Fifth Sunday after Pentecost; Octoechos Tone 4; š The Transfer of the Relics of the Holy Unmercenaries Cyrus and John.
Apostles’ Fast.
Romans 10:1-10; Matthew 8:28-9:1.
Read Romans 10:1-10
Sometimes we donāt want others to get too close to us. There can be good reasons for that. Healthy boundaries are a good thing. Sometimes healing or resourcing in our personal lives needs to happen first. Maybe sometimes the reasons arenāt so good. Sometimes our response to hurts has lingered or been nurtured into resentment and distrust. Attitudes form. We can become self-protective while appearing to be doing all the right things. Other times we are the person who wants to get closer to someone else who is keeping us at armās length. That may have something to do with us. We can do what we can to change that from our end, but even then, that doesnāt mean that the other person will be receptive. That can give us empathy for what it might be like for others when we do the same thing.
Paulās concern is that we might do that to God. God has the healthiest boundaries in the existence. He will not stop being holy or loving. In Jesus Christ, he is both at the same time, providing a way in love for us to approach him in his holiness. We can trust him, āthe only lover of mankind,ā to get close to us, even ā especially ā if we need healing or forgiveness in relating to others, including him.
Paul cautions us not to use the stepping stone of Godās law to keep intimacy with God at bay by limiting him to external observance. We donāt have to go far away ā heaven or the abyss ā to bring him near to us. He is right here with us, as near as the confession of our lips and the belief in our hearts.