Saturday, February 12, 2005
Melitios, Archbishop of Antioch
Kellia: 1 Kings (1 Samuel) 4:12-22 Epistle: 1 Thessalonians 5:14-23 Gospel: St. Luke 17:3-10
St. Luke 17:3-10, especially vs. 10: "We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty
to do." St. Paul glimpsed the truth deep within the Person and ministry of the Lord Jesus: that He is an "anadochos," One
Who assumes burdens (comp. Lk. 9:41 and 2 Cor. 11:1-10). Thus, the Apostle says that we should "bear one another's
burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ" (Gal. 6:2). Still, how may we apply this truth so fully demonstrated by Christ and
commanded of us by His Apostle? In today's Gospel, the Lord gives us a list of four specific duties, which, if we will carry
them out in Him, will make us "burden bearers" together with the Lord: like Him to rebuke, to repent, to forgive and to
persist in carrying out these duties. First: the Lord encourages us to rebuke one another (Lk. 17:3). Do you recoil from
this command and ask, "Are we not supposed to be kind to one another?" Rebuking a fellow Christian may be a kindness.
The admonition to rebuke is from the Lord Who also says, "Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then
you will see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother's eye" (Mt. 7:5). Being called to attain theosis and to help one
another, shall we not rebuke when it would help? Indeed, we must when rebuke is needed.
Rebuke is essential. It can bring one back to the right course. Hence, God admonishes us as a duty, as a gift, to rebuke our
companions in the life in Christ. Help for one another among the wounded is a blessing. Rebuke need not be entrapment
to catch others in weakness. Let it have an honored place in the economy of love, for even the Lord rebukes those whom
He loves. "For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives" (Heb. 12:6).
Second, let us remember that rebuke is mutual. If the Lord prompts us to rebuke, He also prompts us to receive rebuke.
We are to bear one other's burdens, even as others bear ours. Rebuke is not an end-point; it has a purpose - repentance and
correction. Hence, the second Christian duty is repentance. So let us receive rebuke as a joy, a gift, a grace from God; and
when we rebuke, let us do so in such a manner that others are likely to awaken and repent.
Third, when we rebuke and should the other repent, do we then forgive? We must forgive or quit the Faith. Forgiveness is
a basic duty. How else can we ask God to "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us?" In the
Community of sinners, the struggle goes on and on. To forgive repeatedly may stir up irritation or impatience in us. Let us
confess these sins! After all, fighting the same cursed sin over and over is tedious for the sinner. Who does not know this?
As we know God's compassion, let us forgive and without measure.
These three activities, beloved, describe the scope of Christian duty. Let us reflect on these duties, and how little we
achieve them in fact! Is it not appalling? Let us look to our own darkness and sin. Let us cry out with St. Peter in shame:
"Depart from me, I am a sinful man, O Lord!" (Lk. 5:8). The Apostles understood how far they were from being able to
carry out these duties apart from God's grace, and so they begged the Lord, "Increase our faith" (Lk. 17:5). The Lord's
reply to the request "to increase our faith" returns us to our own sin, and so He speaks of pulling a tree up by the roots and
planting it in the ocean, a task impossible in its conception (see vs. 6). The Lord Jesus uses hyperbole to drive us to
dependency upon God. Exactly His purpose! Now we are ready for the last and fourth duty: to persist. Since we cannot
plant the Tree of life, neither shall we receive rest (vs. 7). Labor is the life-long burden of accepting discipleship. It is God
Who gives the profit, and He is faithful to help us attain the impossible. We have only to persist in the effort. He will give
the growth, and He will plant.
Grant, O Lord that we may complete the remaining time of our life in peace and repentance.