Run to Christ: Beyond the Golden Rule
Live Audio Version
2nd Sun in Luke Oct. 1, 2023; Luke: 6:31-36;
Today’s Gospel is a difficult Gospel because it is so hard to spiritualize or misunderstand. It lays out an entirely new life perspective on how we are to act, and we don’t measure up! Christ starts with the universally understood standard, the “Golden Rule” as is espoused by pretty much every religion and worldly philosophy. “Just as you want men to do to you, you also do it to them, likewise.” This golden rule will certainly make our life much less likely to be filled with conflict and trouble. After all, if you’re nice to others they we (usually) be nice to you. Nothing too revolutionary here, although we should all recognize that we do a poor job of even living by this standard.
However, Christ then goes on to present this “Golden rule” as being hugely deficient by Kingdom Standards. “Love your enemies, do good and lend hoping for nothing in return;” becomes the new standard for His followers. But, if your tuned into WIFM (What’s In it For Me), where is the personal payback in that? With this new standard, Christ also presents a new goal. We are not here just to strive to live a good, conflict free, comfortable life, but rather we are here to become “…sons of the Most High.” This is an astonishing new revelation! We are to live here and now as is fitting for a child of God, by imitating our heavenly Father! “For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore, be merciful, just as your Father in heaven is merciful.” For us believers, our standard is not to treat others as we want to be treated, but to behave as Christ, loving our enemies and to, (Luke 9:23) “…deny yourself and take up your cross daily, and follow Me.”
We are to keep our focus on the mercy of God. We can see that He is continuously merciful, giving life to all, and unreservedly beckoning all to come to Him, no matter how we have sinned. (Matt. 5:45) ”…for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends His rain on the just and on the unjust.”
Of course, we can never hope to be able to live like this by our own efforts and self will. All we can do is to continually turn to Christ, asking that His love might flow through us, to our difficult and wounded brothers and sisters, and to all those whom He brings into our lives. All we can do is to be willing to take up our cross – the cross which Christ faithfully sends to us – and be co-crucified with Him, asking Him continually to live in and through us, as St. Paul says; (Gal. 2:20) “so that it is not I but Christ who lives in me.” Saint Porphyrios taught we shouldn’t even address the darkness or get into mental conversations with dark thoughts but continuously choose to turn to the light to Christ!
It is good to try to be more aware of how we react when we are presented with opportunities to act in this new revolutionary “Christian” way. To become more aware of our pre-conditioned actions when we are treated poorly or asked for help. Christ wants to bring healing to the pain and tragedies of life, healing both our own wounds and through us those He sends our way, but we need to be willing to let Him. To experience His complete forgiveness and love, we need to be able to be willing to forgive those who have wounded us, and repent and ask forgiveness for our sinful reactions to being wounded, and of course for how we have wounded others through our selfish acts.
Is there is a situation from the past that goes around in our mind with regularity, of someone we are struggling with, have been hurt by, just really can’t stand? If there is an area of our life that causes us pain and hurt or fear or great confusion, that keeps us up at night; that is what God would have us bring to Him for healing. That is the very thing that we should bring to confession. Continually inviting God to be with us in that situation through His mercy and grace, allowing ourselves to both receive and to give forgiveness, and to give our struggle to Him. He is always faithful and merciful, and He loves us more than we even know how to love. For only in Christ, and through His power and love can we possibly have love for our “enemies” as presented in today’s short Gospel lesson.
A necessary first step to living in Christ, is that we ourselves accept the great mercy and forgiveness offered by God. Do we focus on our own unworthiness exclusively, for there is always so much to focus on in this area? But our sinful failings in trying to live a Christ filled life, can never even come close to equalling the immeasurable forgiveness, grace and love God continually has for us? He waits for our willingness to have Him remove the scratched and clouded glasses that blind us from clearly seeing the infinite love He has for us, His wayward children. Then we may start to “Love our enemies.”
Very little of what we learn in our culture, from watching TV, from the internet and reading our newspapers and magazines, is helpful in training us to turn to Christ, and learning to think as today’s Gospel indicates. We have a huge un-learning under-taking to do. That is why it is so important to continuously turn to Christ in prayer, to read the scriptures and the lives of the saints. Why it is so important to form a habit of coming regularly to Church and hanging out with our brothers and sisters in Christ. You won’t find support for practicing this extreme love for all, even our enemies, in the secular world. Orthodoxy is Paradoxy and very counter-culture. It requires much re-training.
If we are followers of Christ, but our actions and attitudes are indistinguishable from the rest of the world, from those whom we work with, go to school with, play with – those who would never claim to be Christians – then we have some serious re-thinking to do. There should be a noticeable difference in how we react to and treat those around us. We are told to love and do good to our enemies, and to lend, hoping for nothing in return. This is not just accepting that we might be ripped off and we will have to live with it, it is to be disappointed if we do get repaid, as we would have received a better eternal benefit if we were not repaid. We are to be more focused on growing our eternal investment account than our local bank balance. We are not merely to forgive all and to turn the other cheek when attacked and vilified. We are to weep and pray for those lost souls we encounter who would do such things…that they would somehow be brought out of their delusion and self-imposed isolation, and experience the forgiveness and love of Christ. Our Lord Jesus Christ did more than simply forgive those who crucified Him, he destroyed death, entering the vey depths of hades and brought all who would follow into the Kingdom of heaven, uniting us with Himself.
Many of us common garden variety Christian’s struggle with even doing as the Gospel says sinners naturally do – acting in a loving and merciful manner at home with our spouses and children and with our friends. This is the place most of us need to start, praying and exercising the tender love of our Lord as we relate to our less than deified spouses and children and friends. Practicing forgiveness at home first! How do we measure up to this? But there is always hope. As St Herman says, we can start anew. “From this day, from this hour, from this minute, let us serve God.”
May the grace of God be with all of us, and may we continually grow in love for Christ and each other, and the entire world, for He is always faithful and merciful, and He loves us and all of mankind. Glory to Jesus Christ!