In St. Paul’s Epistles to the Romans, Colossians, and Galatians, he speaks of Jews and Greeks. He also writes of the circumcised, uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slaves, the free, males and females. “Difference of race or condition or sex,” as Augustine writes, remains embedded in our mortal interactions, and in the journey of this life…”
In Christ, though, there is a unity of persons. Jerome explained it this way:
When one has once put on Christ and having been sent into the flame, glows with the ardor of the Holy Spirit, it is not apparent whether he is of gold or silver. As long as the heat takes over the mass in this way, there is one fiery color, and all diversity of race, condition, and body is taken away by such a garment.
It’s remarkable to think that in Christ, the Jew, the Greek, the circumcised, the uncircumcised, the barbarian, the Scythian, the slave, the free, men and women become members of His Body. Through Holy Baptism, unique members are reborn and given new life in Christ by the Holy Spirit to have a relationship with our Heavenly Father. And, as one Eucharistic Assembly, even with the differences of race, condition, and sex, they partake of the same Eucharistic meal from the same Cup of Life.
All people are descendants of the first created, Adam and Eve. Sadly, as the generations passed, sin tarnished the image of God in people. Those who strayed from Him by embracing false beliefs were often led to unrighteous living. Tragically, such people often placed themselves at odds with those who struggled to live righteously, honoring the Commandments and remaining in Covenant with their Creator. The Old Testament is filled with stories of struggle against God and His people, by those inside and outside Israel's house, because of sin. Thanks be to God, His Plan of Salvation included reconciling us to Himself and one another through His suffering, death, and Glorious Resurrection. The invitation to “put on Christ” fulfilled the promise made to Abraham and allowed believers to live as was intended in a deep and abiding Communion.
But what of the unbelievers, those who have not accepted Christ? What of those who believe in Christ but remain separated from us (Orthodox Christians) by varying beliefs, ideologies, and lifestyles? Do we promote or accept a false sense of unity? Of course not.
Ignatius of Antioch reminded his Christian community that “there is one nature and one family of mankind.” If we accept this truth, then how can we not lament when members of our greater family (of humankind) are at odds due to differences in race or condition or…? Similarly, by our very design, it’s illogical for us to treat others, whether in the Christian household or not, in an unchristian manner. We lament, remaining gracious with and prayerful for them, all the while hoping that they are reconciled, through repentance, into the fullness of faith, that is, into a deep and abiding Communion with God and His Church. When we fail to act in such a manner, we essentially cease being Christians.
Let me be clear: as much as we lament the condition of others – their distance from God, His Church, and us, we do not condone sin. Even worse, we don't justify the sin, suggesting that this is what it is to be merciful! When an individual sins, knowing or unknowingly, we must hate the sin that separates him from God, his faith, and even his humanity. We condemn sin because we love the individual created in God’s likeness and image, whether he realizes it or not! I was reminded earlier today that “Evil preaches tolerance until it is dominant, then it tries to silence good” (Archbishop Chaput, the retired Roman Catholic Archbishop of Philadelphia). This is the craftiness of the devil who thrives in chaos; he also thrives in a culture (even in the Church) that cannot be honest, graceful, and charitable with an individual unto the healing of the body and soul.
Please make no mistake: the atrocities we’ve learned of recently are evil. The people who committed these atrocities, though, are not evil; instead, they have done evil in our sight. They have lapsed into great sin through the deception of the devil.
Hating the atrocities, the sin, should not lead us to hate a people. Even in warfare, no matter how much we may want to be victorious, we are called to place a higher price on morality, justice, and honor. This is how civilized people preserve their humanity. This is also how civilized people recognize the humanity of others.
Again, we struggle to love an individual regardless of the gravity of the sin. We pray for repentance, even in war and up to the point of death, so as to not lose our humanity. It’s so difficult because the gravity of our own sin continues to hinder our prayers, damaging our relationship with God and others.
Let us not forget as St. Paul so eloquently and concisely admonishes Christians, “We wrestle against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6: 12). No matter the color or creed of other human beings, no matter the atrocities they commit or how they have defiled the image of God that they too were given in birth, we wrestle not with them but with what is fallen - sin, the principalities, and the devil.
As the war continues in the Middle East, I close with the words of St. Paul. May his words be a sufficient reminder of how and with whom we fight as Christians. For in the end, “We [every member of God’s family] must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive good or evil, according to what he has done in the body” (2 Corinthians 5:10). Therefore don
…the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints…
And may He have mercy on us all.