Suffering Like Fools - Fr. Gregory - August 16, 2020

In today’s Epistle is taken from I Corinthians 4:9-16, Saint Paul is speaking about a problem of disunity, fighting and scandal within the church. In much the same manner as today, certain self-appointed leaders had begun to preach a prosperity Gospel, where you can live your best life now. Father Gregory shares with us how Saint Paul answers this very problem. Saint Paul, a true apostle contrasts himself with those apostles who preach a false Gospel. He writes that The Apostles are last of all men, sentenced to death and a spectacle to the world. The Fathers of the Church tell us that those who love Christ are fools as far as the world is concerned. Saint Paul outlines his sufferings for Christ including being hungry and thirsty, ill-clad and buffeted and homeless, and working with his own hands. When reviled they bless; when persecuted they endure; when slandered they try to conciliate and they have become the refuse of the world. The main point is not that the apostles suffer, because all people in this world will suffer, but a Christian suffers uniquely with joy and without despair or anger. Saint Paul concludes by urging the church to be imitators of him not claiming dignity for himself, but that we too should suffer as he did with joy, letting God fill our suffering with Himself.