Post-feast of Pentecost; Our Venerable Father Onuphrius the Great (c. 337); Our Venerable Father Peter of Athos (892); Krystynopil Icon of the Mother of God
No fasting or abstention from foods.
Read
Romans 1:18-27; Matthew 5:20-26
If you would have asked any first century Jew about who is the most righteous and holy member of the People of God the unanimous answer would have been scribes and Pharisees. These are people who gave themselves over to following the law as diligently as possible. If anyone could be saved it would be one of these religious professionals. They expected that by keeping the Law God would only bless them individually, but also the nation. It is for this reason that Jesus’ words would have completely stunned those listening. How can anyone ever exceed the righteousness of these religious professionals?
The Lord teaches that our relationship with our neighbour is a critical measure of righteousness. How we treat one another and what we say to one another is important, so much so that our prayer or offering to God loses potency if I am not in good standing with my neighbour. Righteousness is not measured by external ritual observance, but rather by love: Love of God and neighbour. The keeping of the commandments is meant to increase our love for God, but our love of God is measured by our love of neighbour. In fact, the answer to how much I personally love God is found in the person who I love the least.
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