Welcome One Another

This Sunday, the seventh after Pentecost, we conclude reading from St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Today’s selection — Romans 15:1-7 — are his final words of encouragement to the Roman Christians. There is an epilogue that follows in which he tells them of his future travel plans and his intension to visit Rome, as well as greetings to a number of people whom he knows in Rome, but these verses close his spiritual and theological advice to them.

In the opening verse he uses a rhetorical device to win them over, to open their hearts to listen to what will follow. He tells them, “We who are strong ought to put up with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” (v. 1) In this one phrase, “we who are strong,” he compliments them by both calling them ‘strong’ and also identifying them with himself.

He tells them that the strong need to ‘bear’ or ‘put up with’ the failings of the weak. The one Greek word he uses has both of these meanings, and each applies equally as well to the context. The strong ‘ought’ (this is an ethical imperative) to both endure and carry the failings of weaker brothers and sisters and put to one side their own comfort, but with a purpose.

“Each of us must please our neighbor for the good purpose of building up the neighbor.” (v. 2) Whether we either ‘put up with’ or ‘carry’ the weaknesses of our brother or sister, it is toward a specific end: their edification. The Greek word St. Paul uses, ‘oikodomen’ is similar to the English word ‘edify’ in the sense that at the root of both is the word ‘house’ or ‘building.’ Whatever we do as Christians should also have a social dimension. This phrase resonates with other images that St. Paul uses to explain this corporate responsibility we have as individual Christians, such as the Church as Christ’s Body (cf. 1 Corinthinas 12:12ff; Romans 12:4ff). So, when we build up our neighbor, our objective is to also strengthening the whole ‘structure’ of Christ’s Body.

He then directs the Romans and us to our Lord’s example: “For Christ did not please himself; but, as it is written, ‘The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me (Psalm 69:10).’” (v. 3) In one sense, all of St. Paul’s argumentation in the Letter has been leading to this point. He offers us the example of Christ, and then invites us to contemplate and follow it.

In his Letter to the Philippians St. Paul says of Christ that “He emptied Himself,” (2:7), but here he wants us to not simply focus on the Incarnation, that He became human for us; rather he wants us see the full extent to which He ‘bore’ our failings. Jesus not only became human, but He was ill-treated, became a person of ill-repute, was seen as someone weak and of no account, all for our sake. In a word, He suffered. His ‘not pleasing Himself’ meant a real sacrifice on His part. It will require the same from us.

In order that we might not loose heart, St. Paul tells us that our Lord gave us His example in order to strengthen and encourage us. In quoting from Psalm 69, he wants us to understand that Christ’s sacrifice is part of God’s whole plan for us. “For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope.” (v. 4)

It is not an easy thing to bear one another’s burdens. This is why St. Paul reminds us of what exactly might required of us by offering the example of Christ. Regardless of how ‘strong’ we might think ourselves, without God’s help we will find it impossible to accomplish.

St. Paul directs us to the Scriptures — where the history of God’s engagement with humanity is recorded — for instruction and encouragement. By using the tools offered us in the Sacred Writings, our steadfast commitment to follow the Lord will be filled with hope. Without this hope we will find it impossible to take up the kind of life to which God calls not only us, but all of humanity.

He then bestows a blessing on the Roman Christians. “May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (v. 6-7) Many of the blessings that we use in the Services of our Church, especially those offered during the Diving Liturgy, echo this blessing. It asks that God our Father grant us the strength to persevere so that we might be able to live together in peace and harmony.

Harmony is a wonderful word to express the unity of life for which we strive. Those who have sung in a choir or played in an orchestra know that each musician offers their particular note and rhythm. When each one is doing exactly as they are supposed to the outcome is magnificent. The whole becomes much more than the sum of the parts. The result is a peaceful beauty that uplifts. If even one person is ‘off key’ the result is a sourness that can be like the scratching of nails on a blackboard.

In order to realize this harmony, we must “Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed [us], for the glory of God.” (v. 7) Last week I spoke about the virtue of hospitality. What is asked here is more than hospitality. It is the opening of our hearts and the offering of ourselves to one another, just as Christ has opened His heart toward us. It is not only the emptying of ourselves, but the filling of ourselves with love for our neighbor, bearing their burdens in order to build them up.

Fr. Nicholas Apostola