Homily on the 18th Sunday after Pentecost
2 Corinthians 9: 6-11; Luke 6: 31-36.
In today’s Gospel, our Lord and Saviour makes clear for us the command to love even when faced with hate in return. This is perhaps the hardest of all Christ’s teachings to adhere to – it is human nature to want to pay back hate with hate.
One thing that has always inspired me as a priest is the capacity of some Christians to forgive even when that which has been done to them was of the most heinous nature.
However, we must imitate these Christians for Saint John Chrysostom makes it clear that to love is to become perfect:
“Love for one another makes us perfect. There is not a single sin that the power of love, like fire, would not destroy. It is easier for feeble brushwood to withstand a strong flame than for the nature of sin to withstand the power of love. Let us increase this love in our souls in order to stand with all the saints, for they, too, all pleased God well through their love of neighbour.”
This commandment to become perfect is the whole point of our Christian lives. Indeed, the Apostles and their followers the- first Christians- knew this well for it is stated in the Didache (one of the earliest Christian writings):
“This is the way of life: first, you must love the God who made you, secondly, your neighbour as you love yourself: and all things whatsoever you would not should happen to you do not do to another. The teaching is this: Bless those who curse you, and pray for your enemies, and fast on behalf of those who persecute you: for what thanks will be due to you if you love only those who love you? Do not the Gentiles also do the same? But love those who hate you, and you shall not have an enemy.” (The Didache, 80AD – 90AD).
Moreover, as difficult as it can be to love it is vital for our spiritual growth. How many Christian folk mistake judgment for an act of love? Did not Christ admonish us to take the log out of our own eye first before taking the speck out of our brother's eye (Matthew 7:5)?
Indeed, our Lord and Saviour tells us if we love him we are to keep his commandments of which the most important are to love God and to love our neighbour (John 14:15; Mark 12: 28-31).
Yet life can be challenging and filled with many challenging people that seem difficult to love yet we are commanded to love them.
Even the Holy Apostles struggled to get on at times for Saint Paul admits to being blunt to Saint Peter’s face in his letter to the Galatians (Galatians 2: 11 – 14). Yet as noted in the Didache they were well aware that were called to show love and charity towards one another.
Moreover, Saint Paul is first mentioned in the scriptures as having persecuted the first followers of Christ (Acts 7: 54 – 60; Acts 8: 1-3). Importantly, what was the response of the first Christians? Did they seek revenge on Saul as Saint Paul was known as then?
No, upon Saint Paul's conversion they embraced the difficult teaching of Christ and forgave him and welcomed him into the Communion of Saints Christ’s Body the Church.
What then are the qualities of Christian love then?
Saint Paul puts it this way in 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8:
‘Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.’
Thus, to love as a Christian is to show all these qualities to every single person. For to not treat others this way is to close our hearts to the love of God.
God is love - therefore if the point of our lives is to imitate He who was incarnated as the God-man, then it follows that to imitate Christ is to become examples of His love in the world around us.
Therefore seek to show others the love of Christ for they are all God’s children equal in dignity and equally deserving of being treated with love and respect!
On Friday we celebrated the important feast of the protection of the All-Holy Theotokos. Though based in history commemorating a real intervention by the All-Holy Theotokos protecting Constantinople from invasion by a malicious army.
The story goes that the pagan Russian leaders Askold and Dir were fast approaching Constantinople so many people headed to a Church in Constantinople to pray for their deliverance from this army.
Suddenly, at the fourth hour, the All-Holy Theotokos appeared and walked into the centre of the Church and began to weep praying for all the people present.
Then, she turned to the people and miraculously put the veil on her head over the people in the church signalling her protection of them.
This feast not only celebrates this miracle but also it signifies to us -Christ’s Body the Church - that we do have an intercessor to pray for us to Christ for he made her our mother at the foot of His Holy Cross (John 19: 26).
We must never forget that Christ loves His mother and will do anything she asks one only has to look at the Wedding at Cana where the All-Holy Theotokos asked Him to intervene to help the wedding hosts (John 2: 1-12).
Therefore, always pray to her and ask that she intercedes to her son our Lord and Saviour to help you. Many a time in my life has she interceded for me and many a time has she helped me.
Finally, this week seek to look around you and see what small acts of service you can give to those around you to show them the love of our Lord and Saviour.
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