrews 5:12). This metaphor of milk and solid food illustrates the progression expected of Christians in their journey with God—we are expected to grow. Milk represents the foundational teachings of the faith, which nourish beginners, while solid food signifies the deeper, more challenging truths meant for the mature.
The passage calls us to examine our spiritual growth. Are we still dependent on the basics, reluctant to engage with the fuller demands of discipleship? The warning in Hebrews 6:4-6 about falling away underscores the consequences of remaining stagnant in the spiritual life. To move toward spiritual maturity, we must embrace solid food, which requires effort, dedication, discipline, and perseverance.
This reminder is particularly relevant for us today when convenience and comfort often take precedence over commitment and asceticism. Just as physical growth demands a progression in diet, spiritual growth requires deepening our engagement with God’s Word, ascetically practices and participation in the life of the Church. This process challenges us to leave behind spiritual complacency and strive toward maturity.
Ultimately, the passage encourages hope: “But, beloved, we feel sure of better things that belong to salvation” (Hebrews 6:9). By God’s grace, growth is possible, and through our cooperative efforts, we can partake in the solid food that nourishes and sustains us unto eternal life.