In this episode, Fr. Anthony gives a short Summer homily on St. Paul’s message to believe and accept the gift of salvation.
Homily Notes
Romans 10:1-10
“If you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is God; and if you will believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, YOU WILL BE SAVED.” (Romans 10:9)
Reassurance: St. Paul is talking to each of us. If we believe the things we say and do here in worship today: then we are saved.
- We do not have to go up to heaven and bring Christ down to have Him here with us to save us.
- We do not have to down in to the pits and bring Christ up to have Him here with us.
Because we know that he is in the heart of every believer and present in the midst of everyone who gathers in His name (John 14:20; Galatians 2:20; Matthew 18:20).
Have no doubt: He is here. Have no doubt: the salvation that He offers – the freedom from pain, the freedom from sin – it is here for all of us.
- He Himself has come down from heaven: we don’t have to pull Him down.
- He Himself has come up from the grave: we do not have to go and pull Him up.
Does this seem to cheap? Does this seem to easy? (Saints Paul and John Chrysostom thought it might).
Every gift comes that way. And that is precisely what Christ is offering: a gift.
- You CANNOT earn a gift. You certainly cannot earn THIS gift.
- What is the proper response to a gift? Appreciation. Thankfulness. Gratitude.
So now, let us continue together the worship of faith which opens our mouths to confess that the God-man Jesus is risen from the dead; and through this move into an even deeper expression of that same movement as we open our mouths to receive Him through the Holy Eucharist; for Christ commanded that “Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
