By Charles Ajalat

Martin Luther King Jr. Day will be commemorated, January 18, the day of our first FOCUS North America Board of Directors meeting for 2010. It is a good time to remember the role the Orthodox Church has played in society from the beginning, including American society through today. It is a role that must increase dramatically as we act out the mission of Christ’s Church.

The Orthodox Church, in imitation of its Lord, has been involved in social action from the very beginning, helping the poor, the sick and those in need and trying to bring justice to those who suffered injustice. Our Lord taught us: “A new commandment I give unto you: that you love one another, as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35; cf. James 4:11). This command has always been followed by faithful Christians, whether in the first, third, fourth or twentieth or twenty-first centuries. In the third century, for example, Christians earned respect and admiration as they, at the risk of their own lives, consoled the dying and buried the dead from the pestilences that struck Carthage and Alexandria even while the pagans abandoned their friends to their terrible fate. In the fourth century, St. Basil the Great created charitable institutions while following the commands of our Lord and teaching his faithful how critical it is to love all our neighbors, particularly those in need.