🕃 The Holy Great-Martyr Procopius.
1 Corinthians 7:12-24; Matthew 14:35-15:11.
Read 1 Corinthians 7:12-24
St. Paul writes about ordinary realities of life: marriage, family, work, freedom, and even circumcision, an issue that was significant in his own time. Yet these are only examples. His real message reaches far beyond them. He reminds us that the Christian life is first and foremost about our Lord Jesus Christ.
St. Paul begins by telling us to live the life the Lord has assigned to us, and he concludes with these beautiful words: “Let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called.” The emphasis is not simply on remaining in one’s state of life, but on remaining with God. Whether we are married or single, priests or laypeople, employers or employees, our first vocation is communion with Christ.
The Eastern Christian tradition teaches that this communion is the beginning of theosis—our gradual transformation into the likeness of Christ. God does not wait for perfect circumstances to make us holy. God sanctifies us precisely where we are, if we open our hearts to His grace.
A beautiful example is Brother Lawrence, the humble Carmelite lay brother known for The Practice of the Presence of God. He spent years washing dishes and working in the monastery kitchen. Yet he discovered that even amid the noise and countless daily tasks, he could remain in God’s presence. For him, washing pots became as sacred as praying in the chapel because everything was done with love for Christ.
That is exactly what St. Paul is teaching. Our homes, workplaces, parishes, and daily responsibilities are not obstacles to holiness—they are the very places where Christ meets us. God has called us to peace, and that peace is found not in changing our circumstances, but in remaining with Him. When Christ is the center of our lives, every ordinary moment becomes an opportunity to love Him, serve Him, and grow ever closer to Him.
“Recall you are always in the presence of God” (the Daily Examen of St. Ignatius of Loyola).