The word of the day is “commend.” It isn’t easy to part with loved ones.  At these times we are sadly aware that we will no longer be present with them. And they will not be able to care for us nor we to care for them. But there is one thing that can give us comfort. We can commend those we love to the Lord. In our reading of Acts 20:16-18;28-36, Paul meets with the elders of the church in Ephesus for what was likely to be the last time (Acts 20:25).  He gives his farewell instructions that they are to take care of the flock to which they have been entrusted. Then he commends them “to God and…
The word of the day is “slaves.” From today’s reading of Ephesians 5:33-6:9, we learn that whatever work we do, we should do it “as to the Lord.” In this passage, St. Paul address “bondservants,” that is, slaves (vs. 5) as well as their masters (vs. 9). The Orthodox Study Bible comments, “As with marriage, Paul does not seek to alter the existing social structure…” (OSB fn. on vs. 6:9). Thus, Paul’s letters presume slavery but does not approve of it. That is also true of many of the parables in the Gospels where English versions translate the Greek word for slave (doulos) as “servant” (Strong’s #1401, 72). Despite taking slavery for granted, Paul favors the status of freedom. He teaches that given the…
The word of the day is “commend.” It isn’t easy to part with loved ones.  At times of leave-taking, we know that we will no longer be present with our beloved.  And they will not be able to care for us nor we to care for them. Yet there is one thing that can give us comfort. We can commend those we love to the Lord. In our reading of Acts 20:16-18;28-36, Paul meets with the elders of the church in Ephesus for what was likely to be the last time (Acts 20:25).  He gives his farewell instructions that they are to take care of the flock to which they have been entrusted. Then he commends them “to God and…