26 Nov 09: Homily on the 25th Sunday after Pentecost
25th Sunday after Pentecost – the Merciful Samaritan.
Homily From “The One Thing Needful,” Sermons of Archbishop Andrei (Rymarenko)
“And, behold, a certain lawyer… tempted Him [Christ], saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself (Lk. 10:25-27).
Remember, brothers and sisters, how the Holy Church brought us to this passage in the Gospel narrative. Remember last Sunday how Jairus, a Jewish prince, came to Christ. His daughter was dying and he could find help nowhere. She was dying. And so he ran to Christ, fell at His feet and asked for help. She was dying — his only daughter. Christ went with him and Jairus walked with Christ. Maybe this was not long, but in the mind of Jairus it was the way of his whole life. He should be close by his dying daughter…but he hoped. He hoped because he believed that Christ could perform something great, could perform a healing which no one else could do. And this is like away of life. (more…)