25th Sunday After Pentecost

THE PRISONER OF THE LORD—BOUND WITH THE BOND OF PEACE

     During the eighteenth century, there were seven very famous artists, who made quilts.  These seven women worked together on the same quilt, for each woman designed and perfected a different portion of the same quilt. During their partnership, they produced a lot of beautiful quilts, which, now, the city has acquired and gathered into a special museum. 

     Each quilt is wonderful and interesting, because often a woman deliberately erred in a part of the pattern as a way of showing humility towards God, but later another of the women tried to correct the mistake.  The seven women achieved a very great and extraordinary level of craftsmanship, because they continuously concealed the errors of others, while trying to deliberately reveal their own.  They always sought to do loving things for one another, and, at the same time, refused to accept any honour or recompense for their good deeds.  Often, for example, a candle burned through the night, because one woman worked alone for the benefit of all of them, or, sometimes, six or five of the women worked to satisfy the needs of another, who was sick. 

     We ought not to think that the life of these seven women was easy. Each person, who truly seeks God, ought to realize that love is very, very difficult, because we must do battle with our own fallen nature, which seeks its own good in a disproportionate way.

     The Holy Apostle Paul gives us an example how to live, when he describes himself in today’s epistle as “the prisoner of the Lord.” We must become “prisoners of the Lord” as well.”  What is a prisoner? A prisoner is a person, who is dependant on the will of another person.  Like a slave, the prisoner is not able to work according to his will.  He depends entirely on the good will of the one, who has taken him captive. 

     Prisoners are bound.  The prisoners of the Lord are bound in their unity in the Holy Spirit by the bond of peace.  The purpose of our imprisonment in the Lord is to become like Him, Who tells us: “No man has greater love than this—that he lay down his life for his friends.” In fact, “to lay down ones life” means to consecrate ones life to the service of others.  The Lord Jesus gives us an example and a description of humility, for he says: “The Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.  Again, after he washed the feet of His disciples, He said to them: “Do you know what I have done to you? You call me “Teacher” and “Lord”, and rightly, because so I am. Therefore, if I, your Teacher and Lord, have washed your feet, then you ought to wash the feet of one another. I have given you an example, as I have done, so you also are to do.”

     Humility is the special virtue of the Lord’s prisoner, who is bound with the bond of peace.  When a prisoner of the Lord hears his Lord command: “I give you a new commandment that you love one another,” he understands that this means: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” and humbly and obediently, the Lord’s prisoner fulfills the command.

     We see a good example of this in the parable of today’s Gospel. The Jews and the Samaritans are enemies.  St. John the Theologian reminds us in his Gospel: “Jews have nothing to do with Samaritans.” The Gospel According to St. Luke gives us a glimpse of just how bitter the animosity was between these two groups: “Jesus sent messengers ahead of Him. They entered a certain village of the Samaritans to prepare for Jesus’ arrival. But the Samaritans refused to receive Him, because He had His face set towards Jerusalem.” The Samaritan and the man that he saved were enemies, but the Samaritan is an example of obedience to the Lord’s commandments. He humbled himself and showed love to his enemy.  We also must humble ourselves to show love to our neighbours, especially if they are our enemies.

     Uncompromising love of neighbour, especially of enemies, is the life that is lived according to the example of Christ.  It is a life of self-denial and humility before God.  True humility is captivity in the Holy Spirit in the bond of peace. 

     The 76^th Psalm, tells us that humility attains the blessing of God and brings us to salvation: “God arose to judgment, to save all the humble on the earth.” Clearly, the same psalm shows us, that the Lord punishes pride, when he says: “He takes away the spirit of princes.”