WE SHOULD NO LONGER BE BABIES
(Thursday, September 28)
“…that we should no longer be infants, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of teaching (τῆς διδασκαλίας), by the trickery of human beings, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head – Christ – from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” (Eph 4:14-16)
…In other words, we can’t grow up, as effective members of the Body of Christ, if we are not “speaking the truth” and being edified by it, “in love.” And each of us, that is, “every part” of the Body of Christ, needs to do “its share” in this process of our common edification, through love-based and love-inspired truth. Otherwise, we get tossed to and fro like infants in the wind, (sorry for that strange metaphor of babies flying about in the wind, – but complain to St. Paul and not me), when instead of the truth, we hear church-teaching craftily manipulated “by the trickery of human beings,” who choose to serve someone other than “Him who is the head – Christ – from whom the whole body” is to grow.
Let me re-connect with Him this Thursday, the day of the Holy Apostles, by their prayers. And let me not behave like a baby, when I am told half-truths or deceitful things about my Church’s teaching or tradition, which I, as an educated adult, know to be false. Thank You, Lord, for dignifying us, both men and women, with the responsibility of discerning truth and love from falsehood and abuse. Thy will be done with all of us, as we continue to grow and be edified, in love for You, our Church, and one another.
