Troparion 2
Lord, Pantocrator, Teacher and Master of the Way of the Heart, pray for us your humble students, in sharing your infinite wisdom with us, we may be blessed and share your teachings with the world.
Reading of Deuteronomy
And you shall put these, my words, on your heart and on your inner self, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand and let them be as an emblem between your eyes. And you shall teach them to your children by talking about them when you sit in your house and when you travel on the road and when you lie down and when you get up. And you shall write them on the doorframes of your house and on your gates, so that they may multiply your days and the days of your children on the land that Yahweh swore to your ancestors to give it to them as long as heaven endures over the earth
~Chapter: 11 Verses: 18-21
Gospel of Matthew
Do not think that I have come to destroy the law or the prophets. I have not come to destroy them but to fulfill them. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one tiny letter or one stroke of a letter will pass away from the law until all takes place. Therefore whoever abolishes one of the least of these commandments and teaches people to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever keeps them and teaches them, this person will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
~Chapter: 5 Verses: 17–19
Gospel of Matthew
Blessed are the poor in spirit, because theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are the ones who mourn, because they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, because they will inherit the earth. Blessed are the ones who hunger and thirst for righteousness, because they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, because they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, because they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, because they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, because theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things against you, lying on account of me. Rejoice and be glad, because your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.
~Chapter: 5 Verses: 3–12
Homily
The passage of time and creating living history often leaves the great works of those who came before in dusty pages or archives where only the students of academia and the church can find them. Wisdom gets hidden and forgotten as people’s lives move forward from landmark events. Natural disasters, technological advancements, and popular culture bury the sentiments and teachings of those who came before us. There are exceptions to this, the teachings of the Illuminated Master, those so wise that their words on ancient scrolls are accessed in your hand in seconds of internet searching. History has refused to forget the works of some of our greatest minds.
It is easy for those of faith to recognize the wisdom of Christ, in deed, word, and in his fulfillment of prophecy, we come to know his ways intimately. We become initiated into his teachings, as he was taught in the Mysteries of Egypt and the Hebrew Temples. We strive to understand the way of his heart as well as his words in our ritual observance and glorification of his works. Simple gestures with profound and ancient meanings.
Christ as our teacher and master isn’t difficult to understand because we have faith to guide us to him, but others do so without the blessing of faith and still count his word and works as Wisdom for all ages. He is a valued Illuminated Master and Teacher in Islam, Hinduism, Ba’hai, and many other Faiths. Even without conversion, the words of Christ are studied with equal merit as Greek philosophers, oriental medicine, and Middle Eastern poetry. It is important to understand the enduring legacy of his wisdom. Today’s gospel reading often called the Beatitudes teaches the most profound and intimate of Christ’s works: how to love. It differs from the previous instruction of Jerusalem and Egypt as it requires no covenant beyond itself. Love is beholden only to itself and can only be given in its true form to be genuine. In suffering of any kind, it can be a balm. In strife of any kind, it can give the answer. For this reason, our Christ, beloved teacher and master, will remain counted amongst the past masters of history.
~Elisheva+
