The Holy Priest-Martyr Hierotheus, Bishop of Athens; Ammon the Anchorite (350); Vladimir, Prince of Novgorod and his mother, Anne (1051); our Venerable Father Francis of Assisi (1181-1226)
Philippians 2:12-16; Luke 6:24-30
Read Luke 6:24-30
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
Commandments, like the ones we hear from today’s Gospel reading, really can make us quite uncomfortable. For how can one resist from not striking back the one who strikes you? Or how can one watch all of his belongings simply disappear, since apparently everyone can take whatever they want from you?
Furthermore, these are not secondary commandments, but fall under the love of neighbour, second greatest commandment given by Jesus.
These kind of demands are definitely challenging, but possible. They are only impossible for those who, while living in this world, become part of this world.
Jesus is a living proof that this is possible. He not only taught about extreme love of neighbour, but more than that lived it, and this is because, while He was in the world, He was not of the world. This we read in John, chapter 17, verses 14 and 16, for example: “… I am not of the world”.
This time on earth is given us to come to the knowledge of truth, which is the word of God: “thy word is truth” (Jn 17: 17, RSV). It is the word of the Heavenly Father that sanctifies us, makes us whole again, until we may be with Jesus, where He is. There, we will behold His glory given to Him, before the foundation of the world, by the Father, out of love for Jesus (Jn 17:24).
As Apostle Paul urges us: “set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Col 3:2).