Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Congratulations with the feast of the Resurrection of the Lord!

Today during the service we once again heard an excerpt from the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Ephesians. On past Sundays we heard readings from the first section of this letter. The first section is theological and gives an answer to the question in what and how do we believe. Remember, last week we read about how Christ has joined into one cohesive body both the Jews and the gentiles.

The second and final section of this epistle is more practical and pedagogical. Here the Apostle gives advice about how we should live so as to bring ourselves closer to Christ. Today we are offered an introduction into the Christian moral life. Before he begins to give his advice, he mentions that he is a prisoner for the sake of Christ, i. e. he is under arrest in jail, most likely in Caesarea in Palestine. Here he was in very difficult conditions. He was not allowed to leave, and few of the faithful were able to visit him. He was in this situation for two years, until he was sent to Rome to be tried. In Rome, although he was still officially a prisoner, his condition was much easier. He was free to come and go and to accept visitors.

After mentioning his incarceration, Paul moves on to his advice to the faithful. He beseeches them, the Ephesian Christians, to remember their great and high vocation or calling. It seems self-evident that if we were to always remember Christ’s passion on the Cross, that we are members of His body, and that our brothers and sisters in Christ are also members of this same body, we would sin less, both against God as well as against each other.

Paul adds that we must remember this high vocation with lowliness (humility), meekness, and long suffering, to be patient with those who are weak and to love them, and to endeavour to preserve unity. If we acquire these traits we will be able to worthily walk in our vocation. Finally, St. Paul emphasizes the importance of unity, noting that we have one body, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, etc.

Today let’s take note of St. Paul’s noble-mindedness. Although he is under arrest, the faithful have no access to help or support him, and the future is far from clear, he is not discouraged. He pays almost no heed to his own misfortunes. Instead of becoming engrossed in his own personal problems, he collects himself in prayer. The Lord supports him, opens to him the mysteries of salvation through Christ Jesus, and Paul, in turn, records this and passes it on to not only the Ephesians, but also to all of us. Let’s try, when we fall into misfortune, to remember our vocation as Christians and to act in a worthy fashion, with humility, meekness, patience, dealing with our neighbours with love and never forgetting the importance of our unity.

priest Alexis