Armodoxy for Today

Brokenhearted and Captives

In the Gospel of St. Luke we read Jesus’ mission, and thus the mission statement of the Apostolic Church (see Mission and Continuity) is to preach the gospel to the poor, heal the brokenhearted, liberate captives and the oppressed and recover sight to the blind.

It is tempting to consider these groups in the category of the other – people outside of ourselves. We may think of the blind as those missing sight receptacles in their eye sockets, when in fact we know many who walk around with eyeballs and yet are blind to the beauty around them. We think of the captives as those who are imprisoned or held in slavery against their will, yet there are those who living in freedom are enslaved to their money and their possessions.  When we fall for the temptation of categorizing the hurting and frail as others, we deny ourselves the opportunity for self-evaluation and thereby self-improvement.

We are all in need of healing, we all long for true freedom, and we all search for complete love, understanding and belonging in life.  Jesus said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” (Mark 2)

Let us pray the prayer of St. Nersess Shnorhali, “Lord, who wills that which is good, and are the director of the will, let me not follow the inclinations of my heart, but lead me to live always according to Your good will. Have mercy upon Your Creatures and upon me, a great sinner.