Homily for the 11th Sunday After Pentecost

A Homily by Metropolitan Andrian (Chetvergov)

The fundamental law of our life, the Holy Gospel, in a concise and vivid form—through striking imagery, instructive stories from the life of the Savior, and profound allegorical parables—gently and unobtrusively provides us with a Christian understanding of life and answers to all of life’s questions. Unfortunately, we ourselves do not always follow these timeless and universal teachings.

The trouble is that, while considering ourselves Christians and being confident that we lead a righteous (or rather, sufficiently righteous) life, we often approach these lessons with a Pharisaical attitude. We immediately think that there are indeed people who look for the speck in another’s eye while endlessly judging others (but not us—we merely discuss, not judge); that there are people who hoard wealth and own multiple cottages and foreign cars (but not us—we only have a dacha and a Lada); that there are people who refuse to forgive debts, but again, not us (we only demand what is rightfully ours).

And so, today’s parable doesn’t seem to apply to us. If someone forgave us a debt of ten thousand rubles, would we really demand a mere hundred kopecks from our debtor? That’s unthinkable (yet this is precisely the situation described in today’s Gospel). But let’s look at ourselves from the outside. For example, how would we react if someone accidentally stepped on our foot—not intentionally, but painfully, with a heel? It would be useful to see ourselves in a mirror at that moment. Or wouldn’t we grumble—or rather, be indignant—if, after working all day, we received the same pay as someone who worked for just one hour?

Through such small, everyday examples, each of us can test our Christian character. Our life is made up of these small moments, and the way we behave in these ordinary situations largely reflects the state of our soul.

It is precisely in these small things that a true Christian can be recognized, for “whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much” (Luke 16:10). The task of a Christian is to remain faithful to our Lord in everything and to the end. So, to what extent does today’s parable apply to us?

The Gospel says that the Kingdom of Heaven is like a king who strictly holds his debtors accountable. Yet this king is merciful, and when a servant, burdened with an enormous debt he could not repay, begged for mercy and an extension of time, the king, moved with compassion, released him and forgave his debt entirely!

All of us are in an unpayable debt before God. Our life, our successes, our children—everything that brings us joy—should lead us to an awareness of this debt. God has given us talents, for which we must give an account, not merely preserving them but multiplying them. This means not only hearing the Word of God but acting on it; not only studying the Holy Scriptures but sharing this word with others, explaining God’s truth to them and proving it through our own example. From ancient times, the Church of God has served as a mediator between humanity and God. Its servants—bishops—perform the sacraments necessary for the salvation of human souls. The Church is, as it were, a tangible part of the Heavenly Kingdom. It is material and real, and before it, as a part of this Kingdom, every Christian also has certain duties and debts.

From the Old Testament, we know that the people were obligated to give a tithe of their income to support the priests and Levites. This law persists in Christianity, and every faithful Christian should give a tithe to the Church proportional to their income or pension. This means one hundred rubles from a thousand, or a thousand from ten thousand. Of course, some have small pensions, but a tithe from a small amount is also small.

Do you remember the elderly widow who placed just two mites into the treasury? That wasn’t even a tithe—it was all she had! Yet how highly Christ valued her sacrifice, saying that she gave more than anyone else.

This sense of duty and dependence is greatly dulled in modern people. Most often, they attribute their successes to their own merits. They have already calculated years in advance what they need to do to achieve their goals. Their contribution to the Church, at best, amounts to three candles a week. There is also a lack of awareness that everything written in the Gospel applies directly to them personally, and the exceptions they make for themselves have no justification—they are simply violations of God’s law, which is sin.

Moreover, God’s commandments—not to repay evil with evil, to turn the other cheek when struck, to give your cloak as well when asked for your shirt—seem to them like unrealistic abstractions. Even more astonishing is the command to “love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt. 5:44). But, dear ones, the Gospel was written for all times, for everyone, and for each of us individually. No “demands of the times” can change God’s Law, for God Himself is eternal and unchanging. And He says, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy” (Matt. 5:7).

Therefore, as it is written, “Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you” (Matt. 5:42). And if they cannot repay you, forgive them generously, for every day in prayer you assure God that you forgive your debtors.

But do not think that this makes you righteous, for this is a necessary but insufficient condition for salvation. “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt. 5:48). To Him be all glory, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

From the book Живое Слово