April 8, 2006: St. Mary of Egypt

When St. Mary of Egypt, much like the Prodigal Son, "came to her senses," she was able to avoid falling into a very common temptation. She realized she needed to change her life—the temptation would be that she knew many others who needed to change their lives. Instead of following the path of "at least I’m not as bad as so-and-so" she took care of herself. And now every Orthodox Church in the world will have her icon in their church tomorrow giving us a good example to follow. She scolded no one, she yelled at no one. "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye." (Matthew 7:1-5)

Comments

[Tracy]

So how does St. Mary fulfill either of the two central "missions" we just read about in Metrakos' article http://www.orthodoxytoday.org/articles6/MetrakosOrthodoxy.php ?

It seems she does fulfill them, but not consciously during her lifetime. God uses her life much, much later, long after her death - 1500 years later! - to continue the work of evangelization and of helping the poor (the spiritually poor, namely all of us laden with sin).

What's the take-home lesson here, Father? How ought each of us to live out the "triumph of Orthodoxy" in our own lives? What mission, consciously, ought we to pursue? Run into the desert, or run out into the world to save others?