“Brothers and sisters: Do you not know that… you are not your own? For you have been purchased at a price.” Most of us do not like the thought of being bought, owned or purchased. For being bought implies that we are not our own but rather are in debt or in service to another perhaps one who is more powerful, wealthier and more influential than us. Being purchased can imply servitude, slavery, ownership. It certainly is not a pleasant thought to consider belonging like a piece of personal property to another. For we most likely consider ourselves self reliant, self sufficient, totally independent and never having to ask for assistance from anyone. The fact is, most of us would rather do things on our own. We don’t want to feel dependent on another or in debt to another.  The truth is, we are all dependent in one way or another. We often need support, guidance, knowledge, assistance from someone else. We all need help – whether we ask for it or not, whether we accept it or not, whether we realize it or not – we could all use some assistance.  We are interdependent on each other and have been bought in one way another whether we admit it or not. We say we can’t be bought or purchased. Is that really true? Have we ever sold out or bought in? What if we were items on display in an antique shop each with an individual price tag.  How much would you be worth? What would your price tag say? Would it read: “For Sale” – “On Sale Today” or “Not For Sale?” Or perhaps your price tag might say:  “1/2 Off – “BOGO” – “Best Offer” – “Cheap” – “Free to a Good Home.” The fact is we are priceless, for we have all been purchased at a great price. An amount that no sum of money could buy.  No sum could recoup, recover, replace the cost that has been paid on our behalf.  Our tags now read, “sold – paid in full” for our debt has been satisfied and paid in Christ. We were slaves to sin and darkness. We chose death rather than life, lies rather than truth, darkness rather than light. We were chained, imprisoned, slaves unable to enjoy the freedom of the Children of Light. And now you belong to God. For you have been purchased at a great price. For Jesus, “himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross… By his wounds you have been healed.”  Fr. Ivan