Fourth Sunday after Pentecost, Sunday of All Saints of Rus’-Ukraine, Tone 3; The Transfer of the Relics of the Holy Unmercenaries Cyrus and John (5th c.)
Romans 6:18-23; Romans 8:28-39; Matthew 8:5-13; Matthew 5:1-16
Apostles’ Fast.
Read Romans 6:18-23
St. Paul uses a word in his letter to the Romans today that we cringe at – “slaves.” St. Paul states here that we can either become slaves of death or slaves of righteousness. Bob Dylan has said something very similar in his famous song “Serve Somebody”: “But you’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes Indeed you’re gonna have to serve somebody Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord. But you’re gonna have to serve somebody.”
St. Paul reminds the Christians in Rome that slavery to sin results in death, while slavery to God results in sanctification. Often times when we hear the word “slaves” we think of oppression, our choices limited, our autonomy reduced and our freedom restricted. But this is the great mystery. If you ask the saints, those most enslaved to Christ, they would tell you that they have never been freer. We might look in and think their choices have been denied, but they would insist that Christ has given them their life and what they were living before was just a shadow of what they had found.
As we celebrate the memory of the saints of Rus-Ukraine this Sunday, let us emulate their examples and recommit ourselves to obedience to the true Master. When we have ended our slavery to blind autonomy and admitted our slavery to Christ, as they did, we will truly be free!