Saint
Cyril, Archbishop of Alexandria
Cyril
was of noble birth and a close relative of Theophilus, Patriarch of
Alexandria, after whose death he was consecrated as patriarch.
During his lifetime, he led three bitter struggles: with the
Novatian heretics, with the heretic Nestor and with the Jews in
Alexandria. The Novatianists had their origin in Rome and were named
after Novatian the presbyter and leader of the heresy. They took
pride in their virtues, walked about dressed in white garments,
forbade a second marriage, held that prayers should not be said for
those who committed a mortal sin, nor to receive back into the
Church those who, at one time, had fallen away from the Church even
though they bitterly repented. Cyril defeated them and drove them
out of Alexandria together with their bishop. The struggle with the
Jews was more difficult and bloodier. Since Alexander the Great
founded that city, the Jews from the beginning, became strong in
Alexandria. Their hatred toward Christians was vicious and insane.
They killed Christians by treachery, by poisoning and by crucifying
them on a cross. After a long and difficult struggle, Cyril
succeeded with Emperor Theodosius the Younger to drive the Jews out
of Alexandria. However, his struggle against Nestor, the Patriarch
of Constantinople, was resolved at the Third Ecumenical Council
(Ephesus 431 A.D). Cyril himself presided at this Council and, at
the same time, represented Celestine the Pope of Rome at his request
who was unable to attend the Council because of old age. Nestorius
was condemned, anathematized and was banished by the emperor to the
eastern boundary of the empire where he died a horrible death (for
worms consumed his tongue by which he had blasphemed the Birth-giver
of God calling her the Birth-giver of Christ). After the completion
of this struggle, Cyril lived in peace and zealously tended Christ's
flock. He presented himself to the Lord in the year 444 A.D. It is
said that he composed the prayer: "Rejoice, O Virgin
Birth-giver of God, Mary full of grace!" (The Hail Mary).
Saint
Cyril of White Lake (Beloe Ozero)
Cyril
was born and educated in Moscow of an aristocratic family. He was
tonsured a monk in Simonov Monastery where he lived a life of
asceticism to the amazement of the other monks. In order to conceal
his virtues, he pretended insanity. He personally spoke to St.
Sergius of Radonezh and received many beneficial instructions from
him. Against his wishes he was elected abbot of Simonov monastery.
He prayed constantly to the All-Holy Birth-giver of God to show him
the way whereby he could, in silence, live a life of asceticism. One
night he saw a great light and heard a voice: "Cyril, depart
from here and go to the White Lake!" And indeed, he departed
from the Simonov Monastery with one companion and went to the
vicinity of the White Lake and there, in the dense pine forest,
began to live a life of asceticism. In time, this wilderness was
transformed into a large monastery. The Venerable Cyril received the
great gift of miracle-working from God and cured the sick and worked
many other miracles. He died in the year 1429 A.D. in his ninetieth
year and took up habitation with the Lord Whom he ardently loved his
entire life.
Reflection
We sin
if we consider it a duty to also hate those whom our relatives hate.
This hatred passes on to us like a family sickness. In adopting the
love of our relatives, we also adopt their hatreds. Sometimes even
the great spiritual giants succumbed to that weakeness. Patriarch
Theophilus disliked St. John Chrysostom and remained his bitter
enemy even until death. Saint Cyril, his kinsman and successor to
the throne of Alexandria, inherited that hatred against Chrysostom
the saint and, for a long time, bore this hatred within himself. In
vain did Saint Isidore of Pelusium advise Cyril to change his
opinion about Chrysostom and to enter his name in the Diptych of the
Saints but Cyril could not change his evil will. Then the All-Holy
Birth-giver of God, for whose glory and honor Cyril fought so much
against Nestorius, appeared to Cyril in a vision with a multitude of
angels and with John Chyrsostom in great glory. The Holy and
All-Pure One begged Chrysostom to forgive Cyril. Then Chrysostom
approached Cyril, they embraced and kissed one another. This vision
completely changed the feelings of Cyril toward Chrysostom and Cyril
repented with shame because he unreasonably hated Chrysostom. That
is why to his death Cyril did everything in order to highly praise
Chrysostom as a great saint of God.
Contemplation
To
contemplate the miraculous healing of the dumb man possessed:
"As they went out, behold, they brought to Him a dumb man
possessed with a devil" (St. Matthew 9:32):
1. How
the Lord cast out the devil from him and the dumb man spoke;
2. How
the devil, with all his power, tries to make my soul dumb so that it
does not glorify the Lord;
3. How
the Lord, with one word, if I so desire, can cast out from me the
unclean spirit and make me a harp of the glory of God.
Homily
About
those who love death
"All
they that hate Me love death" (Proverbs 8:35).
Thus
speaks the Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, through His prophet.
He who hates the wisdom of God, hates God and he who hates God what
else is there for him to love except death? Is not everything
outside of the Lord death? The sun and stars, the seas and
mountains, animals and plants what is all of this except dead dust
formed and enlivened by the power of God, the word of God, the
wisdom of God?
He who
does not love God, not only does he not love God but does not love
anything that is from God, i.e., neither the beauty of the stars nor
the order of the seas and mountains nor the living power that is in
animals and plant life. He who does not love God, removes and
distances God from nature. What else then is left? Only dead,
formless, dark, dust only death. Even that dust is created by God.
And that dust, the blasphemer of God must return to God and that,
which is left over, he can love. What is there left over? Only that
which does not touch God, i.e., death, sin and the devil. He who
does not love God he, in essence, loves death, sin and the devil.
Every blasphemer of God is a toy of the devil, the fruit of sin and
a pawn of death.
If we
despise You, O Loving Lord, we do not have anyone or anything to
love. For that which we love on earth, we love because of You and
the capability to love is from You. Foolish is he who loves the rays
and despises the sun and who loves a drop of water and despises the
spring.
Inspire
us toward You by Your life-giving love, O our All-loving Lord.
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June
23rd (New Style) June 10th (Old Style)
The
Priestly-Martyr Timothy, Bishop of Brussa
Because
of Timothy's great spiritual purity, God granted him the gift of
working miracles and he cured all diseases and afflictions of the
people. During the reign of the wicked Emperor Julian, who denied
Christ, Saint Timothy was cast into prison. Even in prison the
faithful visited him in order to listen to the wise instruction of
their arch-shepherd. Learning of this, Julian ordered and the
executioner beheaded Timothy in prison in the year 362 A.D. His soul
departed into Paradise and his relics remained miracle-working to
help the people and to manifest the power of God.
The
Holy Martyrs Alexander and Antonina
Both
Alexander and Antonina were from Alexandria. Antonina was an
honorable virgin and Alexander an imperial soldier. They were both
Christians. Antonina was first brought to trial and tortured. When
they cast her into prison, Alexander, by the command of an angel of
God, went to the prison (even though until now he did not know
Antonina), covered her with his military mantel and said to her to
lower her head and to pass through the guards before the gates. And
so the virgin escaped and the soldier Alexander remained in prison.
Then they brought Alexander before the judge and began to torture
him for the Name of Christ. Hearing about this Antonina herself
appeared before the judge who then subjected both of them to various
tortures. He severed their hands, flogged their naked bodies, burned
their wounds with candles and, finally, threw them into a fire which
was started in a pit and covered them with dirt. They suffered
honorably for the sake of the love of Christ and took up habitation
in the mansions of the Heavenly King on May 3, 313 A.D. Festus, the
evil judge, at the moment of the death of the martyrs, became dumb
and an evil spirit seized and tormented him for seven days and
killed him.
Saint
Bassian, Bishop of Lodi
Bassian
was born a pagan in Syracuse of prominent and wealthy pagan parents.
He was educated in philosophy in Rome. By his earnest desire, he was
baptized by the pious Elder Gordianus. This offended his parents
and, to escape their wrath, and according to the command of Saint
John the Theologian, who appeared to him, Bassian traveled to
Ravenna and reported to Bishop Ursus, his kinsman. At the advice of
the bishop, Bassian took up residence at the church of the Holy
Martyr Apollinarius, outside the city. There he lived a long life of
asceticism, of labor, of fasting and of prayer. When the bishop of
the city of Lodi in Liguria died, Bassian was elected according to a
revelation in a dream even though he did not desire it. He was
consecrated bishop by Ambrose of Milan and Ursus of Ravenna. Bassian
possessed the great gift of healing and could also resurrect the
dead. Bassian was present at the final moments of Saint Ambrose and
heard from his mouth how he sees the Lord Jesus Christ. Bassian
lived in labor and asceticism to an old age and in the ninetieth
year of his life died and was translated into the Kingdom of God
about the year 409 A.D. Bassian's holy relics remained
miracle-working to witness to the power of God and the greatness of
God's saints.
Reflection
It is
not the same to eat your meal with a blessing and to eat it without
a blessing. Every meal is the table of God, which God Himself has
set for us. This is why it is necessary as a householder to thank
God and to beg for His blessings. Blessed food is more tasty and
more satisfying while unblessed food is untasty, unsatisfying and
unhealthy. On one occasion, Emperor Theodosius the Younger went for
a walk in the surroundings of Constantinople and seeing the hut of a
monk stopped and visited. The elder asked the emperor would he
desire something to eat? "I do," answered the emperor. The
elder brought bread, oil, salt and water before the emperor. The
emperor ate and drank and then asked the monk: "Do you know who
I am?" "God knows who you are," replied the monk.
"I am Emperor Theodosius." The monk bowed down before the
emperor silently. The emperor said to him: "I am an emperor and
am born of an emperor but, believe me, never in my life have I eaten
so tastily as I have today with you." "And do you know
why?" answered the elder. "Because," he continued,
"we monks always prepare our food with prayer and blessing; it
is from that, that bitter food for us is transformed into tasty;
with you, however, food is prepared with much labor and you do not
seek a blessing (from God) and because of that tasty food becomes
tasteless."
Contemplation
To
contemplate the miraculous healing of the man with a withered hand:
"A man with a withered hand happened to be there and they put
this question to Jesus, hoping to bring an accusation against him:
'Is it lawful to work a cure on the Sabbath?' " (St. Matthew
12:10):
1. How
the Lord said to the man with the withered hand: Stretch out your
hand! And he stretched it out;
2. How
even my hands are withered when I do not give charity. The Lord
continually speaks to me: Stretch out your hand!
Homily
About
how that of which he is afraid, befalls the sinner.
"The
fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him; but the desire of the
righteous shall be granted" (Proverbs 10:24).
The
wicked one fears imminent death, the thief fears the burglar, the
murderer fears the sword, the proud one fears shame, the abductor
fears hunger, the glutton fears sickness and the slanderer fears the
judgment of truth. That which the wicked one fears is what will
befall him.
The
righteous one desires a pure conscience, good thoughts, peace,
charity, love, truth, justice and meekness. God gives these to him
even while he is here on earth. The righteous one desires the
Kingdom of God, desires Paradise, desires the company of the angels
and the saints and desires to reflect upon the face of God in life
eternal. God gives all these to him when He calls him to Himself.
O how
just is the Lord toward the wicked one and how All-benevolent He is
toward the righteous one! That which the wicked one fears, the Lord
permits to befall him and that which the righteous ones fears the
Lord removes from him. Of what is the righteous one afraid? Only
sin. God removes sin from the righteous one and directs his feet on
the path to virtue; and God protects the righteous one from evil
spirits, the sowers of sin and, by His grace, waters the seed of
virtues in his heart.
O
All-seeing Lord, protect us from the paths of the wicked, from the
gain of the wicked and from the fear of the wicked! Help our
wavering heart to become steadfast in the desire for that which is
only pleasing to You. For that which is pleasing to You will, in the
end, conquer and reign and everything else will be given over to
decay and forgetfulness.
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June
24th (New Style) June 11th (Old Style)
Saint
Bartholomew, the Apostle
Bartholomew
was one of the Twelve Great Apostles. In all probability, it appears
that Bartholomew and Nathaniel are one and the same person. He was a
companion of the Apostle Philip and Philip's sister, the virgin
Mariamna and, for some time, a companion of St. John the Theologian.
Bartholomew preached the Gospel first throughout Asia and, after
that, in India and finally in Armenia where he died a martyr's
death. In Hierapolis, these holy apostles by prayer, caused the
death of a large serpent which the heathens kept in their temple and
worshipped. In this same city and, by prayer, they restored sight to
Stachius who was blind for forty years. It was here that a mob rose
up against them and they crucified Philip and Bartholomew
(Bartholomew was crucified upside down). At this time, an earthquake
occurred in which the evil judges and may people perished. Feeling
that this was a punishment from God, many ran to remove the apostles
from the crosses but Philip was already dead while Bartholomew was
still alive. After this, Bartholomew went to India where he preached
and translated the Gospel of St. Matthew into the Indian language.
Following this, he entered Armenia where he cured the daughter of
the king from insanity. But the envious brother of King Astyages
seized God's apostle, crucified him on a cross, skinned him and
finally beheaded him in Armenian Albanopolis (Derbend). Christians
honorably buried his body in a lead sarcophagus. Because many
miracles occurred over his relics, the pagans took the sarcophagus
and tossed it into the sea. But the water carried the sarcophagus to
the Island of Lipara where Bishop Agathon, through a revelation in a
dream, met and buried it in the church. St. Bartholomew, attired in
a white garment, appeared in church to Venerable Joseph, the
Hymnographer, blessed him with the Gospel that he may be able to
sing spiritual hymns saying: "Let heavenly waters of wisdom
flow from your tongue!" He also appeared to Emperor Anastasius
(491-518 A.D.) and told him that he would protect the newly
established town of Dara. Later, the relics of this great apostle
were translated to Benevento and then to Rome. Great and awesome
miracles have occurred over these relics.
Saint
Barnabas, the Apostle
Barnabas
was one of the Seventy Apostles. He was born in Cyprus of wealthy
parents from the tribe of Levi and studied together with Saul under
Gamaliel. At first, he was called Joseph but the apostles then
called him Barnabas, Son of Consolation, because he was
exceptionally capable of comforting the souls of the people. After
Saul's conversion, Barnabas was the first to introduce Saul to the
apostles and after that, with Paul (Saul) and Mark he preached the
Gospel in Antioch and throughout other places. In all probability,
he was the first to preach in Rome and Milan. He suffered on the
island of Cyprus at the hands of the Jews and was buried by Mark
beyond the western gate of the town of Salamis with the Gospel of
St. Matthew on his chest which he, by his own hand, had copied. His
grave remained unknown for several hundred years and since many
received healing from sickness on this spot, this place was called:
"the place of health." At the time of Emperor Zeno and the
Chalcedon Council (451 A.D.), the apostle appeared to Archbishop
Anthemius of Cyprus on three successive nights in a dream and
revealed to him the location of Barnabas' grave. That appearance of
the apostle occurred exactly at the time when Peter, the
power-hungry Patriarch of Antioch, sought that the church in Cyprus
be under the jurisdiction of the throne of Antioch. After the
appearance and discovery of the miraculous relics of the holy
Apostle Barnabas, it was established that the church in Cyprus, as
an Apostolic Church, should always be independent. Thus, the
autocephaly of the Church in Cyprus was established.
The
Commemoration of the Holy Icon Axion Estin (Dostojno Jest - It is
Truly Meet to Bless You)
And
the Miracle that occurred before it during the Reign of Patriarch
Nichols Chrysoverges (983-996 AD)
The
miracle consists of this: One night a monk was reading the Canon to
the Holy Birth-Giver of God and was singing "More honorable
than the Cherubim" in his cell in the monastery of the
Pantocrator, now called "Axion Estin" after the icon. His
elder had gone to Karyes. Suddenly a man appeared in church and
began to sing: "Truly it is Meet." That hymn so far was
unknown in the church. The monk upon hearing this hymn, became
excited not only because of its contents but also because of the
beautiful heavenly singing. "Among us, we sing it in this
manner," said the elder to the monk. The monk wanted to have
this hymn written down and brought a tablet on which the stranger
wrote down this hymn with his finger as though upon wax. Suddenly he
vanished. That stranger was the Archangel Gabriel. This tablet was
taken to Constantinople and the hymn remains even today in the
Church.
Reflection
A true
friend prays to God for his friend. A true friend is concerned about
the salvation of the soul of his friend. To dissuade a friend from
false paths and to direct him on the path of truth, that is precious
friendship. The saints of God are the best friends of mankind. Two
youths, Barnabas and Paul, were friends while together they were
attending the school of Gamaliel. When Barnabas became a Christian,
he persistently and tearfully prayed to God that He would also
enlighten the mind and turn the heart of Paul in order that he
becomes a Christian. Barnabas often spoke to Paul about Christ the
Lord but Paul ridiculed him and considered him as one led astray.
However, the Good Lord did not leave the prayers of Barnabas without
fruit. The Good Lord appeared to Paul and turned him from the path
of falsehood to the path of truth. The converted Paul then fell
before the feet of his friend and cried out: "O Barnabas,
teacher of truth, I am now convinced that everything which you spoke
to me about Christ is the truth!" Barnabas wept with joy and
embraced his friend. Barnabas, the friend saved the soul of his
friend by his fervent prayer. If Barnabas has succeeded to place
Paul as the emperor of Rome, he would have done less for him than
what he succeeded in doing with prayer to bring him to the truth.
Contemplation
To
contemplate the miraculous healing of the blind-dumb man: "Then
was brought to Him one possessed with a devil, blind and dumb: and
He healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spoke and
saw" (St. Matthew 12:22):
1. How
the Lord healed the man, blind and dumb;
2. How
the Lord can instantly heal even my soul, blind and dumb because of
my remoteness from Christ, only if I bring my soul to the Lord.
Homily
About
the master and the slave
"He
who spares his rod hates his son but he who loves him takes care to
chastise him" (Proverbs 13:24).
God's
love for men transcends the love of men for men as the heaven
transcends the earth but, nevertheless, the Man-loving God chastises
men. God chastises men not in order to destroy them but to correct
and save them. O blessed chastisement which emanates from love!
"For whom the Lord loves, He chastises; and He scourges every
son whom He receives" (Hebrews 12:6). With what does God
chastise? With a rod! What kind of rod? The rod of sickness, the rod
of misfortune, the rod of loss, the rod of hunger, the rod of crop
failure, the rod of drought, the rod of floods, the rod of death of
relatives and friends, the rod of evil demons, when He permits them
authority over man. These are the rods of God by which God chastises
His children in order that He may correct them and bring them back
to their senses, enlighten and save them.
Why
should the parent not chastise his children if he truly loves them?
The rod is a tool of great love and concern. If the child is not
sensitive to spiritual chastisement, the child is sensitive to the
rod. The more a child is insensitive to the spirit and conscience,
it is more sensitive to the body. The body was not given to man that
by itself it has meaning, but the body is to be a servant of the
spirit to help the spirit and to benefit the spirit. If corporal
punishment arouses the spirit in man and the spirit arouses the
conscience, then the body has completely fulfilled its duty toward
the spirit, its master. If the master (spirit) sleeps, then the
servants are struck in order to arouse the master (the spirit). If
the servants awaken their master in the hour of danger, they will
not lament the blows that they have received for they saved their
master. And the awakened and saved master will know how to repay his
servants. Hence, in truth, "He who spares his rod hates his
son." Whosoever spares the servant, betrays the master.
O
All-wise Lord, open the hearts of the parents that they may receive
this holy instruction of Yours.
To
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June
25th (New Style) June 12th (Old Style)
The
Venerable Onuphrius the Great
For
sixty full years, this saintly hermit had lived in the desert when
the monk Paphnutius visited him. His hair and beard reached to the
ground and his body, due to a long period of nakedness, was covered
with long hair. All the hairs on him were as white as snow and his
entire appearance glistened, sublime and awesome. Seeing Paphnutius,
Onuphrius called him by name and related to him his life in the
wilderness. His guardian angel appeared to him and brought him to
this place in the wilderness. For a long time he fed only on
vegetables which could rarely be found in the wilderness and after
that, when he endured violent combat by the temptations of the
demons and when his heart was completely strengthened in the love of
God, an angel of God brought him bread for nourishment. Besides
that, by the good Providence of God, a palm tree grew next to his
cell which brought forth an abundant fruit of dates and a spring of
living water began to flow there. However, Onuphrius said: "I
mostly feed and quench my thirst on the sweet words of God." To
Paphnutius' question: "How do you receive Communion?" The
hermit answered that an angel of God brings him Holy Communion every
Saturday and communicates him. The next day, the elder said to
Paphnutius that this is the day of his departure from this world; he
knelt on his knees, prayed to God and gave up his spirit to God. At
that moment, Paphnutius saw a heavenly light as it illumined the
body of the deceased saint and heard the singing of angelic hosts.
Having honorably buried the body of Onuphrius, Paphnutius returned
to his monastery that, as a living witness he narrate to others, for
their benefit, the wondrous life of this man and the greatness of
God's Providence about those who have completely given themselves
over to the service of God. Onuphrius died in the year 400 A.D.
Venerable
Peter the Athonite
Peter
was a Greek by birth and a soldier by profession. Once, in battle
against the Arabs, Peter was captured, bound by chains and cast into
prison. Peter remained imprisoned a long time in the town of Samara
on the Euphrates river and he constantly prayed that God free him
from prison and take him to some wilderness where he would dedicate
himself completely to a life of prayerful asceticism. St. Simeon,
the Receiver of God, with St. Nicholas appeared to him in prison,
touched his iron chains with his staff and they melted like wax and
Peter suddenly found himself in a field outside the town. He
immediately set out for Rome where he was tonsured a monk by the
pope himself at the tomb of St. Peter. After this he again departed
by boat for the east. The All-Holy Birth-giver of God along with St.
Nicholas appeared to him in a dream and the Birth-giver of God said
to St. Nicholas that she designated Mt. Athos for a life of
asceticism for Peter. Up to this time, Peter had never heard of the
Holy Mt. Athos. Disembarking, therefore, on the Holy Mountain, Peter
settled in a cave where he remained for fifty-three years in
difficult mortifications, in a struggle with hunger and thirst, with
heat and cold and mostly with the powers of the demons until he
overcame all with the help of God. After he endured the first
temptations and successfully passed the first difficult tests before
God, an angel of God began to bring him bread every forty days. On
several occasions, the tempting devil appeared to him under the
guise of an angel of light but Peter repelled him with the sign of
the cross and the name of the All-Holy Birth-giver of God. About a
year before his death he was discovered by a deer hunter around
Athos and from the mouth of the saint heard his life story. He died
in the year 734 A.D. His relics were translated to Macedonia.
Venerable
Timothy, the Egyptian Hermit
Timothy
first lived a life of asceticism in Thebaid and then withdrew into
the wilderness where he lived for thirty years. Pleasing God, he
died peacefully.
The
Venerable Bassian and Jonah
Bassian
and Jonah were monks of the Solovets Monastery. They drowned and
were washed ashore in the year 1651 A.D. Over their graves a sign
appeared and because of that a church was built. Later on,
Petrominsk Monastery was established there. Once when Emperor Peter
the Great was saved from a tempest, he remained there for three days
and made a cross and implanted it on the shore.
Reflection
Great
and wonderful is the Mystery (Sacrament) of Holy Communion. Even the
anchorites (recluses) and hermits craved for nothing else as much as
to be given the possibility to receive Holy Communion. St. Mary the
Egyptian begged St. Zosimus to bring her the Holy Mystery on the
Jordan and to communicate her. Returning from visiting St. Onuphrius,
Venerable Paphnutius found a humble community of four young ascetics
in the desert. When Paphnutius asked them whether and how do you
receive Holy Communion, they replied that an angel of God visits
them every Saturday and Sunday and administers them Holy Communion.
Paphnutius remained until the first following Saturday and was
personally convinced. When Saturday dawned, the entire community was
filled with an indescribable wonderful fragrance and while they were
at prayer, an angel of God in the form of a handsome young man, as
bright as lightning, appeared with the All-pure Mysteries.
Paphnutius became frightened and out of fear fell to the ground. But
they raised him up and brought him to the angel that he, along with
them, receive Communion from the hand of the angel. According to his
own testimony, St. Onuphrius received Holy Communion from the hand
of an angel as did many other anchorites and hermits. Therefore, it
is completely erroneous to think that solitaries and hermits did not
receive Holy Communion. God Who provided for their bodily
nourishment did not leave them without the Life-giving nourishment
of the Body and Blood of Christ the Lord.
Contemplation
To
contemplate the miraculous multiplying of the bread in the
wilderness: "And when it was evening, his disciples came to Him
saying: This is a desert place, and the time is not past; send the
multitude away that they may go into the villages and buy themselves
victuals" (St. Matthew 14:15):
1. How
the Lord fed five thousand people with the five blessed loaves;
2. How
He is that Living Bread who alone can miraculously feed my hungry
soul, which the whole of the rest of the world together cannot feed.
Homily
About
the palace and the hut
"The
house of the wicked shall be overthrown but the hut of the righteous
shall flourish" (Proverbs 14:11).
The
palace of Herod lay in ruins and the cave of the Child of Bethlehem
remains. The crowns of the Casesars have been lost but the bones of
the martyrs have been preserved. The palaces of the pagan kings have
been transformed into piles of stone and dust but the caves of the
ascetics have grown into most beautiful churches. The golden idols
have been scattered into nothing and the chains of the Apostle Peter
are preserved as a holy relic. The powerful Roman Empire is now only
a tale of the dead, while the hut of Christianity, the Holy Church
is today the most powerful empire in the world. Where are the Jews,
the murders of God? They are dispersed throughout the world. Where
are the powerful Romans? In the grave. Where is the power of bloody
Nero? Where is the power of the evil Diocletian and the depraved
Maximian? Where is the success of Julian the Apostate? Where are
those high towers? They are where the tower of Babel is - beneath
the dust and ashes, beneath shame and damnation.
Go
about your own city and inquire how many homes of the godless are
excavated? How many huts of the righteous grew into beautiful
houses? Brethren, heaven and earth are founded on justice, on God's
steadfast justice. That is why every pagan creation is as arrogant
air bubbles, which burst and are trampled on by passers-by. The
palaces of the pharaohs and Babylonians are as trampled bubbles and
the tent of the righteous Abraham flourishes and blossoms in
eternity. O my brethren, how all-powerful and long lasting is
justice and how rumbling and transient is injustice like a storm on
a summer's day!
O
Righteous Lord, how magnificent and consistent are You in the
exercising of Your justice.
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June
26th (New Style) June 13th (Old Style)
The
Holy Female Martyr Aquilina
Aquilina
was born in the Palestinian town of Byblus of honorable Christian
parents. At age seven, little Aquilina was already completely versed
in the true Christian life and at age ten she was so filled with
divine understanding and the grace of the Holy Spirit that she, with
great power and zealousness, preached Christ to her female
companions. When Diocletian's persecution began, someone accused
Aquilina before Volusian, the imperial deputy, who was more like a
beast than a man. At first, Volusian ordered that Aquilina be
flogged and after that, a red hot rod be pierced through her ears
and brain. Until the last moment, the virgin Aquilina freely and
openly confessed Christ the Lord and when her brain and blood began
to flow from her head, she fell as though dead. The deputy, thinking
Aquilina was indeed dead, ordered her body to be carried outside the
city and thrown upon a dung heap for the dogs to consume. But, an
angel of God appeared to her at night and said to her: "Arise,
and be whole!" And the virgin arose and was whole and for a
long time she offered up praise of thanksgiving to God imploring Him
not to deprive her to fulfill her martyr's mortification. A voice
from heaven was heard: "Go, it will be to you as you pray"
and Aquilina set out for the town. The gates of the town opened on
their own accord before her and she entered like a spirit into the
palace of the deputy and appeared before his bed. The deputy was
seized with unspeakable fear, seeing the virgin alive whom he
thought was dead. The following day, according to his command, the
executioners led Aquilina out to behead her. Before her beheading,
the virgin Aquilina prayed to God on her knees and gave up her soul.
The executioner beheaded her lifeless head. Her relics gave healing
to many of the sick. Aquilina was twelve years old when she suffered
for the Lord: suffered and crowned with the martyr's wreath in the
year 293 A.D.
Saint
Triphyllius, Bishop of Leucosia (Nicosia) in Cyprus
Triphyllius
was a disciple of St. Spiridon and later his worker on the island of
Cyprus. He was a merciful man, pure in thought and chaste throughout
his life, "a living fountain of tears" and a great
ascetic. He governed Christ's flock well and dying, received the
wreath among the great hierarchs in the heavens. He died peacefully
in the year 370 A.D.
Saint
Anna and her son John
Taken
as an orphan into the home of a nobleman and cared for as an adopted
daughter, Anna was raised and educated in that home. As a worthy
maiden, this nobleman wed her to his son. When the elder nobleman
died, the relatives pressed his son to release his wife because of
her lowly birth and to marry another whom, according to origin and
wealth, would be more suitable for him. The nobleman's son feared
God and did not want to do this. Seeing her husband in conflict with
his relatives, Anna secretly left him and fled to a distant island
where there was not a living soul. Arriving at this island pregnant
and soon to bear a child, Anna lived a life of asceticism for thirty
years in fasting and prayer. Then, according to God's Providence, a
hieromonk landed on this island, baptized her son and gave him the
name of John. This holy soul Anna lived a life of asceticism in the
fifth century and died peacefully.
Reflection
Meekness
and kindness adorned our saints and it gave them strength and
understanding not to return evil for evil. When Emperor Constantius,
the son of the Emperor Constantine the Great, became ill in Antioch
he summoned St. Spiridon to offer prayers for him. St. Spiridon, in
the company of Triphyllius his deacon departed Cyprus and arrived at
Antioch before the imperial palace. Spiridon was clad in poor
clothing. He wore a simple woven cap on his head, in his hand a
staff from a palm tree and draped over his chest he bore an earthen
vessel which contained oil that was taken from in front of the
Honorable Cross (which at that time was the custom of Christians in
Jerusalem to carry). So dressed and in addition to that, exhausted
by fasting and prayer and the long journey, in no way did the saint
reflect his rank and dignity. When he wished to step foot into the
imperial palace, one of the emperor's servants, thinking him to be
an ordinary beggar, struck him with his fist on the cheek. The meek
and kind saint turned the other cheek to him. When, with great
difficulty, he succeeded to reach the emperor, Spiridon touched the
head of the emperor and the emperor recovered.
Contemplation
To
contemplate the miraculous walking of the Lord on water as on dry
land:
"And
when the apostles saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled,
saying: 'It is a spirit and they cried out in fear' " (St.
Matthew 14:25):
1. How
the boat with the disciples was in trouble on the waves of the sea
at night and how the Lord, seeing this, hastened to their help;
2. How
even I am often in trouble from the darkness and the waves of
passions and how the Merciful Lord hastens to help me in walking
over passions as over a solid road.
Homily
About
the path of life and the path of death
"Sometimes
a way seems right to a man but the end of it leads to death!"
(Proverbs 14:12).
It
sometimes appears to man that the path of the godless is right for
he sees that the godless obtains riches and succeeds. O, if it where
only given to him to see the end of that path! He would be horrified
and would never tread on that path.
If the
end of a path terminates in destruction, can it be the right path?
Therefore, O man, do not say that one path is right if you do not
see its end. You ask: "How could I, a weak and shortsighted
man, perceive the end of a long path?" In two ways: by reading
Holy Scripture through the experience of the Orthodox Church and by
observing the end of the path of life of those around you and those
who die before you. However, the first path is the more reliable
path and if you adhere to it, know that you will not stumble into
the night of eternal death.
Only
that path is right which is shown by God as right. All other paths
that appear as right to your mind and do not coincide with the path
of God are wrong and are deadly. Behold, even the beasts have their
paths but would you travel those paths if they seemed right to you?
Do not go, for in the end you will fall into the hungry jaws of the
beasts. And the path shown by God, even if it appears wrong to you,
is right - therefore travel by it. Because of our sins, the path of
God occasionally seems wrong to us. If we were without sin and if
our mind was not distorted by sin it would not be possible for us,
even for a moment, to conceive that another path would be right
except God's path. To a distorted mind many wrong paths seem right
and the only right path as being wrong.
O
All-seeing Lord, our Guide, correct our mind so as not to be
detained on the wrong paths. Jesus, You are the only Path, Truth and
Life and that which we fantasize apart from You is the wrong way, a
lie and death.
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June
27th (New Style) June 14th (Old Style)
The
Holy Prophet Elisha
Elisha
lived nine hundred years before Christ. When the Lord willed to take
the aged Prophet Elijah to Himself, He revealed to him that He had
designated Elisha, the son of Shaphat of the tribe of Reuben from
the town of Abel-Meholah, as his successor in the prophetic service.
Elijah informed Elisha of God's will and draped him with his mantle
and implored from God the two-fold grace of prophecy for him. Elisha
immediately departed his home and family and followed Elijah. When
the Lord took Elijah in a fiery chariot, Elisha remained to continue
the prophetic service with yet a greater power than Elijah.
By his
purity and zeal, Elisha was equal to the greatest prophets and, by
the miraculous power that was given to him by God, Elisha exceeded
them all. He parted the waters of the Jordan as Moses once parted
the Red Sea; the bitter waters in Jericho he made drinkable; he
brought forth water into the excavated trenches during the war with
the Moabites; he multiplied the oil in the pots of the poor widow;
he resurrected the dead son of the Shunammite woman; he fed a
hundred people with twenty small loaves of bread; he healed
Commander Naaman of leprosy; he invoked leprosy upon his servant
Gehazi because of his greed; he blinded the entire Syrian army and
also forced another army to flee; he foretold many events to the
people as well as to individuals. Elisha died at a very old age.
Saint
Methodius, Patriarch of Constantinople
Methodius
was born in the town of Syracuse in Sicily. After the completion of
his secular studies, he was tonsured a monk and began to live a life
of asceticism in a monastery. Patriarch Nicephorus took him into his
service. During the reign of the iconoclastic emperors, he became
widely known as a superb defender of the veneration of icons. For
this, the wicked Emperor Theophilus exiled him to an island with two
common criminals where he languished in a damp prison for seven
years without light and without sufficient food as though in a
grave. During the time of the pious Empress Theodora and her son
Michael, Methodius was freed and was chosen as patriarch (according
to an earlier prophecy of St. Joannicius the Great). The first week
of the Great Fast (Lenten Season) Methodius solemnly carried the
icons into the church and wrote a Canon in honor of icons. Unable to
outwit him, the vile heretics hired a woman who declared that the
patriarch had an impure relationship with her. The whole of
Constantinople was horrified at this slander. Nevertheless, not
knowing how he could otherwise prove his innocence, the patriarch
overcame his embarrassment, removed his clothes and stood naked
before the court which he himself had requested, and showed his
withered body, debilitated from fasting. The court was clearly
convinced that the patriarch had been slandered. Hearing of this,
the people rejoiced and the heretics were shamed. Then, the woman
admitted that she was persuaded and paid to bring this slander
against the saint of God. Thus, those who thought to bring shame
upon Methodius unintentionally increased his fame. This great
confessor of the Faith died peacefully in the year 846 A.D. and took
up habitation in the Kingdom of God.
Saint
John, Metropolitan of Euchaita
John
was surnamed Mavron "The Black." He was a very educated
man and, at the same time, a spiritual man. At the time of Emperor
Alexius Comnenis, John in his old age, became the metropolitan of
Euchaita. He is especially famous in that St. Basil, St. Gregory the
Theologian and St. John Chyrsostom (January 30) appeared and
explained to him how all three of them are equally glorified in
heaven. After this vision the dispute among the people concerning
who of the three saints was greater and who was lesser was quieted
down. St. John also wrote the famous Canon to the Most Sweet Jesus
and a Canon to the Guardian angel and, in addition to this, other
beneficial writings. He died peacefully in the year 1100 A.D.
Venerable
Niphon
Niphon
was born in the region of Argyrokastron in the village of Lukov. He
was the son of a priest. From his youth he was attracted to solitude
and prayer. That desire finally led him to Mt. Athos where he lived
a life of asceticism, at first in the cave of St. Peter the Athonite
and, after that, in the wilderness of St. Anne. He did not even want
to eat bread but fed on vegetation and roots. Some envious ones
accused him of loathing bread and from this accusation he easily and
quickly justified himself. Finally, he became associated with St.
Maximus of Kapsokalyvia. Because of his sincere love for God, Niphon
was endowed with the gift of miracle-working and discernment. He
healed the sick by his prayer and by anointing with oil and
discerned events which had occurred and which will take place. About
himself he prophesied that he would die during the Fast of Saint
Peter (This fast precedes the feast of Saints Peter and Paul). When
the day of his death dawned, he said to the brethren assembled
around him: "Do not weep, rather rejoice, for in me you will
have an intercessor before God for your salvation." Finally, he
said: "It is time for me to depart" and he gave up his
holy soul to God on June 14, 1330 A.D.
Reflection
The
all-wise St. John Chrysostom said: "A place will not save us if
we do not carry out the will of God." It is told of a monk who
lived in a monastery where five brethren loved him and one brother
offended him. Because of this one brother who offended him, he moved
to another monastery. However, in this monastery eight of the
brethren loved him and two of the brethren offended him. He then
fled to a third monastery. But here, seven of the brethren loved him
and five of the brethren offended him. He set out for a fourth
monastery but along the way he thought: "How long will I flee
from place to place? I will never find peace in the whole world. It
would be better for me to become patient." He pulled out a
piece of paper and wrote in bold letters: "I will endure all
for the sake of Jesus Christ, the Son of God." When he entered
the fourth monastery here also some love him and others offended
him. But he patiently began to endure the offenses. As soon as
someone offended him, he would take out that piece of paper and
read: "I will endure all for the sake of Jesus Christ, the Son
of God." So with patience he succeeded and all loved him and he
remained in that monastery until his death.
Contemplation
To
contemplate the Lord's miraculous walking on the water as though on
dry land: "But in the fourth watch of the night Jesus came to
them walking upon the sea" (St. Matthew 14:25):
1. How
the Lord walking alone on top of the water called Peter also:
"And He said, Come!" (St. Matthew 14:29). Peter sets out
but because of little faith began to sink;
2. How
the Lord also calls me to walk over the passionate dampness and
tempest and how I set out but sink because of my little faith.
Homily
About
humility as a precursor of glory (honor)
"
And
humility goes before honors (glory)" (Proverbs 15:33).
Here,
the word is about true glory and not false glory; about glory that
is eternal and not about glory that dies. Glory that is of man is
glory that dies, and glory that is of God is eternal. Those whom men
glorified are not glorified and those whom God glorifies are
glorified. Our Lord said to the Jewish scribes: "How can you
believe who receive glory (honor) from one another and do not seek
the glory (honor) which is from the only God?" (St. John 5:44).
See how our Lord makes a distinction between the glory from men and
the glory from God. And about Himself, He said: "I do not
receive glory from men" (St John 5:41). He who seeks glory from
men travels the path of pride and he who seeks glory from God
travels the path of humility. No one is glorified by God without
humility. The saints of God were the most humble servants of God.
The Most Holy Birth-giver of God (Theotokos) was adorned with
overwhelming humility. To her great humility, she ascribed her being
chosen as the Mother of God: "Because He has regarded the
lowliness of His handmaid" (St. Luke 1:48). But the humblest of
the most humble, our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, was the founder of
asceticism. During His earthly life, humility always preceded glory.
Brethren,
it must also be that way in our life if we desire true glory. For if
humility does not precede glory, glory will never come.
O Lord
Jesus, Model and Teacher of humility, our only glory and the
Glorifier of all the humble and meek, inspire us with Your
inexpressible humility.
To
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June
28th (New Style) June 15th (Old Style)
The
Holy Prophet Amos
Amos
was born in the village of Thecua near Bethlehem. He was of simple
origin and life. Amos was a swine herdsman for a wealthy man of
Jerusalem. But God Who does not look at who is who by his outward
appearances but rather by the purity of his heart, and Who took both
Moses and David from their sheep, and appointed them as leaders of
the people, chose this Amos as one of His prophets. He rebuked King
Uzziah and his pagan priests for idolatry and dissuaded the people
from worshipping the golden calves in Bethel, teaching them to
worship the One Living God. When the chief pagan priest persecuted
Amos, he prophesied that the Assyrians will conquer Israel, that
they will slay the king and the sons of Amaziah and that the
Assyrian soldiers will defile Amaziah's wife before his eyes because
he led the people into adultery with idols. All of this
materialized. The son of a pagan priest struck the prophet on the
forehead with his staff so forcefully that Amos fell. Barely alive,
Amos was brought to his village of Thecua where he surrendered his
holy soul to God. Amos lived in the eighth century before Christ.
The
Holy Martyrs Vitus, Modest and Crescentia
St.
Vitus was born in Sicily of famous but non-believing parents. Modest
was his teacher and Crescentia was his governess. St. Vitus was
baptized at an early age and, at the age of twelve, withdrew to live
a life of great mortification. Angels appeared to him, directed and
strengthened him in his mortification and he, himself, was as
radiant and beautiful as an angel of God. The hand of a judge who
beat him withered but Vitus healed his hand through prayer. Seeing
twelve radiant angels in his room "whose eyes were as stars and
whose faces were as lightning," his father was blinded. Vitus,
through prayer, restored his sight. When his father wanted to kill
him, an angel appeared to Vitus and took him together with Modest
and Crescentia to Lucania on the shore of the river Silaris. Here,
Vitus worked many miracles over the infirm and the insane. At the
request of Emperor Diocletian, Vitus traveled to Rome where he
expelled an evil demon from the emperor's son for which the emperor
did not reward him but, on the contrary, cruelly tortured him
because he would not worship the dumb idols. However, the Lord
delivered him from all torments and by His invisible hand translated
him again to Lucania where he, Modest and Crescentia presented
themselves to the Lord. The relics of St. Vitus are located in
Prague, the Czech Republic.
The
Venerable Martyr Doulas
Doulas
lived a holy life in a monastery in Egypt. One of his brethren, out
of envy, accused him of sacrilege, the stealing of ecclesiastical
articles. They removed the cassock from the innocent Doulas and
turned him over to the prince for trial. The prince ordered him to
be scourged and wanted to cut off his hands according to the law for
such a crime but, at that moment, that brother repented and declared
the innocence of Doulas. After twenty years of exile and
humiliation, Doulas was restored to the monastery and, on the third
day, reposed in the Lord. His body vanished in a miraculous way.
The
Holy Martyr Lazar (Lazarus), Serbian Prince
Lazar
was one of the Serbian noblemen who ruled the Serbian empire after
the death of Tsar Dushan. After the death of Tsar Urosh, Patriarch
Ephrem crowned Lazar as the Serbian king. Lazar sent a delegation to
Constantinople with the monk Isaiah to implore the patriarch to lift
(remove) the anathema from the Serbian people. He fought against the
Turkish powers on several occasions. Finally, he clashed (fought) on
the Field of Blackbirds (Kosovo Polje) on June 15, 1389 A.D. against
the Turkish Emperor Amurat where he was beheaded. His body was
translated and interred in Ravanica, his memorial church (Zaduzbina)
near Cuprija and later was translated to Ravanica in Srem and from
there, during the Second World War (1942) was translated to Belgrade
and placed in the Cathedral Church of the Holy Archangel Michael
where it rests today incorrupt and extends comfort and healing to
all those who turn to him with prayer. (In 1989, on the occasion of
the six-hundred year anniversary of his martyrdom, St. Lazar's
relics were again translated to the monastery of Ravanica in Cuprija).
St. Lazar restored the monasteries of Hilendar (Mt. Athos) and
Gornjak. He built Ravanica and Lazarica (in Krusevac) and was a
benefactor of the Russian monastery St. Pantaleon (Mt. Athos) as
well as many other churches and monasteries.
Saint
Ephrem, Serbian Patriarch
As the
son of a priest, Ephrem from an early age yearned for a spiritual
and ascetical life. He fled to Mt. Athos when his parents wanted him
to marry. Later, he returned and lived a life of asceticism in the
Ibar gorge and in the monastery of Decani (Kosovo). When rivalry and
war broke out concerning precedence in the State and, unfortunately
even in the Church, the Assembly (Sabor) chose Ephrem to succeed the
deceased Sava as patriarch in 1375 A.D. When he was informed of his
election, he wept bitterly but was unable to refuse. He crowned
Prince Lazar as Tsar in 1382 A.D., renounced his throne and turned
it over to Spiridon and again withdrew to the wilderness. Following
the death of Spiridon in 1388 A.D., Tsar Lazar begged him to accept
the throne again. He governed the Serbian Church in the difficult
time of the defeat at Kosovo (1389 A.D.) until 1400 A.D. when he
died in the eighty-eighth year of his earthly life and took up
habitation with the Lord Whom he loved. His relics repose in the
monastery of Pec (Kosovo).
Blessed
Augustine, Bishop of Hippo
Augustine
turned from paganism to Christianity, thanks to the counsels, tears
and prayers of his mother Monica. He was a great teacher of the
Church and an influential writer but with certain unapproved
extremes in his teaching. As bishop of Hippo, he glorified the Lord
for thirty-five years and lived a total of seventy-six years on
earth (354-430 A.D.).
Reflection
It is
not always easy to conquer the spirit of vanity and conceit in
oneself. In this, only the great spiritual directors have succeeded,
primarily with God's grace, with constant vigilance over their souls
and with very delicate spiritual sensitivities and distinctions. At
one time, Abba Nisteroes was walking with one of his brethren.
Suddenly, they spotted a serpent on the road. The brother quickly
moved aside and the great Nisteroes fled after him. "Are you
also afraid, father?" the monk asked Nisteroes. The elder
replied: "No, my son, I am not afraid but I had to flee
otherwise I would not have fled from the spirit of vanity."
That is: "Had I remained in place, you would have been amazed
at me and I would have become vain from that!"
Contemplation
To
contemplate the miraculous healing of many who were sick: "And
besought Him that they might only touch the hem of the His garment:
and as many as touched were made perfectly whole" (St. Matthew
14:36):
1. How
many who were sick only touched the hem of the Lord's garment and
were made whole;
2. How
my soul can be healed if I touch the hem of His Body and Blood, as
the physical garment of His Divinity.
Homily
About
the poor man and his Creator
"He
who mocks the poor, blasphemes his Maker (Creator)" (Proverbs
17:5).
If you
are wealthy, in what are you wealthy, if not in the property of God?
The things which constitute your wealth, whose are they, if not
God's? Therefore, if you become proud in that which you possess, you
become proud with the property of another, you become proud with
that which is loaned to you by God. Why do you then mock the poor
man who has less of someone else's property in his hands? Why do you
mock him if he borrowed less from God than you? If he took less, he
owes less; and you who took more, owe more. Not only should you not
mock the poor man, you should admire him. Behold, he leads a
struggle on the battlefield of this world with much less means than
you. Both of you are soldiers, only you fight as a soldier
abundantly equipped with all the needs and he fights naked and
hungry. If the both of you succumb and surrender to your enemy, he
will be judged more leniently than you. However, if you are both
victorious, he will receive a greater reward than you and his
victory will be more celebrated than yours.
He,
who mocks the naked and hungry soldier, mocks his king. He, who
mocks the poor, shames his Creator. If you know that the poor man's
Creator is your Creator, the one and the same, you would not mock
him. If you know that the poor man stands in the same military rank
in which you are also, you will cover him, feed him and you will
bring him closer to yourself.
O,
Omnipotent Lord, boundless is Your wisdom in the economy of Your
creation. Illumine us by Your Holy Spirit that we may marvel at that
economy and, with reverence and love, gaze upon all of Your
creation, gazing upon them through You.
To
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June
29th (New Style) June 16th (Old Style)
Saint
Tikhon, Bishop of Amathus
Saint
Tikhon was a miracle-worker. Following the death of Blessed
Mnemonius, Tikhon was unanimously elected a bishop and consecrated
by the renowned Epiphanius for the Diocese of Amathus. His purity of
life and zeal for Orthodoxy recommended him for this office. There
were still pagans on Cyprus at that time. With apostolic zeal St.
Tikhon undertook to convert the unbelievers into believers. In that,
he had great success. After lengthy labor in the vineyard of the
Lord, Tikhon took up habitation in blessed eternity about the year
425 A.D. He was called a miracle-worker because of the many miracles
he worked during his life. Tikhon's father was a baker. When his
father left him alone in the store, he would distribute bread free
of charge to the poor. Once, his father reproached him for this.
Tikhon prayed to God and their granary was so filled with wheat that
the door could not be opened without difficulty. Again, at another
time, he planted withered branches of a vine and the vine became
green and, in due time, brought forth fruit.
The
Holy Martyrs Tigrius and Eutropius
Tigrius
and Eutropius were among the clergy of St. John Chrysostom. When
evil men banished Chrysostom from Constantinople, the cathedral
church (Hagia Sophia) was set on fire and a flame rose from it and
fell upon the houses of the persecutors of this beacon of the
Church. The people saw the finger of God in that but the enemies of
Chrysostom attributed this fire to his adherents. Many of those who
were accused suffered bitterly because of that, among them Tigrius,
the presbyter and Eutropius, the reader. Optatius, the mayor of the
city, an unbaptized Greek with particular malice, began a pursuit
for Chrysostom's followers. Tigrius, in his youth, was a slave of a
wealthy man who castrated him. Freeing himself of slavery, he
dedicated himself completely to the service of the Church and in
this service shone as a shining ray. Optatius subjected this
"meek, humble, charitable and hospitable" man to great
tortures and then banished him into exile to Mesopotamia where he
died in prison. Eutropius, chaste from birth, pure, blameless and
kind was beaten by oxen whips and by canes and finally hanged. When
Christians took his body to bury it, sweet angelic singing was heard
in the air.
Reflection
In
enumerating the miracles of the Christian Faith we need never forget
the countless and great miracles of the changes of heart and
dispositions of people truly converted to the Faith. How many are
the enraged criminals that this Faith tamed! How many bloodthirsty
robbers has the Faith transformed to innocent lambs! How many
debauched ones has the Faith turned into chaste ones! How many
persecuters has the Faith turned into defenders of the Faith! How
many selfish avaricious men has the Faith taught compassion! How
many fearful ones has the Faith directed on the road to extreme
self-sacrifice! Metropolitan Philaret writes about Russian Prince
Vladimir: "A lover of all pleasures; how this was not possible
any longer for the pagan Vladimir in Christianity and he became a
model of a chaste married life; he dismissed all women and lovers
and lived with one, the devout Anna. An evil, vindictive and
bloodthirsty fratricide in paganism, Vladimir, in Christianity, was
the most compassionate friend of the poor. The poor always had
access to him and he distributed both money and food with a generous
hand." More than that: "the sick are unable to come to my
palace," said he and ordered that meat, fish, bread, yeast and
honey be carted about the streets. The Gospel words: "Blessed
are the merciful" (St. Matthew 5:7), penetrated into the depth
of his heart and became his rule of life.
Contemplation
To
contemplate the miraculous healing of the daughter of the woman of
Canaan: "And behold a woman of Canaan came out of the same
coasts and cried out unto Him saying: Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou
Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil"
(St. Matthew 15:22):
1. How
the woman of Canaan perseveringly and repeatedly implored the Lord
to save her daughter from the devil who tormented her;
2. How
the Lord praised the faith of the woman and healed her daughter;
3. How
the Lord can even free my soul from the devil who attacks my soul
when it is in alienation from God only if we persistently pray to
Him with faith.
Homily
About
how death and life depend on the tongue
"Death
and life are in the power of the tongue" (Proverbs 18:21).
Did
not our Lord Himself confirm this when He said that for every empty
word men will give an answer before the Dread Judgment? Didn't He
explicitly say: "But I tell you, that of every idle word men
speak, they shall give account on the Day of Judgment. For by your
words, you shall be justified and by your words, you shall be
condemned" (St. Matthew 12: 36-37). Whoever is justified will
receive life. Whoever is condemned will receive death. Therefore, do
you see how life and death are in the power of the tongue? The
Apostle James says: "For in many things we all offend. If
anyone does not offend in word, he is a perfect man, able also to
lead round by a bridle the whole body" (St. James 3:2).
Truly,
great is the unexplored mystery of the word and the influence of the
word cannot be measured nor estimated. Today the word of men can be
carried by artificial instruments from one end of our planet to the
other. A word spoken by the tongue in America can be heard by the
ear in Europe. Is not this a picture of the All-hearing God? O my
brethren, we cannot whisper anything here to the earth that the
heavens are not going to hear. Our every word comes before the
assembly of the angels of God. Hades receives our every evil word
and retains it as a guarantee of our eternal death and Paradise
receives every good word and retains it as a guarantee of our
eternal life. Truly, does the Old Testament sage wisely speaks and
promptly reminds us with the words that: "Death and life are in
the power of the tongue."
O Lord
our Savior, eternal Word of God, help us to bridle our tongue so
that it does not speak to our destruction. Help us to speak with the
tongue only that which is according to Your holy will and that which
is for our eternal salvation in the life eternal.
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