St.
Mary the Egyptian
The
biography of this wonderful saint was written by St. Sophronius, the
Patriarch of Jerusalem. Once, during the Honorable Fast (Lenten Season),
a certain .priest-monk (Heiromonk), the Elder Zosimus, withdrew into
the wilderness beyond the Jordan, a twenty-day trek. Suddenly, he
caught sight of a human being with a withered and naked body whose
hair was as white as snow and who began to flee from the sight of
Zosimus. The elder ran for a long while until this person crouched
down in a brook and cried out: "Abba Zosimus forgive me for the
sake of the Lord. I cannot face you for I am a naked woman."
Zosimus then tossed his outer garment to her which she wrapped around
herself and then showed herself to him. The elder was frightened upon
hearing his name spoken from the mouth of this woman he did not know.
Following his prolonged insistence, the woman related her life story.
She was born in Egypt and at the age of twelve began to live a life of
debauchery in Alexandria where she spent seventeen years in this
perverted way of life. Driven by the adulterous flame of the flesh,
one day she boarded a boat which was sailing for Jerusalem. Arriving
at the Holy City, she wanted to enter the church in order to venerate
the Honorable Cross but some invisible force restrained her and
prevented her from entering the church. In great fear, she gazed upon
the icon of the All-Holy Mother of God in the vestibule and prayed
that she be allowed to enter the church to venerate the Honorable
Cross, all the while confessing her sinfulness and uncleanness and
promising that she would go wherever the All-Pure One would direct
her. She was then permitted to enter the church. Having venerated the
Cross she again entered the vestibule and, before the icon, gave
thanks to the Mother of God. At that very moment she heard a voice
saying: "If you cross over Jordan you will find real peace!"
Immediately she purchased three loaves of bread and started out for
the Jordan where she arrived that same evening. The next day she
received Holy Communion in the Monastery of St. John and crossed over
the Jordan river. She remained in the wilderness for forty-eight years
in great torment, fear and struggle with passionate thoughts as though
with wild beasts. She fed on vegetation. Afterward, when she stood for
prayer, Zosimus saw her levitate in the air. She begged him to bring
her Holy Communion the following year on the shore of the Jordan where
she would then come to receive it. The following year, Zosimus arrived
on the shore of the Jordan in the evening with Holy Communion. He
wondered how this saint would cross the Jordan. At that moment, in the
light of the moon, he saw her as she approached the river, made the
sign of the cross over it and walked upon the water as though upon dry
land. After Zosimus administered Holy Communion to her, she begged him
to come the following year to the same brook where they had first met.
Zosimus came and discovered her lifeless body on that spot. Above her
head in the sand was written: "Abba Zosimus, bury the body of the
humble Mary on this site; render dust to dust. I died on April 1, the
same night of the saving-suffering of Christ, after having received
Communion of the Divine Mysteries." From this inscription Zosimus
first learned her name and the other and awesome miracle was that,
she, on that same night the previous year, when she received Holy
Communion, arrived at this brook which took him twenty days to travel.
Thus, Zosimus buried the body of this wonderful saint, Mary the
Egyptian. When he returned to the monastery Zosimus related the entire
history of her life and the miracles which he had personally
witnessed. Thus, the Lord knows how to glorify penitent sinners. St.
Mary is also commemorated on the Fifth Sunday of the Honorable Fast
(Fifth Sunday in Lent). The Church holds her up as an example to the
faithful during these fast days as an incentive for repentance. She
died about the year 530 A.D.
St.
Meletion, the Bishop of Sardis in Asia Minor
Meletion
was a celebrated shepherd of the second-century Church. Governing with
great ability, he endeavored to gather all the books of Sacred
Scripture into a single Codex. By his meekness and piety, Meletion
again labored to restore peace in the Church of Laodicea, which arose
over the controversy regarding the celebration of Pascha (The Feast of
the Resurrection). Besides this, he defended Christianity against the
pagans. He traveled to Rome about the year 170 A.D. and submitted to
Emperor Marcus Aurelius a written Apologia (Defense) of the Faith and
of the Christian Church. St. Meletion, this learned, pious and zealous
man, died peacefully in the Lord in the year 177 A.D.
Venerable
Procopius, the Czech
Procopius
was born in Hotish, today's Czech Republic. He was ordained a priest
and retreated to a mountain to live according to the model of eastern
hermits. The Duke (Herceg) Ulrich accidentally came upon Procopius and
assisted him in establishing the Monastery of St. John the Forerunner
by the Sazava river. This holy man died in the year 1053 A.D.
Reflection
Why is
it that much is said and written about the sufferings of holy men and
holy women? Because the saints, alone, are considered victors. Can
anyone be a victor without conflict, pain and suffering? In ordinary
earthly combat, no one can be considered victorious nor heroic who has
not been in combat, tortured much or suffered greatly. The more so in
spiritual combat where the truth is known and where self-boasting not
only does not help at all but, indeed, hinders it. He who does not
engage in combat for the sake of Christ, either with the world, with
the devil or with one's self, how can he be counted among the soldiers
of Christ? How, then, can it be with Christ's co-victors? St. Mary
spoke about her savage spiritual combat to the Elder Zosimus:
"For the first seventeen years in this wilderness I struggled
with my deranged sexual desires as though with fierce beasts. I
desired to eat meat and fish which I had in abundance in Egypt. I also
desired to drink wine and here, I did not have even water to drink. I
desired to hear lustful songs. I cried and beat my breasts. I prayed
to the All-Pure Mother of God to banish such thoughts from me. When I
had sufficiently cried and beat my breasts, it was then that I saw a
light encompassing me on all sides and a certain miraculous peace
filled me."
Contemplation
To
contemplate the Lord Jesus in death:
1. How
the lifeless body of Him lay in the grave, Who, while living, gave
life to the dead;
2. How
even in death, the hatred of His enemies rage against Him;
How His
disciples locked themselves in a house "for fear of the
Jews" (St. John 20:19).
Homily
About
the fulfillment of the great prophecy
"Like
a lamb led to the slaughter" (Isaiah 53:7).
Throughout
the many centuries of time the discerning Prophet Isaiah foresaw the
awesome sacrifice on Golgotha. From afar he saw the Lord Jesus Christ
led to the slaughter as a lamb is led to the slaughter. A lamb permits
itself to be led to the laughter as it is led to the pasture:
defenseless, without fear and without malice. Thus, Our Lord Christ
was led to the slaughter without defense, without fear and without
malice. Neither does He say: "Men, do not do this!" Neither
does He question: "Why are you doing this to Me?" Neither
does He condemn anyone. Neither does He protest. Neither does He
become angry. Neither does He think evilly of His judges. When blood
poured out over Him from the thorny wreath, He was silent. When His
face was soiled from being spat upon, He was silent. When His Cross
became heavy along the way, He endured. When His pain became
unbearable on the Cross, He did not complain to men but to the Father.
When He breathed His last, He directed His gaze and sigh toward heaven
and not toward earth. For the source of His strength is heaven and not
earth. The source of His consolation is in God and not in men. His
true homeland is the Heavenly Kingdom and not the earthly kingdom.
"Behold,
the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" (St. John
1:29). This was the first cry of St. John the Baptist when he saw the
Lord. And, behold, now on Golgotha that prophecy was fulfilled.
Behold, under the weight of the sins of the entire world, the Lamb of
God lay slaughtered and lifeless.
O
brethren, this is a costly sacrifice even for our sins. The blood of
this sinless and meek Lamb was destined for all times and all
generations, from the first to the last person on earth. Christ also
felt the pains on the Cross for our sins even those of the present
day. He also wept in the Garden of Gethsemane for our wickedness, our
weakness and our sinfulness. He also destined His blood for us.
Brethren let us not then despise this indescribable costly price by
which we have been redeemed. Because of these sacrifices of Christ we,
indeed, have some worth as people. Without these sacrifices, or if we
disavow these sacrifices, our worth, by itself alone, is equal to
nothing. It is equal to smoke without a flame or a cloud without
light.
O Lord,
unequaled in mercy, have mercy on us also!
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April
15th (New Style) • April 2nd (Old Style)
Venerable
Titus, the Miracle-Worker
From his
youth, Titus loved Christ the Lord and detested the vanities of the
world. Because of this, he retreated from the world, entered a
monastery and received the Great Angelic Habit (The Great Schema-The
Angelic Face). Not feeling any remorse, he dedicated himself to the
somber and narrow path of monasticism. Through great patience, he
attained two basic virtues: that of humility and obedience. In these
virtues, he surpassed "not only the brethren, but also all
men." From his youth he preserved the purity of his soul and
body. At the time of the Iconoclastic heresy he proved himself to be
an unwavering pillar of the Church of God. Because of his great
humility and purity, God bestowed upon him the gift of performing
miracles, both during his life-time and after his death. When he was
translated to the Lord he left behind a countless number of disciples.
He died peacefully in the ninth century.
The
holy Martyrs Amphianus and Edesius
These
two young men were blood brothers from the city of Patara of
distinguished but pagan parents. While they were studying the secular
sciences in the city of Beirut, they were enlightened by the Spirit of
God, and acknowledging the falsehood of paganism, discerned the truth
of Christianity. When they returned home they could no longer live
with their pagan parents and kinsmen and secretly fled to Caesarea in
Palestine to the presbyter Pamphilius, renown for his sanctity and
spiritual learning. With Pamphilius, they studied the Law of God day
and night and practiced Christian asceticism. It is said of Pamphilius
that he was twenty years old according to the flesh but, in
understanding and generosity, he was a hundred years old. When a
persecution began during the reign of Maximian, many Christians fled
the city and hid themselves. Others, willingly and rejoicefully, gave
themselves into the hands of the persecutors in order to suffer for
the Name of Him, Who first suffered for them. Amphianus was among the
latter. Unafraid, he entered a pagan temple where Prince Urban was
offering sacrifices to the idols, grabbed the prince by the hand which
was holding the sacrifice and cried to him to refrain from serving and
making sacrificial offerings to dead idols and to acknowledge the True
God. Some of the pagans who heard these words and witnessing the great
courage of Amphianus, repented and embraced the Faith of Christ. The
enraged prince subjected Amphianus to torture. Among the other
tortures, they wrapped the legs of Amphianus with cotton and set them
on fire. When he remained alive, they tossed his body into the sea
with a stone around his neck. The sea became turbulent and hurled his
martyred body back into the city. At first, Edesius was sent to a
cooper mine in Palestine and was later taken to Egypt. In Alexandria,
Edesiuswas filled with holy zeal against a certain Prince Hierocles
who, in the market place, assembled Christian nuns, maidens and
virtuous women and handed them over to the most shameful perverts for
derision. Edesius, filled with holy zeal, struck the disgraceful
prince. For that, he was tortured and drowned in the sea as was his
brother Amphianus. As two innocent lambs, they were sacrificed for
Christ about the year 306 A.D. and were translated to the glorious
mansions of the Lord.
Reflection
"It
is better to be a simpleton and to approach God with love than to be a
know-it-all and, at the same time, be an enemy of God." These are
the words of the priest-martyr, St. Iraneaus of Lyon. The truth of
these words have been confirmed at all times and is also confirmed in
our time. One thing must be added to this, namely, that the lovers of
God are not simpletons because they know God well enough that they are
able to love Him. Of all human knowledge, this knowledge is more
important and greater. To this must be added that the enemies of God
cannot be more knowledgeable, even though they consider themselves as
such, because their knowledge is unavoidably chaotic, for it does not
have a source and does not have order. For the source and order of all
knowledge is God. Some of the saints, such as Paul the Simple, did not
know how to read or write yet with the strength of their spirit and
divine love surpassed the entire world. Whosoever approaches God with
love, that person is not capable of crime. Knowledge without love
toward God is motivated by the spirit of criminality and war. St.
Euthymius the Great taught: "Have love; for what salt is to food,
love is to every virtue." Every virtue is tasteless and cold if
it is not seasoned and warmed by divine love.
Contemplation
To
contemplate the Lord Jesus in Hades:
1. How
His plan for salvation is all abundant, encompassing all generations
and all ages from the beginning to the end;
2. How
He came to earth in the flesh, not only for the sake of those who
lived on earth then but also for the sake of those who will live and
for those who have lived;
3. How
He, while His lifeless body lay in the tomb, descended into Hades with
His soul and announced salvation and redemption to the fettered.
Homily
About
the Living God and about His living children
"So
then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's" (Romans 14:8).
Whose
are we while we live? We are the Lord's. Whose are we after we die? We
are the Lord's. Whose are the righteous? They are the Lord's. Whose
are the sinners? They are the Lord's. The Lord embraces all, both the
living and the dead, those of the past, those of the present and those
of the future. No one is so all-embracing as is the Lord Jesus. Who,
of those so-called philanthropists of mankind, teachers, leaders or
enlighteners ever attempted to perform any good for the dead? This can
be decisively answered: never and no one! This thought alone would be
ridiculous even in the eyes of the world - to do something good for
the dead? This is amusing to all those who think that death is
mightier than God and that which death swallows up is destroyed for
ever. To be concerned about the dead, to do good for the dead ceased
to be amusing since the revelation of the Lord Jesus, Who revealed
that He is God, the God of the living; Who revealed in His works, by
descending into Hades to redeem and to save the souls of the righteous
from the time of Adam to the time of His death on the cross.
All-embracing
is our All-glorious Lord, Who, by His discerning thoughts, reflects
about everyone and sees everyone born of women; those who are above
the graves and those who are in the graves. So it is with His love,
for He embraces all the souls of the righteous regardless of the time
and place which conceals them. Finally, even by His labors, for He
labors for all of them, to redeem all of them, to save them, and to
lead them into the kingdom and to glorify them before the face of His
Heavenly Father, the Life-giving Spirit and the myriads of holy
angels.
To You
be glory and thanks always. Amen.
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April
16th (New Style) • April 3rd (Old Style)
St.
Nicetas the Confessor
Nicetas
was born in Bithynia in the city of Caesarea. His father, Filaret,
after the death of his spouse, was tonsured a monk while Nicetas
remained with his paternal grandmother. After reaching maturity and
completing all of his studies, Nicetas entered the Monastery of
Medikion, where the Abbot Nicephorus tonsured him a monk. After seven
years of hardship and mortification, Patriarch Tarasius ordained him a
priest (Heiromonk). Following the deaths of Abbot Nicephorus and
Athanasius, the faithful companion of Nicetas, the monastic
brotherhood elected him as abbot, against his will. St. Nicetas was a
holy example and model of life and asceticism to his brethren for many
years. When Leo V, the Armenian, was crowned emperor, after the pious
Irene and the right-believing Emperors Nicephorus and Michael, the
Iconoclastic struggle was again enflamed. The emperor deposed
Patriarch Nicephorus and later banished him into exile and, in his
place, elevated the heretic Theodotus Cassiteras, a man of impure
life. Nicetas was also imprisoned and tortured but he remained
steadfast in his Orthodoxy. He was led from prison to prison and
suffered hunger, thirst, chills, oppressive heat and ridicule. He did
not permit himself to waver. What particularly annoyed him was the
laughter and scorn of a certain Nicholas. One night, Nicholas'
deceased father appeared to him in a dream and rebuked Nicholas
saying:"Withdraw from Nicetas, the servant of God." From
that moment on Nicholas repented and did not annoy the saint anymore
and turned others away from annoying him also. When Leo V, the
Armenian, met with a wicked death, the empire was taken over by the
Orthodox Emperor Michael, the Stammerer, who liberated all the
Orthodox sufferers. Nicetas then withdrew to an isolated place near
Constantinople, where in prayer and thanksgiving to God for all, spent
the remaining days of his earthly life. During his lifetime he worked
many miracles through prayer. When he died his body was translated to
his monastery. At the time of the funeral procession, many who were
ill and who reached out and touched his body were healed. His relics
were placed next to the grave of Nicephorus his spiritual father and
Athanasius, his companion. This great hierarch died in the year 824
A.D.
St.
Paul, the Sorrowful One
Paul was
a Russian by birth. In his youth he was enslaved by the Turks. Not
wanting to deny the Faith of Christ and to embrace Islam, he was
tortured and slain by the sword in Constantinople in the year 1683
A.D.
The
Holy Martyr Ulphianus
Ulphianus
was a young man from the city of Tyre. He suffered for Christ at the
hands of Urban, the mayor of the city of Tyre, who also was the
torturer of Amphianus (April 2). Finally, he was tied in a sack along
with a dog and a snake and tossed into the sea. He suffered and was
glorified in the year 306 A.D.
Reflection
"I
await a thousand deaths for myself," wrote St. Athanasius the
Great to his flock in Egypt at the time of the terrible Arian heresy.
Every religious man can say this about himself who, in the spirit, has
glanced and seen the net in which is contained every human soul in
this world. The more spiritual a man is, the denser the net becomes.
Such is the will of God: that the most spiritual are saved by the most
narrow path. The Psalmist David also says: "Many are the
afflictions of the righteous" (Psalm34:19). However, in the end,
victory and glory belong to the righteous. They need only to arm
themselves with faith and forbearance. Whoever believes also
understands their suffering. He who clothes himself with patience,
will see victory and glory. To him who loves the Lord, even the
narrowest path is sufficiently wide enough, the greatest pain an easy
yoke and the most violent death, a joyful wedding feast.
Contemplation
To
contemplate the Lord Jesus in Hades:
1. How
He descended into Hades with great power, by which Hades trembles;
2. How
the evil spirits, the then lords of Hades, flee before His Face;
3. How
the souls of the righteous ancestors and prophets overwhelmingly
rejoice at His coming.
Homily
About
the great desire of God
"Who
wills everyone to be saved" (1Timothy 2:4).
God
wants that all men be saved, that is why He descended into Hades to
save those who lived on earth before His coming. For, had He not
descended into Hades, an enormous number of righteous souls would have
perished forever. And yet, had He not descended into Hades, the main
habitat of evil against God and the human race, Hades would have
remained undestroyed. Therefore, the two reasons which motivated
Christ, the Giver-of-Life, to descend into Hades in the Spirit are:
First, to destroy the nest of the powers of Hades and, Second, to
bring from Hades to Heaven, the souls of ancestors, prophets and
righteous men and women, who have fulfilled the Old Dispensation (The
Old Law of God) and, by that, pleased God. Before Satan was totally
jubilant at gazing upon Christ humiliated and lifeless on the Cross,
Christ appeared alive and almighty in the midst of Hades, the primary
abode of Satan. What unexpected and dreadful news for Satan! For three
years Satan wove snares against Christ on earth and in three days,
behold, Christ destroyed Satan's kingdom and carried away the most
precious booty in the form of a swarm of righteous souls.
O Lord,
You want that all men be saved. We pray to You, save even us. For
there is no salvation nor Savior outside of You. In You do we hope,
You alone do we worship, You, the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and
always. Amen.
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April
17th (New Style) • April 4th (Old Style)
Venerable
Joseph the Hymnographer
Joseph
was born in Sicily of pious and virtuous parents, Plotinus and Agatha.
After the death of his parents, Joseph moved to Thessalonica where he
was tonsured a monk. As a monk, he was a model to all in fasting,
extreme restraint, ceaseless prayer, chanting of the Psalms, vigils
and labor. The bishop of Thessalonica ordained him a priest (Heiromonk).
While visiting Thessalonica the distinguished Gregory Decapolis was so
impressed with Joseph, because of his rare character, that he invited
him to his monastery in Constantinople. When the flame of the
Iconoclastic heresy erupted again under Leo V, the Armenian, Joseph
was sent to Rome to call upon the Pope and the Roman Church to battle
for Orthodoxy. While enroute, Joseph was captured by pirates and taken
to Crete where the heretics detained him in prison for six years.
Joseph rejoiced that he was made worthy to suffer for Christ and, for
that, he continually praised God, considering the iron chains on him
as an adornment of gold. Early in the morning on Christmas day, in the
sixth year of Joseph's imprisonment, the wicked Emperor Leo was slain
in church while attending Matins. At that same moment, St. Nicholas
appeared to Joseph in prison and said to him:"Arise and follow
me!" Joseph felt himself being elevated in the air and, all at
once, found himself before the gates of Constantinople. All true
believers rejoiced at his coming. He composed canons and hymns for
many saints. He possessed the "gift of discernment" for
which Patriarch Photius appointed him the spiritual father and
confessor for priests recommending him as, "A man of God, an
angel in the flesh and father of fathers." In extreme old age,
Joseph gave up his soul to the Lord Whom he faithfully served both in
words and in hymns. He died peacefully on the eve of Holy and Great
Thursday in the year 883 A.D.
The
Holy Martyr Pherbutha, her widowed sister and their slave
During
the reign of the Persian Emperor Saborius, St. Simeon, the bishop, was
slain. At the wish of the empress, Pherbutha, the sister of Bishop
Simeon, was taken to the palace. Pherbutha was exceptionally beautiful
and because of that many suitors thronged to her among whom were many
pagan priests and soothsayers. Pherbutha rejected them all and
provoked much anger against herself. At that time, the empress became
ill and all the pagan priests explained to the emperor that the
empress was poisoned by Pherbutha and, as a cure for the ailing
empress, they recommended the following: that Pherbutha, her sister
and their slave, as Christians, be sawn and that three parts of their
bodies be placed on one side and three parts on the other side and
that the empress should be borne between them. The emperor agreed to
the recommendation of these blood-thirsty pagan priests. Pherbutha,
together with her sister and their slave, suffered for Christ in the
year 343 A.D., thereby earning the incorruptible wreath in the eternal
kingdom of their Lord.
The
Venerable Zosimus
Zosimus
was a monk of the Jordanian monastic community during the reign of
Emperor Theodosius the Younger. It was he who discovered, administered
Holy Communion to and buried the body of St. Mary the Egyptian. He
died in the Lord in his hundredth year in the sixth century.
The
Venerable Martyr Nicetas
Nicetas
was a Slav from Albania. As a monk of the Holy Mountain (Mt. Athos),
he went to Serres where he debated with the Mullahs about religion.
Being that they could not overcome him with reason, the Turks
subjected him to torture under which Nicetas, the holy one, died and
gave up his soul to his God in the year 1808 A.D.
Reflection
He who
glorifies God, God also glorifies him. This was clearly and abundantly
shown in the lives of the saints. St. Joseph the Hymnographer, indeed,
glorified God in works, in sufferings and in hymns. God glorified him
both in this life and after death. During his life, the Holy Father
Nicholas appeared to him in prison and freed him. When St. Joseph
wondered whether he should compose a Canon to the Apostle Bartholomew,
this apostle appeared to him in radiant vestments and said to Joseph
that it is well-pleasing to God that he compose this Canon. When St.
Joseph died, a citizen of Constantinople learned of the glory by which
God glorified His chosen one. This man had come into the church of St.
Theodore Phanariot to beseech the saint to reveal to him where one of
his escaped servants had hidden. Because St. Theodore was known among
the people as a saint who reveals where something is that had been
lost or stolen, he was called Phanariot, which means The Revealer. For
three days and three nights, this man prayed and when he received no
response from the saint, wanted to leave. At that moment, St. Theodore
appeared to him in a vision saying: "Why do you become angry O
man? Joseph the Hymnographer's soul was being separated from his body
and we were with him. When he died this night, all of us whom he
glorified in hymns, translated his soul to the heavens and placed it
before the Face of God. That is why I was tardy in not appearing to
you."
Contemplation
To
contemplate the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus:
1. How
His soul returned again from Hades into His body;
2. How
He, through His Divine Power, by which He resurrected other dead
bodies, resurrected His own body.
Homily
About
the Church as the Body of the Lord
"Destroy
this temple and in three days I will raise it up" (St. John
2:19).
Thus
spoke the Lord to the wicked Jews about "the Temple of His
body" (St. John 2:21). But since it was not given to the wicked
to understand anything, so also the Jews did not understand and mocked
Him. The Lord did not rebuke them for that but that which He spoke,
occurred. The Jews destroyed His body but He restored it again and
raised it in glory and power. The wicked punished God with destruction
but God reprimanded the wicked by restoration. It is satisfying to the
wicked ones to be able to show their power by killing but, to God,
there was joy to show His power by giving life. There is nothing as
short-lived as the triumph of evil nor nothing as lasting as the
triumph of truth.
"Destroy
this temple." The Lord referred to His body as the Church.
Destroyed, that Church was crowded into a dark tomb and by means of a
heavy stone prevented light from having access to it. But, that Church
was not in need of the light of the sun. It had its own light, its own
Sun of Righteousness, Who shone from within. The tender Heavenly Hand
removed the stone from the tomb and the Lord resurrected in glory and
in power. That which once occurred to the All-Pure Body of Christ,
occurred many times later to the Church of the holy ones on earth. The
enemies of the Church cruelly persecuted and tormented it, demolished
it and buried it in darkness. But, the Church after such bruises and
confinement, resurrected again with greater glory and power. Just as
the Church of His Body resurrected, so it will at the end of time, the
Church of His holy ones will resurrect in fullness and perfection.
O
resurrected Lord, do not give us over to decay and eternal death, but
resurrect us to life eternal.
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April
18th (New Style) • April 5th (Old Style)
The
Holy Martyrs Agathopodus and Theodulus
Agathopodus
was a deacon and Theodulus was a lector in the church at Thessalonica.
Agathopodus was adorned with the greying of age and Theodulus with
youthful understanding and chastity. At the time of Diocletian's
pursuit of Christians these two were summoned to court. They responded
with rejoicing and holding each other by the hand, they walked along
crying out: "We are Christians!" All the advice of the
judges that they deny Christ and worship idols, remained in vain.
After an extended imprisonment and hunger they were sentenced to death
by drowning in the sea. Their hands were bound behind their backs, a
heavy stone was hung around their necks and they were led out to be
drowned. When they first wanted to toss Agathopodus into the deep, he
cried out: "Behold, by this second baptism we are washed of all
our sins and in purity do we depart to Christ Jesus." Shortly
afterward, the sea tossed their drowned bodies upon the shore and
Christians buried their bodies with honors. St. Theodulus appeared to
his acquaintances as a bright angel in glistening attire and ordered
them to distribute all of his remaining estate to the poor. These
glorious and wonderful soldiers of Christ suffered honorably during
the reign of Diocletian and the Thessalonican Prince Faustinus in the
year 303 A.D.
The
Venerable Mark of Trache
He is
also called "Mark the Athenian" because Athens was the place
of his birth. His parents died after he completed his higher education
in Athens. He thought to himself that death, even for himself, was
unavoidable and that one should sufficiently prepare beforehand for
that honorable departure from this world. Distributing all of his
possessions to the poor, he sat on a plank in the sea and with a
tenacious faith in God's help, prayed that God direct him wherever He
wills. God, in His Providence, protected him and brought him to Lybia
(or Ethiopia) to a mountain called Trache. Mark lived an ascetical
life on this mountain for ninety-five years, seeing neither man nor
beast. For thirty years, he waged a violent combat with evil spirits
and suffered from hunger, thirst, frost and heat. He ate dirt and
drank sea water. After thirty years of the most vehement suffering,
the defeated demons fled from him and a angel of God began to bring
him food daily in the form of bread, fish and fruit. St. Serapion
visited him before his death and, afterward, made known the miraculous
life of Mark. Mark asked St. Serapion: "Are there any Christians
in the world now, who, if they were to say to this mountain, `Arise
from here and hurl yourself into the sea,' would it be so?" At
that moment, the mountain upon which they stood moved in the direction
of the sea. Mark raised his hand and stopped it. Such was the
miracle-working power which this man of God possessed. Before his
death, he prayed for the salvation of mankind and then gave up his
soul to God. St. Serapion saw angels as they bore Mark's soul and he
also saw an extended hand from heaven which received it. St. Mark
lived to be one-hundred thirty years old and died about the year 400
A.D.
Reflection
"Live
as though you were not of this world and you will have peace."
Thus spoke St. Anthony to his disciples. An amazing lesson but
truthful. We bring about greater misfortunes and uneasiness upon
ourselves when we desire to associate and identify ourselves, as much
as possible, to remain in this world. Whenever a person retreats, as
much as possible, from this world and as often as he contemplates this
world as existing without him and the deeper he immerses himself in
reflecting about his unworthiness in this world, he will stand closer
to God and will have deeper spiritual peace. "Everyday I face
death", says St. Paul (1 Corinthians 15:31), that is, everyday I
feel that I am not in this world. That is why he daily felt like a
heavenly citizen in the spirit. When the torturer Faustinus asked St.
Theodulus: "Is not life better than a violent death?" St.
Theodulus replied: "Indeed, even I think that life is better than
death. Because of this, I decided to abhor this mortal and temporal
life, barely existing on earth, so that I may be a partaker of life
eternal."
Contemplation
To
contemplate the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus:
1. How
the earth did quake at His return to the body as it did before His
separation from the body;
2. How
the angels descended into the tomb to serve Him as they had always
served Him when He allowed them to do so.
Homily
About
the fulfillment of the prophecy
"Because
You will not abandon My Soul to the nether world, nor will you suffer
your faithful One to undergo corruption" (Psalm 16:10).
These
are the words, the glowing prophetic words of the inspired discerner
of mystery. This, David speaks about Christ the Lord, about His soul
and about His body, i.e. about that which is human in Him. That these
words of David pertain to the resurrected Christ was witnessed by the
Apostle Peter in his first sermon immediately after the descent of the
Holy Spirit: "Because you will not abandon my soul to the nether
world nor will you suffer your holy one to see corruption" (Acts
of the Apostles 2:27). For the apostle says, "about the patriarch
David that he died and was buried and his tomb is in our midst to this
day" (Acts of the Apostles 2:29). It is not possible that those
words refer to David, although David speaks as though they are from
him and refer to him, but rather those words refer to a descendant of
David according to the flesh. The body of David is decomposed as are
the bodies of his other descendants. Christ, therefore, is David's
descendant in the flesh, Who, neither remained in Hades nor did His
body see corruption. "He (David) foresaw and spoke of the
resurrection of the Messiah" (Acts of the Apostles 2:31). Truly,
a glowing prophecy! Truly, a wondrous foresight! Before the
resurrection of the Lord, these words must have sounded unintelligible
and irrational for all the Jewish interpreters of the Psalms! When the
seal on the tomb is removed, then the seal of the many, totally
obscure and unclear prophecies, is also removed. Christ resurrects and
the mysteries become known. The seal of the tomb is removed not only
from His body but also from the countless words and visions of the
prophets. Christ resurrects and the prophetic words are also
resurrected. Descending into Hades the Lord brought the heavenly light
to the souls of the righteous fathers and prophets. By His
resurrection, He brought their words and visions to the light of
understanding and truth. Christ resurrects and all that is good,
righteous and truthful, before and after the resurrection morning,
resurrected also.
O,
resurrected Lord, place us among the resurrected citizens of Your
eternal kingdom.
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April
19th (New Style) • April 6th (Old Style)
St.
Eutychius, Patriarch of Constantinople
Euthychius
was born in Phrygia of pious and devout parents. His father was an
officer. Once, as a child, when Eutychius was playing with his
playmates, their game was that each of them would write their names on
a wall and, beside their name, they would guess what rank each of them
would attain in life. When it was Eutychius' turn he wrote: Eutychius--Patriarch!
In his thirtieth year he became abbot of the monastery in Amasea. At
age forty, he was sent by the Metropolitan of Amasea to represent him
at the Fifth Ecumenical Council (Constantinople, 553 A.D.). At the
Council, he glowed like a shining star among the Fathers of the Church
both in learning as well as in his zealousness. When the debate began
whether heretics could be anathematized after their deaths, he
supported the opinion that they could be by calling upon the Third
Book of Kings (in some translations, called The First Book of Kings
13: 1-8 and the Fourth Book of Kings (in some translations, called The
Second Book of Kings 23:16). Eutychius endeared himself greatly to
Emperor Justinian and Patriarch Mennas. The emperor sought his advice
on many occasions and Patriarch Mennas designated Eutychius as his
successor and implored the emperor to carry this out in deed. And so
it happened! St. Eutychius governed the Church in peace for twelve
years. Then the devil raised up a tempest against him. This tempest
reached Justinian himself. The emperor became deluded and succumbed to
the Monophysite heresy (Aphtartodocetea) which falsely taught that the
Lord Jesus, before His resurrection, had a divine and incorruptible
body, without feeling, hunger, thirst or pain. Eutychius adamantly
stood up against this heresy, for which the emperor banished him into
exile to his original monastery. Eutychius remained there for twelve
years and eight months and proved himself to be a great miracle-worker
healing people of various illnesses through prayer and by anointing
them with holy oil. Justinian repented and died. He was succeeded by
Justin, who then restored Eutychius to the patriarchal throne where
this saint remained, governing the Church of God in peace, until his
death. In 582 A.D., in his seventieth year, he took up habitation in
the kingdom of Christ the Lord, Whom he faithfully and courageously
served throughout his entire life.
The
Holy 120 Martyrs, who suffered in Persia
When the
Persian Emperor Sapor plundered the lands of Byzantium, he enslaved
one-hundred twenty Christians. Since his attempts to persuade them to
deny Christ and worship fire proved to be in vain, the emperor tossed
them into the fire and burned them alive. Among those martyrs, were
nine virgins dedicated to God. They all suffered honorably between the
years 344 A.D. and 347 A.D. and took up habitation in the mansions of
Christ the King.
Reflection
It is
said about an ancient orator that he labored day and night to perfect
himself in the art of oratory. Someone said to him: "Demosthenes
does not want you to be the chief orator." To which he
immediately retorted: "Neither will I allow him to be the only
one." If you cannot be a first-class saint like St. Anthony, do
not lower your hands and do not say: " Nothing can come of
me!" Increase your effort and double your talent. "In my
Father's house, there are many dwelling places" said the Lord
(St. John 14:2). If you merit to settle in the least of these dwelling
places, you will be more glorious and more fortunate than all of the
rulers who have ever existed on earth. Everyone, according to his own
talent. Neither will you be a St. Anthony nor will St. Anthony, alone,
occupy the Kingdom of God.
Contemplation
To
contemplate the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus:
1. How
the stone on the tomb did not split, neither was the seal on it
broken;
2. How
the All-powerful and meek Lord did not damage the tomb during His
resurrection, as the Virgin's womb was not damaged at the time of His
birth.
Homily
About
the victory over the last enemy
"The
last enemy to be destroyed is death" (1 Corinthians 15:26).
Man's
first enemy is the devil, the second is sin and the third is death.
The Lord Jesus conquered all three of these enemies of the human race.
By His humility, He conquered the proud devil. By His death, He
conquered sin and by His resurrection, He conquered death. In
conquering all of our enemies, He invites us to be partakers in His
glorious victory. Not only that we conquer but that we attach
ourselves next to the Victor. Only His power conquers, only His
weapons mow down. We are without power and weapons but our enemies are
fearful. With Him and along side Him, we are conquering those mightier
than ourselves. What is the price that He offers to us for His
victory? A meager price, my brethren; for a very paltry price He
offers us the most precious victory. To humble ourselves and to submit
ourselves to the will of God, that is the price He seeks in order to
conquer the devil for us. To die unto ourselves, to die to fleshly
desires and passions, that is the price which He seeks in order to
conquer for us. To live for Him and not for ourselves, to receive Him
into our hearts, that is the price He seeks in order to conquer death
for us. He conquered all enemies openly and completely. This is the
price for which He offers His victory to each of us. The Apostle Paul
speaks: "But thanks be to God Who gives us the victory through
our Lord, Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:57).
O
resurrected Lord, enlighten, strengthen and heal us by Your victory.
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April
20th (New Style) • April 7th (Old Style)
St.
George the Confessor
Because
of his great virtues, which he attained through a long and difficult
ortification, George was chosen and invested as Metropolitan of
Mitylene. This saint governed his spiritual flock prudently and
zealously to a ripe old age. When a persecution began under Leo V, the
Armenian, who, in destroying holy icons, summoned this saintly elder
to Constantinople to an assembly of bishops convened by him and, whose
intention it was to discontinue the veneration of icons, George not
only refused to carry out the wish of the wicked emperor but with
other courageous bishops stood up in defense of holy icons. Not only
was he ridiculed for that but he was also banished into exile by the
emperor to the region of Cherson. Here he endured all sorts of
physical afflictions and deprivations for the remaining years of his
life. He died and was translated to eternal life about the year 816
A.D. Because of his great sanctity and love for the Lord Jesus, George
was a great miracle-worker, both during his life and after his death.
The
Venerable Nil Sorsky
Nil is
one of the great Fathers of the Russian Church. He was the founder of
the Scete way of monastic life in Russia. He died peacefully in the
year 1508 A.D. His relics repose in the Sorsky Monastery. His
"Rule of Life" for the "Scete" way of monastic
living represents a first-class work on the spiritual and practical
life of a monk.
The
Holy Martyr Calliopius
Calliopius
was an only son granted by God to a senator from Perga in Pamphylia
after the senator had shed many tears in prayer. From his early youth
his devout mother, Theoclea, taught him to respect God and to live a
chaste life. Calliopius was still a youngster when a terrible
persecution began during the reign of Emperor Maximian. To spare him
from death, his mother placed him in a boat, gave him an ample amount
of money and saw him off to the city of Pompeiopolis. However, God in
His Divine Providence, planned it otherwise. Landing in Pompeiopolis
he fell into the midst of a tumultuous polytheistic celebration. When
Calliopius refused to participate in this ridiculous feast, at the
insistence of the crazed mob, he was pushed toward Maximus the
commander, before whom Calliopius confessed that he was a Christian.
The commander ordered that Calliopius be beaten with lead canes and
burned by fire. Wounded throughout, they cast him into prison.
Learning about the tortures of her son, Theoclea distributed her
entire estate to the poor and needy and with a paltry sum of money
hurried to her son in prison. Upon entering the prison, Theoclea bowed
down before her son and dressed his wounds. Finally, the commander
pronounced the ultimate sentence. Calliopius was to be crucified on a
cross. Joy and pain intermingled in the heart of his mother. When they
brought her son to the place of execution, she slipped five pieces of
gold to the executioners to have her son crucified, not as the Lord
was, but rather upside down. Theoclea did this out of humility before
the Lord. Calliopius was crucified upside down on Holy Thursday. His
mother stood beneath the cross-giving praise to God. One the second
day when they removed his lifeless body from the cross, she fell upon
her son and she, herself, died. Thus, these two went before the Throne
of the King of Glory together. They honorably suffered in the year 304
A.D.
The
Venerable Daniel of Pereyaslavl
Daniel
had, as a unique form of mortification, that of caring for the dead.
Whenever he heard that someone was found frozen to death or that had
died in some other manner, Daniel would hasten to bury him decently
and to offer prayers to God for him. He died peacefully in the year
1540 A.D. His relics remain intact.
Reflection
"Spiritual
directors should distinguish themselves from their subordinates as
much as a shepherd distinguishes himself from his sheep." Thus
speaks St. Isidorus of Pelusium in interpreting the First Epistle of
St. Timothy. The life of a priest always serves as an example, be it
good or be it bad. By an exemplary life, a priest confirms the Gospel
and, by a wicked life, he denies the Gospel. No one in this world is
in such a position to confirm the truth of the Gospel or to deny it in
such a manner by his life, as is a priest. A good priest is
distinguished from a wicked priest by his works no less than a
shepherd is distinguished from a wolf. That is why a goodly portion of
good priests will be with the sons of God and a goodly portion of
wicked priests will be with the wild beasts of darkness. The good
shepherds of the Church, even in the last moments of their lives, were
concerned about their flocks which they were leaving behind. Upon his
death bed, St. Joseph the Hymnographer prayed to God: "Preserve
your flock, O Son of God, created by Your right hand and protect them
to the end of time. Be of assistance to the beloved sons of Your
Church. Grant to Your Bride (Holy Church) eternal peace and a
stormless calm." St. Antipas, burning in a blazing ox, cast out
of copper, prayed to God in this manner: "Not only me, but those
also who would come after me, make them partakers of Your mercy."
Contemplation
To
contemplate the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus:
1. How
the myrrh-bearing women approached the tomb to anoint Him with myrrh
and aloes. To anoint the One Who is the sweet-smelling savor of heaven
and earth;
2. How
the angel announces the resurrection of our Lord to them with the
words: "Why do you seek the living One among the dead?" (St.
Luke 24:5).
Homily
About
seeking the living among the dead
"Why
do you seek the living One among the dead?" (St. Luke 24:5).
The
angel of God asks the Myrrh-bearing women as though in astonishment:
"Why do you seek the living One among the dead?" As though
the perceiver of the mystery of God and God's power wanted to say:
"How could you have thought for a moment that He is the hostage
of death? Do you not know that He is the principal source of life? Do
you not know that all life is through Him and that not one living
thing can borrow not even a drop of life from any other source? Did He
not fully reveal to you His authority over life and death on earth?
Who gave life to the lifeless Lazarus? Who took away the life of the
barren fig tree?"
O my
brethren, let us also cease to look for the living among the dead. If
there are some of us who are still seeking Christ among the dead, let
them desist from this soul-destroying effort. This is the vain effort
of the Jews, pagans and non-Christians. We know that the Lord and
Giver of life is not in the tomb but on the Throne of Glory in the
heavens. The spirit, not darkened by sin, looks up into heaven and
does not see the tomb; and the spirit, darkened by sin, looks into the
tomb and does not see heaven. Sin and virtue govern the spiritual
vision of man and reveals to each man its own world at cross purposes
with one another. Sin overthrows the vision of the spirit to the earth
and reveals to it the corruption of the world. Virtue uplifts the
spirit to heaven and reveals to it the eternal world and the
resurrected Christ as the King in that world.
O my
brethren, let us not seek life among creation, but from the Creator.
Let us not commit an even graver sin i.e., let us not seek the Creator
in the tomb of creation nor the Illuminating, Immortal One in the
darkness of death.
O Lord
Jesus, Victor over death, we cry out to You: resurrect us also into
life eternal from the corruption and darkness of death.
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April
21st (New Style) • April 8th (Old Style)
The
Holy Apostles Herodian, Agabus, Rufus, Asyncritus, Phlegon and Hermes
They
were all numbered among the Seventy (Lesser) Apostles. All were
mentioned by the Apostle Paul in his epistles. Herodian was a kinsman
of Paul. "Greet," writes St. Paul to the Romans, "my
relative Herodian" (Romans 16:11). As the Bishop of Neo-Parthia,
Herodian suffered much at the hands of the Jews. They beat him over
the head with rods, they struck him on the mouth with stones and
stabbed him with knives. After they left him for dead, St. Herodian
arose and continued to serve the apostles. He assisted the Apostle
Peter in Rome and was beheaded along with many other Christians the
same day that St. Peter was crucified.
St.
Agabus possessed a prophetic spirit. Two of his prophecies are
recorded in the Acts of the Apostles. First, he prophesied a great
famine throughout the world which came true during the reign of Caesar
Claudius: "And one of them named Agabus stood up and predicted by
the Spirit that there would be a severe famine all over the world and
it happened under Claudius" (Acts of the Apostles 11:28). Second,
when he met with the Apostle Paul in Caesarea, who was enroute to
Jerusalem, Agabus took Paul's belt and bound his own hands and feet
saying: "Thus says the Holy Spirit: This is the way the Jews will
bind the owner of this belt in Jerusalem, and they will hand him over
to the Gentiles" (Acts of the Apostles 21:11).
St.
Rufus was a Bishop of Thebes in Greece. St. Paul also mentions him.
"Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord" (Romans 16:13).
St.
Asyncritus was Bishop of Hyrcania in Asia and is mentioned along with
the others in Romans 16:14.
St.
Phlegon is also mentioned in the same epistle. "Greet ASYNCRITUS,
PHLEGON, HERMES, PATROBAS and HERMAS and the brothers who are with
them" (Romans 16:14). He was a bishop in the Thracian city of
Marathon.
St.
Hermas, mentioned with the others, was a bishop in Dalmatia.
All of
them, like bees for Christ, spread the honey of the Gospel into the
various regions, suffering much for the love of Christ. All were
translated into the eternal kingdom of Christ the beloved.
St.
Niphon, Bishop of Novgorod
Niphon
was distinguished by his great enthusiasm in constructing and
restoring the churches of God and by showing great courage in opposing
the stances of the tyrannical princes. Thirteen days before his death,
St. Theodosius appeared to Niphon and announced his imminent passing
over to the other world. He died in the year 1156 A.D.
St.
Celestine, Pope of Rome
A great
champion of the Orthodox Faith. At the time of the Third Ecumenical
Council (Ephesus, 431 A.D.), Celestine wrote an epistle against
Nestorius, the heretic. He died peacefully in the year 432 A.D.
Reflection
There is
heroism above heroism and asceticism above asceticism. St. Epiphanius
of Cyprus invited Hilarion the Great to dinner and in order to show
the greatest hospitality to his distinguished guest, placed fried
chicken on the table and offered it to him. Hilarion said to him:
"Forgive me, but ever since I was tonsured a monk, I have eaten
nothing butchered." To that Epiphanius replied: "And I, ever
since I was tonsured a monk, have never lay down in bed until I first
forgave my enemy." Amazed, Hilarion said: "Your virtue is
greater than mine, Oh holy master!" This is a great lesson for
all of us. Fasting is an admirable thing but it is more admirable to
forgive insults. Through fasting, man is preparing for charity but, by
forgiving insults, man shows charity. Fasting precedes forgiveness but
fasting alone, does not save without forgiveness.
Contemplation
To
contemplate the resurrected Lord Jesus:
1. In
the earthly body before the resurrection; in the body susceptible to
hunger, pain and death;
2. In
the Heavenly Body after the resurrection; in the body not susceptible
to hunger, pain and death.
Homily
About
the resurrection of the dead
"But
someone may say, `How are the dead raised?' With what kind of body
will they come back?" (1 Corinthians 15:35).
The
Apostle Paul knows in advance the objections which the unbelievers
will make concerning the resurrection from the dead and, in advance,
he rejects them. Even today, the non-believers who have not seen with
the physical eyes the miracle of the resurrection in nature, much less
the spiritual resurrection, ask: "How will the dead be
raised?" "You fool!" continues the apostle, "What
you sow is not brought to life unless it dies" (1 Corinthians
15:36). Until the seed dies in the ground, the plant will not grow, in
other words, something totally different than the seed will sprout up.
The non-believers see through their eyes and do not see, but further
ask: "How will a dead man resurrect?" How? In the same way
that Christ resurrected. He lowered Himself lifeless in the tomb and
rose alive. Even nature manifests the resurrection from the dead; but
stronger than nature, it is manifested by the resurrected Lord. In
order to make it easier for us to believe and to hope - to believe in
the resurrection in general and to have hope in our own resurrection,
He Himself, resurrected from the grave and prior to that resurrecting
Lazarus who lay in the grave for four days, the son of the widow of
Nain and the daughter of Jarius.
The
non-believers ask: "With what kind of body will the dead
rise?" In that kind of body which God wills. With God there are
many kinds of bodies. The Apostle Paul divides all bodies into two
groups: into earthly bodies and into heavenly bodies. Therefore, they
who have died in earthly bodies will be clothed with heavenly bodies:
the incorruptible will replace the corruptible, the immortal will
replace the mortal, the beautiful will replace the ugly. In this
heavenly body man will also recognize himself and others around him as
man recognizes himself or even when he is clothed in beggar's rags or
even when he is clothed in royal purple.
Lord,
All-plentious, do not hand us over to eternal corruption but, as royal
sons, clothe us in the garment of immortality.
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