The
Holy Martyr Justin the Philosopher
Justin
was born of Greek parents in the Samaritan town of Shechem, later
called Nablus one hundred-five years after Christ. He zealously
sought wisdom among philosophers, at first with the Stoics and after
that with the Peripatetics, the Pythagorians and finally with the
Platonists. Even though Plato's philosophy did not satisfy him,
nevertheless, he adhered to it the longest time not having anything
else that would attract him more. By God's Providence an honorable
elder encountered Justin who confused him concerning the philosophy
of Plato and persuaded him that men cannot know the truth about God
unless God reveals it and God revealed the truth about Himself in
the books of Holy Scripture. Justin began to read Holy Scripture and
became a thoroughly convinced Christian. However, he did not want to
be baptized nor to be called a Christian until he was personally
convinced of the falseness of all those accusations which the pagans
raised against the Christians. Coming to Rome in a philosopher's
dolman [cape], he quickly achieved great respect there as well as
many followers. He was present at the martyrdom of St. Ptolemy and
St. Lucian. Witnessing the tortures of innocent Christians, Justin
wrote an Apologia (Defense) of Christians and Christian teachings
and presented it to the Emperor Antoninus and to the Senate. The
emperor read the Apologia with care and ordered the persecution of
Christians to cease. Justin took a copy of the emperor's decree and,
with it, journeyed to Asia where, with the help of this decree,
saved many persecuted Christians. After that he again returned to
Rome. When a persecution began under Emperor Marcus Aurelius, he
wrote another Apologia and sent it to the emperor. A disreputable
philosopher Crescens, a Cynic, out of envy accused him of being a
Christian because Justin had always overcome him in all debates and
Justin found himself in prison. Desiring the death of Justin and
fearing that he [Justin] would somehow justify himself before the
court, Crescens seized the opportunity and somehow poisoned Justin
in prison. So ended the earthly life of this great defender of the
Christian Faith who took up habitation in blessed eternity in the
year 166 A.D.
The
Holy Martyrs Justin, Chariton, Charita, Euelpistus, Hierax, Paeon,
Valerian (Liberianus) and Just
They
all suffered martyrdom in Rome during the reign of Marcus Aurelius
and the Roman prefect [eparch] Rusticus. When Rusticus asked:
"Do you think that if you die for Christ you will receive a
reward in heaven?" St. Justin replied: "We do not think,
we know!" Following that, they were all beheaded in the year
163 A.D. and took up habitation in the eternal kingdom of Christ the
God.
The
Venerable Agapitus of the Caves in Kiev
Agapitus
was a doctor who practiced medicine by using natural remedies. He
was a disciple of St. Anthony of the Caves. He cured people through
prayer and by giving them vegetables from which he prepared bread
for himself. In this manner he cured Prince Vladimir Monomachus for
which Agapitus became known throughout. Being envious of this the
prince's physician, an Armenian, began to slander Agapitus. When
Agapitus became ill, the Armenian came to him and looking at him
said that he [Agapitus] would die within three days and that if he [Agapitus]
did not die, he [the Armenian physician] would become a monk.
Agapitus said that it had been revealed to him by the Lord that he
would not die within three days but within three months. And so it
happened. After the death of Agapitus, the Armenian came to the
Abbot of the Caves and begged him to tonsure him a monk for, he
said, Agapitus appeared to him from the other world and reminded him
of his promise. Thus, the once envious one became a humble monk by
the Providence of God Who wishes that all men be saved. St. Agapitus
died about the year 1095 A.D.
Reflection
No one
has ever spread as much shameful slander about Christ the Lord as
the Jews. Their Talmud boils over with evil and malice toward the
Lord. But all of those worthless calumnies are refuted by the most
prominent historian of the Jews, Josephus Flavius, rabbi and scholar
who lived toward the end of the first century after Christ. Josephus
writes: "Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it
be lawful to call him a man; for he was a doer of wonderful works, a
teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over
to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was [the]
Christ. And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men
among us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at
the first did not forsake him; for He appeared to them alive again
the third day; as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten
thousand other wonderful things concerning Him. And the tribe of
Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day."
[Antiquities of the Jews, Volume 2, Page 45 1845 Edition]. Thus
wrote a man not believing in Christ but a scholar free of prejudice
and malice.
Contemplation
To
contemplate the miraculous healing of Peter's mother-in-law:
1. How
the Lord took the feverish woman by the hand and the fever left her
and she served them;
2. How
the Lord can cure even me of the fever of passion so that I could
immediately straighten up and serve Him with my whole spirit.
Homily
About
what is the beginning of wisdom
"The
fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Proverbs
1:7).
If
someone were to know the number of stars in the heavens and the
names of the fish in the sea and the amount of the grass in the
field and the habits of the beasts in the forest and would not have
the fear of God, his knowledge is as water in a sieve. And before
death, his knowledge [of God] makes him a greater coward than the
completely ignorant.
If
someone were able to conjecture all the thoughts of mankind and to
foretell the fate of mankind and to manifest every mystery that the
earth conceals in its depths and not have the fear of God, his
knowledge is as milk poured into an unclean container from which all
the milk is spoiled. And in his hour of death, his wisdom will not
shine even as much as a piece of charcoal without a flame, but his
night of death will make his death even darker.
"The
fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." How can he who
has not begun correctly, finish correctly? Whoever started out on a
wrong path from the beginning must turn back and must take-up the
correct beginning, i.e., he must tread with his feet on the correct
path. He who does not have the fear of God cannot have the love for
God. What are we talking about? He who has no fear of God has no
faith in God. The greatest ascetics, those who mortified themselves
and who for a period of forty or fifty years daily and nightly lived
a life of mortification until death, were filled with the fear of
God and these, the most sinless among mortals, cried out in their
hour of death: "O God, have mercy on me a sinner!"
The
fear of God is the salt of total piety. If there is not that salt
then all of our piety is inspid and lax. The fear of God girds the
loins, girdles the stomach and makes the heart sober, restrains the
mind and flogs self-will. Where is repentance without the fear of
God? Where is humility? Where is restraint? Where is total chastity?
Where is patience? Where is service and obedience?
O my
brethren, let us embrace this word as the holy truth: "The fear
of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." O Lord Almighty,
implant Your fear in our hearts.
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June
15th (New Style) • June 2nd (Old Style)
Saint
Nicephorus, Confessor and Patriarch of Constantinople
Nicephorus
was a nobleman of Constantinople. His father Theodore, a high-
ranking official of the imperial court, was wealthy and pious.
Nicephorus served at the court for several years in the same
profession as his father. Seeing all the vanity of the world, he
withdrew to the shores of the Bosphorus and founded a monastery. The
monastery was quickly filled with monks and he governed it but was
not willing to receive the monastic tonsure under the pretext that
he was not worthy, even though, in all things he served as a model
to all. Before that, he participated in the Seventh Ecumenical
Council [Nicea, 783 A.D.] as a layman at the wishes of the emperor
and the patriarch and the Council benefited greatly by his superior
knowledge of Sacred Scripture. When Patriarch Tarasius died,
Nicephorus was elected patriarch against his will. Immediately
following his election in the year 806 A.D., he received the
monastic tonsure and in succession all other ecclesiastical ranks.
He was enthroned as patriarch in the Church of the Divine Wisdom of
God [Hagia Sophia]. This took place during the reign of Emperor
Nicephorus who immediately, after that, went to war against the
Bulgarians and was slain. His son, Stauracius, reigned only two
months and died. After him, the good Emperor Michael, surnamed
Rangabe, ruled but he reigned for only two years until he was
overthrown by Leo the Armenian and banished into exile. When Leo was
crowned, the patriarch sent him a book of the Orthodox Confession of
Faith to sign (according to the custom of all Byzantine emperors
which was considered an oath that they will uphold and defend the
True Faith). The emperor did not sign it but rather postponed it
until after the coronation. When the patriarch crowned him, Leo
refused to sign the book and quickly proved himself to be a heretic;
an iconoclast. The patriarch attempted to advise him and to restore
him to the True Faith, but in vain. The emperor forcibly banished
Nicephorus into exile to the island of Proconnesus where he remained
for thirteen years enduring every kind of misery and privation and
entered eternity in the year 827 A.D. As patriarch he governed the
Church of Christ for nine years.
The
Neo-Martyr Constantine
Constantine
was born of Muslim parents on the island of Mitylene. Having been
healed of a grave illness with the help of holy water in the church
and witnessing other miracles of the Faith of Christ, he was
baptized on Mt. Athos in the Scete of Kapsokalyvia. Later on
Constantine fell into the hands of the Turks who hanged him in
Constantinople on June 2, 1819 A.D. after forty days of cruel
tortures.
The
Holy Neo-Martyr John of Sochava
John
was a nobleman from Trebizond. He was accused by an envious Latin
and suffered for Christ in the city of Akerman in the year 1492 A.D.
After being tortured for refusing to embrace the Persian religion
(for the mayor of this town was an adherent of that faith), St. John
was tied to the legs of a horse and dragged throughout the town. An
evil Jew, upon seeing him, ran up to John and slaughtered him. That
night, many saw a fiery pillar over his body and three light-bearing
men around it. Later, the Moldavian commander, Joalexander, with
great homage translated his honorable body to the town of Sochava
and buried it in the metropolitan church where it reposes even today
and miraculously saves men from various pains and illnesses. John
suffered honorably and was glorified on June 2, 1492 A.D.
The
Priestly-Martyr Erasmus of Ohrid
This
saint was born in Antioch and lived during the reign of Emperors
Diocletian and Maximian. He lived a strict life of asceticism on Mt.
Lebanon and was endowed by God with the great gift of working
miracles. As an bishop, he went out to preach the Good News.
Arriving at the town of Ohrid, Erasmus, by his prayers, resurrected
the son of a man named Anastasius and baptized him. At this time,
Erasmus baptized many other pagans and destroyed the altars of the
idols in Ohrid. For that he was denounced before Emperor Maximian
who, at that time, was residing in Illyria. The emperor brought him
before a copper idol of Zeus and ordered him to offer sacrifice and
to worship the idol. St. Erasmus manifested so great a power that a
horrible dragon came out from the idol, which frightened the people.
Again the saint manifested great power and the dragon died. The
saint then preached Christ and baptized twenty thousand souls. The
embittered emperor ordered that all twenty thousand be beheaded and
subjected Erasmus to severe tortures and then cast him into prison.
An angel of God appeared to Erasmus as once to the Apostle Peter and
led Erasmus out of the prison. After that, this servant of God
departed for Campania where he preached the Gospel to the people and
then again returned to the town of Hermelia where he retreated to a
cave and desired to live a life of asceticism until his death.
Before his death, he bowed down three times toward the east and with
uplifted arms prayed to God that He forgive sins and to grant
eternal life to all those who, with faith, would invoke his name. At
the completion of his prayer a voice from heaven was heard: "So
let it be as you prayed, my little healer Erasmus!" Completely
joyful, the saint gazed up at the heavens once more and saw a wreath
of glory as it was descending upon him and saw the choirs of angels,
prophets, apostles and martyrs who came toward him to receive his
holy soul. Finally he cried out: "O Lord, receive my
spirit!" and died about the year 303 A.D. The cave with a small
church dedicated to St. Erasmus, exists today not far from Ohrid
and, from it, even today the great power of the chosen one of God,
Erasmus the priestly-martyr, is manifested.
Reflection
The
veneration of icons is an integral part of Orthodoxy from which it
cannot be separated. That the veneration of icons appears to some
people the same as idolatry is no proof against icons. To the Jews,
it seemed that Christ worked miracles by the power of Satan and not
God and to the Romans, it seemed that Christian martyrs were
ordinary sorcerers and magicians. Saint Nicephorus said to Leo the
Armenian the iconoclastic emperor: "The icon is a divine thing
and not to be worshipped." Following this, he explained
"how God commanded Moses to make a serpent of brass and to
raise it in the wilderness even though, just before this, He had
commanded: "Thou shall not make unto thee any graven
image" (Exodus 20:4). He commanded this in order to save the
chosen people from the idolatry of the Egyptians and He commanded
that He, the One and Most High God, would manifest His power through
a visible thing. In the same manner He manifests His power through
icons. That is His holy will and our aid for salvation. If icons are
things of little significance or even idolatry, why would many of
the holiest and most spiritual men and women in the history of the
Church have suffered to the death for icons?
Contemplation
To
contemplate the miraculous healing of the leper: "And behold,
there came a leper and worshipped him saying, Lord, if You will, You
can make me clean" (St. Matthew 8:2):
1. How
the leper implored the Lord to heal him and how the Lord touched him
with His hand and he was healed;
2. How
I, too, am leperous from sin and how the Lord can touch my soul and
heal it if I pray to Him.
Homily
About
how wisdom proclaims itself everywhere
"Wisdom
cries aloud in the street, in the open squares she raises her voice;
down the crowded ways she calls out, at the city gates she utters
her words" (Proverbs 1:20-21).
The
Wisdom of God is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, through Whom all
that was created, was created. All that was created manifests its
Omniscient Creator, both that which is in the field as well as that
which is in the city. In a field is a pure and bright nature but in
the city is man with his trades and skills. The Wisdom of God cries
out and does not whisper throughout all of nature and through all
beneficial trades and skills of man. She [Wisdom] covered all the
fields, she filled the entire city and she is above the earth and
under the earth, in the heights of the stars and in the depths of
the seas. He who wants to hear her can hear her in every place; he
who wants to learn from her and to be delighted by her can be taught
and delighted in every place; he who wants to be corrected and built
up by her can be corrected and built up by her in every place.
Thus,
the Wisdom of God is obvious and evident in all created things in
the world from its very beginning. But, the Wisdom of God is more
obvious and more evident in the prophets and in other men of God who
were made worthy to approach her [Wisdom] outside created nature.
Through their mouths, the Wisdom of God was proclaimed in the
fields, in the cities, on the streets of the cities and at the doors
of men.
But,
the Wisdom of God is most audible and most obvious in the person of
the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. In the person of the Lord Jesus
Christ, the Wisdom of God was manifested in the flesh and
demonstrated to men in its miraculous power and beauty. This Wisdom
of God does not speak through things nor through men, but speaks of
itself and from itself alone, personally and directly. By His wisdom
the Lord filled the entire world through His Holy Church, so that it
can be said that just as twenty centuries ago in Palestine so, He
today, through the servants of the Word cries out in the fields, on
the streets, to the greatest throngs in the world, throughout all
the cities and before all doors.
O my
brethren, let us open the doors of our souls to the Wisdom of God
Incarnate in the Lord Jesus Christ!
O Lord
Jesus, Wisdom and Power of God, open our souls and abide in them.
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June
16th (New Style) • June 3rd (Old Style)
The
Holy Martyr Lucillian and those with him: Claudius, Hypatius, Paul,
Dionysius and the Virgin Paula
Lucillian
grew old as a pagan priest and, as a graying elder, recognized the
truth of Christianity and was baptized. His conversion to
Christianity provoked great anxiety among the heathens in Nicomedia
and he was brought to trial. Because he did not want to deny his new
Faith Lucillian was violently beaten and, completely bruised, was
thrown into prison. In prison he met four young men: Claudius,
Hypatius, Paul and Dionysius who, because of their faith in Christ,
were also imprisoned. The elder greatly rejoiced in the young men
and they in him and together spent all their time in pious
conversations, prayers and the chanting of psalms. When they were
led out of prison they were tortured by various means and finally
sent to Byzantium where the soldiers beheaded Claudius, Hypatius,
Paul, Dionysius and Lucillian was crucified by the Jews. The
nefarious Jews pierced Lucillian's entire body with nails. A virgin
named Paula openly took the martyr's bodies and honorably buried
them. For this, she was accused and, after having been tortured, was
beheaded receiving two wreaths from the Lord: the wreath of
virginity and the wreath of martyrdom. Their martyrdom occurred
during the reign of Emperor Aurelian between the years 270-275 A.D.
The
Priestly-Martyr Lucian
Lucian
was a Roman renowned for his noble birth, wealth and learning. For a
period of time he was a disciple of the Apostle Peter. Later, Pope
Clement sent him, together with Dionysius the Areopagite, to Gaul to
preach the Gospel consecrating him bishop beforehand. With great
zeal Lucian sowed the teachings of Christ at first in Gaul and,
afterward, throughout Belgium. When the evil Emperor Domitian began
his persecution of Christians, a cadre of men were sent by him from
Rome to Gaul to seek out and to capture the Christian missionaries.
They first captured St. Dionysius and, after that, they went in
pursuit of Lucian. Finding Lucian in Belgium together with his
assistants, the presbyter Maxianus and the deacon Julian, the
soldier killed these two in one place and in another place, beheaded
Lucian. After Lucian had been beheaded, his lifeless body rose up
from the ground, took his head in his hands (similar to St.
Dionysius and St. John Vladimir) and then walked to the place where
he desired to be buried. There he fell and there he was buried.
Later, a church was built over his relics.
The
Holy Martyr Dimitri, Crown-Prince of Russia
The
ambitious Boris Godunov treacherously murdered Dimitri at the age of
eight in the town of Uglich in the year 1591 A.D. After his death,
Dimitri appeared to a monk and prophesied that a false Dimitri will
appear and will cause the death of the murderer Boris Godunov which
afterward actually happened. A countless number of miracles occurred
at the grave of the slain Crown-Prince. After fifteen years his
relics were discovered to be whole and incorrupt. They were
translated solemnly to Moscow and interred in the church of the Holy
Archangel Michael.
Reflection
O, if
only we could enter into the mystery of God's Providence in the
lives of men! We would be filled with fear and trembling before
every evil deed and before every sin of men. "I understood Your
works O Lord and I am amazed." In certain great events, the
mystery of God's Providence is obvious even to men of lesser
spirituality, for example in the fate of the Crown-Prince Dimitri
and the bloodthirsty and power-loving Boris Godunov. In order to
arrive at the first place among the noblemen in the court of Tsar
Theodore, Godunov poisoned many of the nobles. When he reached the
position of being first to the Tsar, he even planned to poison the
brother of the Tsar, the eight-year old Dimitri. On several
occasions, through hired mercenaries, he administered the most
bitter poison to the young Crown-Prince but the poison had no
affect. Providence permitted that the criminal murder his victim,
not secretly and quietly, but openly. Godunov dispatched the
murderers who, openly in the middle of the day, murdered the
Crown-Prince. Thus did Dimitri become an open martyr and Godunov
became an open criminal for all of Russia. After that, Dimitri
surfaced and proclaimed that he was the Crown Prince (as though he
was the rightful Crown-prince Dimitri and that someone else was
murdered) and set out with an army against Godunov. He defeated
Godunov and drove him to such dispair that Boris prepared poison and
took the poison himself. He, who poisoned others, poisoned himself!
He who murdered the innocent Dimitri was himself defeated by a man
with the name of Dimitri! He, who has spiritual eyes to see, let him
see the mystery of God's Providence.
Contemplation
To
contemplate the miraculous calming of the tempest on the lake:
"And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch
that the ship was covered with waves: but He was asleep" (St.
Matthew 8:24):
1. How
the disciples cried out: "Lord, save us: we perish!" (St.
Matthew 8:25) and how the Lord, with one word, calmed the tempest
and there was a great calm;
2. How
the Lord awaits that I cry out to Him in fear to calm the tempest of
passions, of men and of demons on the sea of my life.
Homily
About
the peace of the simple and the prosperity of the fools
"For
the turning away of the simple shall slay them and the prosperity of
fools shall destroy them" (Proverbs 1:32).
Does
peace kill? Yes, godless peace kills. Does prosperity destroy? Yes,
prosperity without God and contrary to the laws of God can destroy.
Simple are they who seek such a peace and they who run after such
prosperity are fools. For, in essence, they do not seek peace but
rather the sword and are not running after prosperity but rather
after destruction. What is the peace of the simple and what is the
prosperity of fools? The peace of the simple is physical peace and
the prosperity of fools is physical feasting. King Herod wanted such
a peace and he was consumed by worms. Jezebel wanted such a
prosperity and dogs consumed her.
By
what name would we call a man who, in deciding to build a house,
thinks that he will place the roof in the air first and afterward
erect walls and then lay the foundation of the house? We would call
him a simpleton and a fool. Much the same are all those who are
attempting to establish peace in the world without interior peace
and to establish exterior prosperity for men without interior
prosperity. The Christian Faith is the only one which builds from
the foundation and the foundation is Christ, a firm and
indestructible rock. Thus, the Christian Faith for the peace and
prosperity of men builds on Christ. An internal, blessed and joyful
peace is built on Christ the Lord and on this peace, external peace
is built. So also is true and lasting prosperity. It is still better
to say that true peace and true prosperity is like a well-built
house and external peace and prosperity are like the external
adornments of the house. However, if the adornments fall, the house
will stand but if the house is destroyed, will the adornments then
hang in the air?
O my
brethren, the Christian teaching is the only reasonable teaching
about peace and prosperity. All else is madness and foolishness.
For, how could the servants build a mansion on the estate of the
Master without permission of the Master and without His help?
O
Lord, the source of eternal true peace and true prosperity, save us
from the peace of the simple and the prosperity of fools.
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June
17th (New Style) • June 4th (Old Style)
Saint
Metrophanes, the First Patriarch of Constantinople
His
father Dometius, the brother of the Roman Emperor Probus, fled from
Rome as a Christian during the persecution of Christians and arrived
at Byzantium. Titus, the Byzantine bishop, ordained him a presbyter.
Following the death of Titus, Dometius became the bishop of
Byzantium. After the death of Dometius, his eldest son Probus
occupied the episcopal throne and after the death of Probus,
Metrophanes assumed the episcopal throne. When Emperor Constantine
first saw Metrophanes, he liked him as his own father. At the time
of the First Ecumenical Council [325 A.D.], Metrophanes was already
a man of one-hundred seventeen years and unable to participate in
the work of the Council, so he appointed Alexander his
Choriepiscopus as his representative. The emperor, by his
intervention at the Council, conferred upon him the title of
patriarch. Thus, he was the first patriarch of Constantinople.
Further, the emperor invited the entire Council to visit the ailing
and aged arch-pastor. When the emperor asked him whom he wished to
name as successor to the patriarchal throne, Metrophanes named
Alexander. Following that he said to Alexander of Alexandria:
"O brother, you will remain my most worthy successor." He
then took the hand of Archdeacon Athanasius (later Athanasius the
Great and Patriarch of Alexandria) and praised him before all. After
this prophecy of his successor Metrophanes sought forgiveness from
all and within ten days gave up his soul to God in the year 325 A.D.
The
Holy Martyr Concordius
During
his life on earth Concordius was an ascetic and a miracle-worker.
During the reign of Emperor Antoninus he was arrested because of his
faith in Christ. Following imprisonment and tortures, he was led to
the stone idol of Zeus in order to worship it. Concordius spat on
the idol and because of that was immediately beheaded.
The
Holy Martyrs Frontasius, Severinus, Severian and Silanus
They
were martyred in France during the reign of Emperor Claudius. After
they were beheaded, they rose to their feet, took their heads into
their hands, crossed over the river Ile, and arrived at the church
of the Holy Birth-giver of God where Bishop Frontanius was praying.
Entering the Church, they laid their heads before the feet of the
bishop and lay down crossing their hands over their chests. They
were honorably buried there. During their burial, an invisible host
of angels was heard singing.
The
Venerable Zosimus, Bishop of New Babylonia (A Town in Egypt)
Zosimus
lived a life of asceticism on Mt. Sinai. He came to Alexandria on
business and was consecrated as bishop of New Babylon by the Blessed
Patriarch Apollinarius. He was a worthy shepherd of the flock of
Christ but when he was overcome by old age and fatigue he, again,
withdrew to Mt. Sinai where he rendered his soul to God and received
the wreath of glory among the great hierarchs. He lived and died in
the sixth century.
The
Priestly-Martyr Astius, Bishop of Dyrrachium
Astius
suffered during the reign of Trajan. At first he was beaten with
lead rods and after that stripped naked and crucified on a tree. His
naked body was rubbed with honey so that wasps and hornets may sting
him. In his greatest torment, St. Astius glorified God, died and
received two wreaths both as a martyr and as a hierarch.
Saint
Martha and Saint Mary, the Sisters of Lazarus
Following
the Ascension of the Lord, Lazarus set out to preach the Gospel. His
two sisters assisted him in this. It is not known where they died.
Reflection
It is
a horrible thing to kill a man. There are no words to describe the
horror which lays hold on the murderer. While a man is preparing to
kill another man, he thinks that to kill a man is the same as
killing an ox. When he carries out his preconceived crime then, all
at once, he realizes that he has declared war on heaven and earth
and that he has become an exile and cut off from both heaven and
earth. The victim does not give him peace neither day nor night. A
known criminal came to Zosimus on Sinai and begged him to tonsure
him a monk. Zosimus clothed him in the monastic habit and sent him
to the monastery of Venerable Dorotheus near Gaza to lead a life of
asceticism in the Cenobia. After nine years the tonsured criminal
returned to St. Zosimus, returned his monastic habit and sought his
secular clothes. To the question why are you doing this, the
criminal replied that for nine years he has fervently prayed to God,
fasted, kept vigil and fulfilled all acts of obedience and that he
feels that many of his sins were forgiven but that one of his sins
torments him continually. At one time, he killed an innocent child
and that child appears to him day and night and asks him: "Why
did you kill me?" Because of that he decided to leave and to
turn himself in to the authorities that they may execute him and
thus to repay blood for blood. Dressing in his former clothes, he
went to the town of Diospolis where he acknowledged his crime and
was beheaded. Thus, by his blood, he washed away his bloody sin.
Contemplation
To
contemplate the miraculous healing of the possessed ones [madmen]of
Gergesene [Gadarene]: "Now when He had come to the other side,
to the country of the Gerasenes, there met Him two men who were
possessed, coming from the tombs, so exceedingly fierce that no one
could pass by that way" (St. Matthew 8:28):
1. How
the Lord cast out the demons from the ones possessed and the
possessed ones became calm and meek;
2. How
the Lord stands beside me and waits to be called to help me and to
cleanse me from every evil spirit which lays hold of me and
separates me from God.
Homily
About
trust in the Lord and not in your own understanding
"Trust
in the Lord with all your heart; on your own understanding rely
not" [Proverbs 3:5).
If all
the mountains would move toward you, would you be able to push them
back with your hands? You could not. If darkness after darkness of
all the mysteries in the heavens and on the earth rushed to the
small taper of your understanding would you, with your
understanding, be able to illuminate the darkness? Even less! Do not
rely on your understanding for, from the perishable matter which you
call intellect, a greater portion of it is nothing more than dead
ashes. O man, do not rely on your understanding for it is a road
over which a mob rushes a hungry, thirsty, motley and curious mob of
sensual impressions.
O man,
trust in the Lord with all your heart. In Him is understanding
without end and all-discerning. The Lord says: "I am
understanding; mine is strength" (Proverbs 8:14). He looks on
the paths on which your blood flows and all the crossroads on which
your thoughts wander. With compassion and love He offers Himself to
you as a leader and you rely on your darkened and perishable
understanding. Where was your understanding before your birth? Where
was your understanding when your body was taking form, when your
heart began to beat and flow with blood, when your eyes began to
open and when your voice began to flow from your throat? Whose
understanding was all this while your mind was still sleeping as
charcoal in a coal mine? Even when your understanding awoke, can you
enumerate all the illusions which it has delivered to you, all the
lies in which it has entangled you, all the dangers which it did not
foresee? O my brother, trust only in the Lord with all your heart!
Until now, He has rescued you numerous times from your own
understanding, from illusions and its lies and from danger in which
it has pushed you. A blind man is compared to the man who can see,
so is your understanding compared to the understanding of God. O
blind one, trust in the Leader. O brother, trust only in the Lord
with all your heart.
O
Lord, All-seeing, Eternal and Infallible Understanding, deeper than
the universe and more radiant than the sun, deliver us, even now
from the errors of our understanding.
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June
18th (New Style) • June 5th (Old Style)
The
Priestly-Martyr Dorotheus, Bishop of Tyre
Dorotheus
was Bishop of Tyre from the time of Diocletian to the time of Julian
the Apostate under whom he was tortured and suffered for the
Orthodox Faith. He lived on earth one hundred seven years and,
pleasing God, he took up habitation in life eternal in the year 361
A.D. Dorotheus was a very educated man and wrote many instructive
works in Greek and Latin. Especially famous is his Greek-Latin
Syntagma.
Venerable
Theodore, the Hermit
Theodore
was a miracle-worker. Purifying his spirit through a long life of
asceticism in the wilderness of Jordan, Theodore received from God
the gift of working miracles. Traveling by boat to Constantinople,
it happened that the boat wandered off course and water for drinking
ceased to exist. Because of thirst all the travelers on the boat
were at the point of death. Theodore raised his hands to heaven,
prayed to God and traced the sign of the cross over the sea water.
After that, he said to the boatmen to draw water from the sea and
drink. When they drank the water it was sweet. When they all began
to bow down before Theodore, he beseeched them not to thank him but
to thank the Lord God Who worked this miracle because of His love
for mankind. Theodore died peacefully in the year 583 A.D.
The
Venerable Anoub
Anoub
was one of the great Egyptian monks. He suffered much for the True
Faith. Prior to his death, three aged hermits visited him and he,
"a discerner of the thoughts of man," revealed all the
secrets of their hearts to them. Anoub died peacefully in the second
half of the fifth century.
Blessed
Igor
Igor
was the Prince of Chernigov and Kiev. Persecuted by his kinsmen, he
withdrew from the world and was tonsured a monk. The inhabitants of
Kiev, dissatisfied with the Olgovitch dynasty, wanted to exterminate
it. They charged the monastery, captured the innocent and young
Schemnik Igor and slew him. As a result of this crime, many were the
misfortunes that befell the inhabitants of Kiev and over the grave
of this blessed monk candles were seen on several occasions lighted
by themselves and a fiery pillar was seen over the church where he
was buried. This occurred in the year 1147 A.D.
The
Venerable Father Peter of Korishe
Peter
was born in the village of Korishe beyond the monastery of St. Mark
near Prizren. (According to another legend, he was from a village
near Pec). As a young man, he plowed with a one-eyed ox. Peter was
exceptionally meek and mild tempered. He withdrew at an early age to
lead a life of asceticism, as did his sister Helen. He mortified
himself very strictly and persistently. In difficult combat with
demonic temptations, Peter proved himself victorious. He was a
teacher to the many monks who gathered around him. Fleeing from the
glory of men, he hid himself for a period of time by the Black river
where, later on, St. Joanicius of Devich lived a life of asceticism.
Peter died in old age in his cave at Korishe. The night in which he
died a light from many candles was seen in his cave and angelic
singing was heard. This saint probably lived in the thirteenth
century. Over his miracle-working relics Tsar Dusan built a church,
which was a dependency (metoch) of Hilendar. In more recent times
the remains of the relics of St. Peter were secretly translated to
the Black river where they repose today.
Blessed
Constantine, Metropolitan of Kiev
In the
days of Blessed Prince Igor when there was great litigation and
confusion among the Russian princes, there was also disorder in the
Church and frequent changes on the thrones of the hierarchs. Thus,
after the death of Metropolitan Michael of Kiev, Prince Izyaslav
brought the famous and learned monk Klim as metropolitan not seeking
the blessing of the patriarch of Constantinople, contrary to the
age-old tradition. Thus, the patriarch sent Metropolitan Constantine
to investigate the matter. Constantine removed Klim and banished all
those clerics from the Church that he had ordained. Because of this
the people were divided; some adhered to Klim and others adhered to
Constantine. Then, according to the wishes of the Russian princes,
the patriarch sent a third, Theodore, and both Klim and Constantine
were removed. When Constantine died in the year 1159 A.D. they
opened his will and in it he requested that he not be buried but
that his body be thrown in the field to be consumed by dogs because
he considered himself the culprit responsible for the confusion in
the Church. Not daring to disobey his testament, nevertheless, with
great horror men took the body of the metropolitan and tossed it
into the field where it lay for three days. For three days it
thundered terribly over Kiev, lightening flashed all around, thunder
struck and the earth quaked. Eight men perished from the thunder.
Three fiery pillars appeared over Constantine's lifeless body.
Seeing all of this, the prince of Kiev ordered that the body of
Constantine be taken and honorably buried in the church where the
tomb of Igor was located. Immediately following, a calm ensued in
nature. Thus God justified His humble servant.
Reflection
Do not
ever violate the fast on Wednesday and Friday. This fast is
commanded by the Church and is well explained. If you have ever in
your life violated this fast, pray to God that He forgives you and
sin no more. The holy and pious men do not consider themselves
dispensed from this fast either during a journey, much less even in
sickness. St. Pachomius met some men carrying a corpse and he saw
two angels in the funeral procession. He prayed to God to reveal to
him the mystery of the presence of the angels at the burial of this
man. What good did this man do that the holy angels of God
accompanied him in procession to the grave? According to God's
Providence, both angels approached Pachomius and, in this manner,
explained to him: "One of the angels is the angel of Wednesday
and the other is the angel of Friday. Seeing how this man always,
even until death, fasted on Wednesdays and Fridays so we are
honorably accompanying his body. As he, until death, kept the fast,
so we are glorifying him."
Contemplation
To
contemplate the miraculous healing of the paralytic: "And,
behold they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed;
and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy: ' Son,
be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you' " (St. Matthew
9:2):
1. How
the good Lord restored health to the paralytic saying to him:
"Arise and walk!" (St. Matthew 9:6);
2. How
the Church brings my palsied [paralytic] soul before the Lord, that
the Lord may restore it to health if only I desire it.
Homily
About
the justification of almsgiving
"Withhold
not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of
your hand to do it" (Proverbs 3:27).
The
Lord does not deny you that which you need, neither should you deny
the man whom the Lord has sent to encounter you in order to test
your heart. If a beggar extends his hand to you for help once in
your life, give to him and do not refuse. Remember how many years
there are in your life and how many are the hours in a day and how
many are the minutes in an hour-every minute of so many, many
thousands of days you extend your hand to the Lord and the Lord
gives and does not refuse. Remember the mercy of God and your lack
of mercy will burn you as a live coal and it will never give you any
peace until you repent and soften your heart.
Do not
ever say: "These beggars annoy me!" So many millions of
men live on earth and all are beggars before the Lord; emperors as
well as laborers, the wealthy as well as servants, all are beggars
before the Lord and the Lord never said: "These beggars annoy
me!" O man, give thanksgiving to God that someone seeks
something good from you, be it material, or spiritual! This means
that you are a man of God's trust: God has entrusted some of His
goods to you because all goods belong to God. Show yourself worthy
of this trust, show yourself worthy in lesser things so that you may
be entrusted with greater things.
O
Lord, most rich, soften our hearts and enlighten our understanding
that we may be merciful in the goods which You, the All-merciful,
have entrusted to us.
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June
19th (New Style) • June 6th (Old Style)
The
Venerable Bessarion
Bessarion
was born and educated in Egypt. He dedicated himself to the
spiritual life at an early age and "did not stain his spiritual
garment in which he was clothed at baptism." He visited St.
Gerasimus by the Jordan and learned from St. Isidore of Pelusium. He
subdued his body through extreme fasting and vigils but he concealed
his life of mortification from men as much as possible. At one time,
he stood for forty days at prayer, neither eating nor sleeping. He
wore one garment both in summer and winter. He possessed the great
gift of miracle-working. He did not have a permanent dwelling place
but lived in the mountains and forests until a ripe old age. He
healed the sick and worked many other miracles for the benefit of
the people and to the glory of God. He died peacefully in the year
466 A.D.
Venerable
Hilarion, the New
Hilarion
was the abbot of the Dalmatus monastery in Constantinople. He was a
disciple of Gregory of Decapolis and an imitator of the life of
Hilarion the Great whose name he took. Hilarion was powerful in
prayer, persevering and courageous in suffering. He suffered much
for the sake of icons at the time of the evil iconoclastic emperors,
Leo the Armenian and others. Later, the Emperor Leo was slain by his
own soldiers in the same church and on the same spot where he first
ridiculed holy icons and from which he removed the first icon. St.
Hilarion was then released from prison but only for a short time.
Again, he was tortured and detained in prison until the reign of the
right-believing Empress Theodora. Hilarion was clairvoyant and a
discerner. He saw the angels of God as they were taking the soul of
St. Theodore the Studite to heaven. Pleasing God, he fell asleep and
entered the Kingdom of God in the year 845 A.D. in his seventieth
year.
The
Venerable Female Martyrs Archelais, Thecla and Susanna
As
pure and virginal nuns, Archelais, Thecla and Susanna lived a life
of asceticism in an unknown monastery near Rome. When the
persecution of Christians began under the evil Emperor Diocletian,
they fled to Campania and settled near the town of Nola. They could
not conceal their holy lives from the people and the people began to
come to them from the surrounding settlements seeking advice,
instruction and assistance for various difficulties and infirmities.
They were finally captured by the pagans and brought to trial. They
openly and freely confessed their faith in Christ. When Leontius,
the judge, asked St. Archelais about the Faith of Christ she
replied: "By the power of Christ I trample on the power of the
devil, I teach the people with understanding that they may know the
One True God and by the Name of the Lord, my Jesus Christ, the
Only-begotten Son of God, through me, His handmaid, is given
restoration of health to all who are sick." All three virgins
were flogged, had boiling pitch poured over them, were exhausted by
hunger in prison and finally beheaded. When they were led to the
scaffold, an angel appeared to them whom some of the executioners
saw and were so frightened that they could not raise their swords
against the holy virgins. However, the holy virgins encouraged the
executioners to carry out their duty. And thus as lambs, they were
slain in the year 293 A.D. and entered the Kingdom of Christ that
they may rest and receive delight in gazing upon the face of God in
eternity.
Reflection
Malicious
joy is a sordid garment which our spirit sometimes dons with great
satisfaction. The very moment that you rejoice in the sinful fall of
your brother you have also fallen to the joy of the devil who, with
one hook, snared two fish. Brotherhood, according to the flesh, is a
great bond but brotherhood, according to the spirit, is even
greater. When you are grieved by the sin of a brother according to
the flesh, why then would not the sin of a brother according to the
spirit grieve you? When you conceal the sin of a brother according
to the flesh why do you, with malevolent joy proclaim the sin of
your brother according to the spirit? Who are your brothers
according to the spirit? All Christians - all those who communicate
with you from the one and the same Chalice, the one and the same
life. O, how great were the saints in their brotherly love! O, how
far away from them was malevolent joy! The following is said about
St. Bessarion: on one occasion all the monks were gathered in church
for prayer. The abbot approached a monk who had committed a sin and
ordered him to leave the church. The monk started to leave and
Bessarion followed him saying: "And I, also, am the same kind
of sinner!"
Contemplation
To
contemplate the miraculous resurrection of Jarius' daughter:
"While He was saying these things to them, an official came
forward, knelt down before Him, and said, 'My daughter has just
died. But come, lay Your hand on her, and she will live.' Jesus rose
and followed him, and so did His disciples. A woman suffering
hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind Him and touched the
tassel on His cloak. She said to herself, 'If only I can touch His
cloak, I shall be cured.' Jesus turned around and saw her, and said,
'Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you.' And from that hour
the woman was cured. When Jesus arrived at the official's house and
saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion, He
said, 'Go away! The girl is not dead but sleeping.' And they
ridiculed Him. When the crowd was put out, He came and took her by
the hand, and the little girl arose. And news of this spread
throughout all that land" (St. Matthew 9:18-26):
1. How
the Lord assures the people that the maiden is not dead but that she
is sleeping;
2. How
He took her by the hand and the maiden arose alive;
3. How
the Lord can resurrect my soul, dead from sin, by one touch of His
Holy Life-giving Spirit.
Homily
About
guarding of the heart
"With
closest custody, guard your heart, for in it are the sources of
life" (Proverbs 4:23).
In the
heart is the will, in the heart is love, in the heart is
understanding, in the heart is the face of the All-holy and Divine
Trinity. The heart is the home of the Father, the altar of the Son
and the workshop of the Holy Spirit. God wants the heart: "My
Son, give me your heart" (Proverbs: 23:26). Let the mountains
be overturned, let the seas dry up, let your friends abandon you,
let your wealth fail you, let your body be consumed by worms, let
the world pour upon you all the ridicule which it has but be not
afraid; only guard your heart, guard and affix it to the Lord and
give it to the Lord. From the heart comes life; from where does life
in the heart come if the breath of the Lord and Source of Life, God,
does not dwell in it?
"A
good man out of the good treasure of the heart brings forth good
things; and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil
things" (St. Matthew 12:35). These are the words of the Lord
Who fills the treasury of your heart with His riches. What is that
"good man?" That is the good treasure of the heart. What
is that "evil man?" That is the evil treasure of the
heart. "For out of the heart [of an evil man] proceed evil
thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness,
blasphemies" (St. Matthew 15:19) and from the good heart
proceeds "love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith, meekness, temperance" (Galatians 5:22-23). Do
you see how great a warehouse is the heart of man? Do you see what
all can fit in the heart of man? O brother, God the Holy Spirit
Himself, when it pleases Him, can fit in the heart of man. Not only
can He, but He will. He only waits for you to prepare your heart for
Him. To convert it into a temple, for God the Holy Spirit only
dwells in a temple. Just as a serpent protects its head so you, also
son, guard your heart. Above everything that is guarded, son, guard
your heart! For in the heart enters life and from it proceeds life,
life which is from the Living God.
O
Life-giving Lord, help us to guard our heart for You, for You the
Lord!
To
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June
20th (New Style) • June 7th (Old Style)
The
Holy Martyr Theodotus of Ancyra
This
martyr of Christ was secretly a Christian and, as such, helped the
Church and honorably buried the bodies of the holy martyrs. Thus, he
buried the bodies of seven maidens who suffered for Christ. When the
pagans found out about him, they subjected him to tortures and
killed him (for more about St. Theodotus see May 18).
The
Holy Female Martyrs Cyriaca, Valeria and Maria
All
three of these female martyrs were from Caesarea in Palestine. When
a persecution of Christians began, they withdrew from the city to a
hut and there they prayed unceasingly to God, fasting and weeping
that the Faith of Christ might be spread throughout the entire world
and that the persecution of the Church cease. As a result of
slander, they were brought to trial, tortured and in their torments
were put to death in the year 304 A.D. Thus, these glorious virgins
were crowned with the wreaths of martyrdom.
The
Priestly-Martyr Marcellus, Pope of Rome
During
the reign of Maximian, Marcellus was condemned to tend cattle in a
designated place. In order to please Diocletian, who had taken him
as co-emperor, Maximian began to construct public baths in Rome, the
so-called Thermae, and forced the Christians to work on this
project, as the one-time pharaoh did to the Hebrews in Egypt. Many
Christians perished at this time. Also martyred was the Deacon
Cyriacus who possessed great power over demons and who healed
Artemia, the demonical daughter of Diocletian, as well as Jovia, the
daughter of the Persian emperor, and baptized both of them. Also
martyred was Artemia, the deacons Sisinius, Smaragdus and Largius,
companions of Cyriacus, the deacon Aphronianus, two newly-baptized
Roman soldiers, Papius and Maurus, and the elder Saturninus,
Crescentianus and the blessed virgins Priscilla and Lucina who, from
their wealth, built a cemetery for the slain Christian martyrs. St.
Marcellus, the Pope, tended cattle for a long time and finally from
starvation, humiliations and the fury of the soldiers gave up his
soul to God and died.
The
Priestly-Martyr Marcellinus, Pope of Rome
Marcellinus
was the predecessor of Pope Marcellus on the Roman throne. When
Emperor Diocletian summoned him and threatened him with torture,
Marcellinus offered sacrifice to the idols for which the emperor
presented him with a precious garment. But Marcellinus bitterly
repented and began to lament day and night because of his denial of
Christ as Peter the Apostle once did. At that time, an assembly of
bishops was held in Campania. The pope dressed in sackcloth poured
ashes over his head and entered the assembly and, before all,
confessed his sin begging them (the bishops) to judge him. The
fathers said that he should judge himself. Then Marcellinus said:
"I deprive myself of my priestly rank, for which I am not
worthy, and even more, do not allow my body to be buried after death
but let it be thrown to the dogs!" Having said this, he
pronounced a curse on the one who would dare bury him. After that,
Marcellinus went to the Emperor Diocletian, threw down the precious
garment before him and confessed his faith in Jesus Christ and
scorned the idols. The enraged emperor ordered Marcellinus to be
tortured and afterwards they killed him outside the city together
with three good men: Claudius, Cyrinus and Antoninus. The bodies of
these three men were buried immediately but the body of the pope lay
there for thirty-six days. Then, St. Peter appeared to the new pope
Marcellus and ordered that the body of Marcellinus be buried saying:
"He who humbles himself shall be exalted" (St. Luke
18:14).
The
Venerable Daniel of Scetis
Daniel
was the abbot of the famous Egyptian Scete. He was a disciple of St.
Arsenius and a teacher of many. Many of his words and teachings are
as guiding stars for monks. Once, when the barbarians attacked the
Scete, the brethren called him to flee together with them. He
answered them: "If God does not care about me, what is the
purpose of living?" Daniel also said: "Insomuch as your
body becomes obese, in the same manner your soul becomes
emaciated." He lived a communal life of asceticism for forty
years and after that withdrew to the wilderness in the year 420 A.D.
He happened to be in Alexandria when a wicked father-in-law killed
his daughter-in-law, St. Thomais (April 13), because of her chastity
and Daniel, with his disciple, buried this martyr.
Reflection
Among
the saints exists a very sharp [acute] conscience. That which
average people consider a minor sin, the saints consider to be a
great transgression. It is said of the Abba Daniel that on three
occasions robbers captured him and took him into the forest.
Fortunately, on two occasions he saved himself from slavery but the
third time when he wanted to escape, he struck one of them with a
stone, killed him and fled. This murder preyed on his conscience as
heavy as lead. Perplexed as to what he should do, he went to the
Alexandrian Patriarch Timothy, confessed to him and sought advice.
The patriarch consoled him and absolved him from any epitimija
[penance]. But his conscience still worried him and he went to the
pope in Rome. The pope told him the same thing as did Patriarch
Timothy. Still dissatisfied, Daniel visited in succession the other
patriarchs in Constantinople, Antioch and Jerusalem confessing to
all of them and seeking advice. But, he remained unsatisfied. Then
he returned to Alexandria and declared himself to the authorities as
a murderer. The authorities arrested him. When the trial was held
before the prince, Daniel related everything that had happened and
begged to be killed in order to save his soul from eternal fire. The
prince was amazed at all of this and said to him: "Go, Father,
and pray to God for me even though you kill seven more!"
Dissatisfied with this, Daniel then decided to take a leperous man
into his cell and to serve him until his death and when this one
dies to take another. Thus he did and so, in this manner, quieted
his conscience.
Contemplation
To
contemplate the miraculous healing of the woman with the issue of
blood:
"And,
behold a woman which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve
years, came behind Him and touched the hem of His garment. For she
said within herself, if I may but touch His garment, I shall be
whole. But Jesus turned around and when He saw her, He said,
daughter, be a good comfort; your faith has made you whole. And the
woman was made whole from that hour" (St. Matthew 9:20-22):
1.
How, with great faith, the woman with the issue of blood touched the
hem of the garment of the Lord Jesus and was made whole;
2. How
my soul is also like a woman with the issue of blood as long as it
is a slave to the flesh and blood;
3.
How, with one touch by Christ the Lord, my soul can be healed and
spiritualized.
Homily
About
emulating the ant
"Go
to the ant, O sluggard, study her ways and learn wisdom"
(Proverbs 6:6).
It is
the will of the Creator who sent us into this world that we work as
long as we are in this world. The Lord Jesus Himself commanded:
"Work; Keep Watch!" He praises those who multiply their
given talents and condemns the slothful who bury their talents. He
calls His time on earth, service and says that He did not come to be
served but to serve. He uses as an example His Heavenly Father and
says: "My Father works even until now, and I work" (St.
John 5:17). He commands His disciples: "Work while you still
have light."
O what
a terrible shame for man when an ant, an irrational creature, is
used to emphasize an example of diligence. But when man does not
know how to look up to the diligence of God, it is necessary to
direct him, at least, to emulate the ant. An ant works all summer
and prepares food for itself for winter. Brethren, do we also
prepare winter stores that we will open and display after death? O,
may we not come with empty hands before Him Who, with full hands,
gives to us as long as we are in this life.
Slothfulness
is one of the deadly sins for it deadens the soul in man. A slothful
soul is the nest of vices; the slothful soul is the habitation of
the devils.
O Lord
Almighty, You Who are, at the same time, all peace and all work,
deliver us from destructive slothfulness and move us by Your Holy
Spirit toward all good works for the sake of the salvation of our
souls.
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June
21st (New Style) • June 8th (Old Style)
Saint
Ephrem, Patriarch of Antioch
During
the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Anastasius, Ephrem was commander
of the eastern regions. He was known to all for his great piety and
charity and because of this was greatly respected. When it was
necessary to rebuild Antioch, destroyed by earthquake and fire, the
emperor assigned Ephrem the commander to direct this task. Ephrem
fulfilled his duty with diligence and love. Among the ordinary
masons was a bishop who, for unknown reasons, had left his episcopal
see and labored as an ordinary laborer and no one knew that he was a
bishop. One day he, with the other laborers, lay down to rest from
the exhausting work and fell asleep. The commander Ephrem glanced at
him and saw a fiery pillar rising from this man to the heavens.
Amazed and frightened, Ephrem summoned this man and made him swear
to tell him who he was. The man hesitated, but finally acknowledged
that he is a bishop and prophesied to Ephrem that he will shortly be
consecrated as patriarch of Antioch for the throne of the
patriarchal see was vacant because the aged Patriarch Euphrasius
perished in the earthquake. Indeed, Ephrem was elected and
consecrated patriarch. Because of his goodness, purity and zeal for
Or-thodoxy, God gave him the great gift of working miracles. One
time, in order to convince a heretic that Orthodoxy is true, he
placed his pallium in a fire and prayed to God. His palhum remained
in the fire for three hours and remained intact. Seeing this, the
heretic was astonished and rejected the heresy. St. Ephrem died in
peace in the year 546 A.D. and took up habitation in the Kingdom of
God.
The
Venerable Zosimus of Phoenicia
St.
Zosimus was bom in the village of Synda in the proximity of the town
of Tyre. There he lived a life of asceticism in his monastery. Not
having any cloud on his conscience, with his spirit he discerned
things at a distance and knew what was happening in the world. Thus,
he discerned and saw the destruction of Antioch by an earthquake
and, weeping bitterly, prostrated himself on the ground and prayed
to God that this city. not be completely destroyed. Once it happened
that a lion on the road killed and ate his donkey. The saint
commanded the lion to serve him in place 'of the donkey and to carry
his load. The lion showed himself meek as a lamb before the saint
and accepted the load and bore it to the gate of Caesarea where
Zosimus released and freed him. Saint Zosimus died peacefully in the
sixth century.
The
Holy Great Martyr Theodore Stratelates
This
saint is commemorated on February 8 and on that date his life is
recounted. However, June 8 commemorates the translation of his
relics from Heraklion to Euchaita. Before his martyrdom, Saint
Theodore left the following instructions in his will to Varus his
servant: 'Bury my body in Euchaita on the estate of my ancestors.'
St. Anastasius of Sinai wrote about the miracle of the icon of St.
Theodore: In the town of Karsat near Damascus, there was a church
dedicated to St. Theodore Stratelates. When the Saracens conquered
Damascus, a group of Saracens took up residence in this church with
their wives and children. There was a fresco of the image of St.
Theodore on the wall. One of the Saracens shot an arrow and str-uck
the image of the saint in the face. At once blood flowed from the
image. Soon after that, the entire group of those Saracens perished
in the church. St. Anastasius said that he was personally in that
church, saw the image of the saint on the wall and traces of
congealed blood.
Reflection
Fear
in suffering and fear of not suffering -this is one and the same
fear and it signifies the fear of a spiritual man as to whether or
not God has distanced Himself from him. When St. Catherine suffered
many and difficult tortures, our Lord appeared to her and she asked
Him: 'Where were You until now, 0 Lord, to comfort me in so many
sufferings?" The Lord answered her: ' I was here in your
heart.' But as great a fear can come upon a spiritual man when,
sufferings do not come his way for a long time. A monk once entered
a church in Alexandria and saw a woman kneeling before the icon of
the Savior and weeping tears cried out to the Lord: 'You have
abandoned me O Lord, O Merciful One, have mercy on me!"
Following the prayer the monk asked her: Who has wronged you that
you so bitterly complain to God?" The woman replied: "Up
to now, no one has wronged me, that is why I am weeping because God
has abandoned me and for three years did not visit me with any
sufferings. During this time, I was neither sick, nor my son, nor
has any of my household livestock perished."
Contemplation
To
contemplate the miraculous healing of the two blind me: "As
Jesus moved on from there, two blind men came after Him crying out,
'Son of David, have Pity on us' " (St. Matthew 9:27):
1. How
the blind men cried out to the Lord in order that He open their eyes
2. How
the Lord touched their eyes and did to them according to their faith
and they saw;
3. How
even the Lord can touch my blind soul and restore my spiritual sight
if I cry out to Him in faith.
Homily
About
the King of kings
"By
Me kings reign and princes decree Justice. By Me princes rule and
nobles, even all the judges of the earth. I love them that love
Me" (Proverbs 8:15-17).
Let
not a king think that he rules by his wisdom and power for he WM be
mocked by the weak and the foolish. Let a ruler not think that he
establishes justice among the people by his intelligence and will,
that he not think foolishness, which is even absurd for children.
Let princes, rulers and judges not think that they rule according to
someone else's will and mercy contrary to God's will and mercy for
all those who forget God will be fatally damaged upon the ice on
which they are sliding. 'I love them that love Me,' says the Lord.
This, the Lord speaks in the first place to the kings, princes and
judges of mankind. For, if they love the Lord, they are very dear to
the Lord. If they love the Lord, the people over whom they rule and
judge win love Him also. And, if the people love the Lord, they will
love their kings, princes and judges.
Inasmuch
as a man is elevated by power and authority over people, so much
closer should he be to God than the people over whom he is elevated.
O my
brethren, the Lord was crucified on a Cross for us and, by this, He
showed His love for us. He Who was crucified for us truly loves us
more than he who merely rejoices with us at the table. And yet when
we love so many of our friends with us at the table, how then should
we not love Him Who, out of love for us, was crucified on the Cross?
O
Blessed Lord, open for us our spiritual sight that we may see the
entire immeasurable depth of Your love and that we may be inflamed
with love toward You!
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