October
14th
(New Style) • October 1st (Old Style)
The
Protection of the Most-holy Theotokos
From
time immemorial, the Church has celebrated the Most-holy Theotokos as
the patroness and protectress of the Christian people, who, by her
intercessory prayers, implores God's mercy for us sinners. The help of
the Most-holy Mother of God has been clearly shown numerous times, to
individuals and to nations, in peace and in war, in monastic deserts
and in densely populated cities. The event that the Church
commemorates and celebrates today confirms the Theotokos' consistent
protection of Christian people. On October 1, 911, during the reign of
Emperor Leo the Wise, there was an All-night Vigil in the Blachernae
Church of the Mother of God in Constantinople. The church was full of
people. St. Andrew the Fool-for-Christ was standing in the rear of the
church with his disciple Epiphanius. At four o'clock in the morning,
the Most-holy Theotokos appeared above the people, holding her
omophorion outstretched as a protective covering for the faithful. She
was clothed in gold-encrusted purple, and shone with an ineffable
radiance, surrounded by apostles, saints, martyrs and virgins. St.
Andrew said to Blessed Epiphanius: ``Do you see, brother, the Queen
and Lady of all praying for the whole world?'' Epiphanius replied: ``I
see, Father, and am struck with amazement!'' The Feast of the
Protection was instituted to commemorate this event, and to remind us
that we can prayerfully receive the unceasing protection of the
Most-holy Theotokos in any time of difficulty.
The
Holy Apostle Ananias
Ananias
was one of the Seventy Apostles. He was bishop in Damascus. In
accordance with to God's revelation (Acts 9:10-17), he baptized Saul
(the Apostle Paul). Because of his courageous preaching of the Gospel
he was stoned to death in the town of Eleutheropolis. His holy relics
were taken to Damascus and later to Constantinople.
The
Venerable Romanus the Melodist
Romanus
was born in the Syrian town of Emesa. He was, at first, a sexton in
Beirut, and later served in the cathedral church in Constantinople in
the time of Patriarch Euthymius (490-504). Romanus was not well
educated and was untrained in chanting, for which he was ridiculed by
some of the more educated clergy. St. Romanus tearfully prayed to the
Most-holy Theotokos, and she appeared to him in a dream, gave him a
scroll, and told him to swallow it. The following day was the Feast of
the Nativity. Romanus took his place as a chanter at the ambo, and
with an angelic voice sang the hymn ``Today the Virgin….'' All were
amazed at both the content of this hymn and at the magnificent singing
of the chanter. Having received the poetic gift from the Theotokos,
Romanus composed over a thousand Kontakia. Romanus entered into rest
as a deacon of the Great Church, Hagia Sophia, in Constantinople. He
joined the angelic choirs in the year 510.
The
Venerable John Koukouzelis
John was
a Slav from Dracha (Dyrrachium). As a young man, he was taken to the
school of music in Constantinople, where he became the favorite singer
at the imperial court. Fearing the flattery and praise of men, John
fled to the Holy Mountain and presented himself at the Great Lavra as
a simple shepherd. He lived an exceptional life of asceticism. The
Most-holy Theotokos appeared to him on two occasions. He reposed in
the twelfth century.
The
Venerable Gregory
Gregory
was a monk of the Great Lavra on Mount Athos in the fourteenth
century.
Reflection
The
Most-holy Theotokos has often appeared to holy men in need: sometimes
to encourage them in asceticism, or to heal them from sickness, or to
reveal a certain mystery to them. Two similar, wonderful events took
place in the Great Lavra on the Holy Mountain. In Great Lent, during
the chanting of the Great Akathist, St. John Koukouzelis was tired and
sat down, facing the icon of the Theotokos. As he sat, he fell asleep.
Just then, the Holy Most-pure One appeared to him in heavenly light
and said: ``Rejoice, O John! Chant and do not stop chanting, and for
this I will not abandon you.'' With this, she placed a gold coin in
John's hand. When he awoke from sleep, the gold coin was still in his
hand. After this, many wonderful miracles were worked from the icon of
the Theotokos, as well as from the gold coin.
The second incident involved St. Gregory the monk, who, like John
Koukouzelis, was a church cantor. Patriarch Kallistos had established
that in the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great, ``All Creation Rejoices in
Thee'' be sung in place of ``It Is Truly Meet.'' His successor,
Patriarch Philotheus, rescinded this, reinstating ``It Is Truly Meet''
because of its brevity. But then, on the eve of the Theophany, and in
the presence of Patriarch Gregory of Alexandria, St. Gregory sang
``All Creation Rejoices in Thee'' instead. Immediately after this, the
Holy Most-pure One appeared to him, and, as she had done to John
Koukouzelis, placed a gold coin in his hand. She said: ``I am very
grateful for your singing in my honor.'' Because of this, it was
instituted that all Liturgies of St. Basil would thereafter include
``All Creation Rejoices in Thee.''
Contemplation
Contemplate
the injustice of King Ahaz and God's punishments of him (II Chronicles
28):
1. How, throughout his life, Ahaz did that which was evil before the
Lord;
2. How he set up idols in every corner of Jerusalem and throughout the
entire land, and worshiped them;
3. How he waged many wars and was defeated in them all; his land was
laid waste; a hundred thousand of his people were slain; and just as
many were taken into bondage.
Homily
on the
blessed man
Blessed
is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor
standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the
scornful (Psalm 1:1).
Brethren,
most blessed is he who is not so hardened by sin that he can hear and
fulfill this counsel of God that has come through the prophet. The
ungodly are those who, in every way, think contrary to God and His
will. The sinners are those who walk the path of their own desires,
and their thoughts are contrary to the will of God and His law. The
scornful are those who destroy themselves and others by their evil
deeds. The danger is this: first comes the ungodly counsel (either
from wicked men or from sinful thoughts); then the actual committing
of sin; then the unrepentant sinner becomes a scandalous example of
evil to others. Therefore, blessed is the man who neither heeds the
counsel of ungodly men or thoughts, but finds sufficient counsel for
his salvation in the Law of God. Blessed is the man who has not even
once walked in the way of sinners, or, if he has walked on that path,
he has repented and returned to the path of life that is the Lord's.
Blessed is the man who has not sat in the presence of the scorner of
innocent souls who, by his seductive example, corrupts such souls. For
it is said of the corrupter: It were better for him that a millstone
were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of
the sea (Matthew 18:6).
O my brethren, blessed be all of you, men and women, who cautiously
avoid these three evils: ungodly thoughts and counsels, sinful deeds,
and the corrupting of others. These three evils are like one poisonous
serpent that grows from a small snake into a giant serpent.
O Blessed Lord our Creator, help us by Thy power and Thy goodness,
that we may be saved from the cruel serpent that Thou, O Lord Christ,
didst defeat by the weapon of Thine invincible and honorable Cross.
Help us to hearken only to Thy counsel, that we may walk only on Thy
path, and shine by Thine example.
To
the Top
October
15th
(New Style) • October 2nd (Old Style)
Saint
Andrew the Fool-for-Christ
Andrew
was a Slav by birth. As a young man, he was enslaved; and was bought
by Theognostus, a wealthy man in Constantinople, during the reign of
Emperor Leo the Wise (son of Emperor Basil the Macedonian). Andrew was
handsome in body and soul. Theognostus took a liking to Andrew, and
allowed him to become literate. Andrew fervently prayed to God, and
with love attended church services. Obeying a heavenly revelation, he
adopted the ascesis of foolishness for Christ. Once, when he went to
the well for water, he tore off his clothes, and slashed them with a
knife, feigning insanity. Saddened by this, his master Theognostus
bound him in chains and brought him to the Church of St. Anastasia the
Deliverer from Bonds, so that prayers would be read for him. But
Andrew did not improve, and his master freed him as mentally ill.
Andrew pretended insanity by day, but prayed to God all night long. He
lived without shelter of any kind. He even spent the nights outside,
walked around half-naked in a single tattered garment, and ate only a
little bread when good men would give it to him. He shared all that he
received with the beggars, and would mock them-to avoid being be
thanked by them-for holy Andrew wanted all his reward to come from
God. Therefore, the great grace of God entered into him and he was
able to discern the secrets of men, perceive angels and demons,
exorcize demons from men, and correct men from their sins. Andrew had
a most beautiful vision of Paradise and the exalted powers of heaven.
He also saw the Lord Christ on His throne of glory; and he, with his
disciple Epiphanius, saw the Most-holy Theotokos in the Church of
Blachernae as she covered the Christian people with her omophorion.
This occurence is celebrated as the Feast of the Protection of the
Most-holy Theotokos (October1). In a vision he also heard ineffable,
heavenly words that he dared not repeat to men. After a life of almost
unparalleled harshness of ascesis, Andrew entered into rest in the
eternal glory of his Lord in 911.
The
Hieromartyr Cyprian and Justina the Virgin
Cyprian
moved from Carthage to Antioch, where Justina lived with her parents,
Edesius and Cleodonia. Edesius was a pagan priest, and his entire
household was pagan. But when Justina visited a Christian church and
learned the true Faith, she converted both her father and mother to
the Christian Faith. All three received baptism by Optatus the bishop.
Cyprian, however, was a magician, who consorted with impure spirits
and practiced sorcery. A certain dissolute pagan youth named Aglaidas
was willing to pay any price to charm Justina, for she was beautiful.
The holy virgin Justina rejected him adamantly, and he sought help
from Cyprian. Cyprian invoked one evil spirit after another, to
inflame Justina with impure passion for Aglaidas, but did not succeed.
By the sign of the Cross and prayer to God, she drove the evil spirits
away. After this futile effort, Cyprian recognized the power of the
Cross and was baptized. Eventually, he was made a presbyter, then a
bishop. Embittered pagans denounced him and Justina; both were tried
in Damascus, tortured, and then beheaded in Nicomedia. They entered
into rest at the end of the third century.
The
Holy Martyrs David and Constantine
David
and Constantine were Christian princes from Argveti (Georgia). They
were condemned to death by Caliph Emil-el Mumenim, and were drowned in
a river in Imereti in the year 730. Before their death, they prayed to
God that He forgive the sins of all who would invoke them in prayer
for help. After their prayers were completed, lightning struck, and a
voice from heaven said that their prayers had been heard. The saints'
relics repose at the Monastery of Motsameta in Georgia.
Reflection
A vision
of St. Andrew the Fool-for-Christ: A monk in Constantinople was
distinguished as an ascetic and spiritual father, and many people came
to him for prayers. But this monk had the secret vice of avarice. He
collected money and gave it to no one. St. Andrew met him on the
street one day, and saw a terrible snake coiled around his neck. St.
Andrew took pity on him, approached him, and began to counsel him:
``Brother, why have you lost your soul? Why have you bound yourself
with the demon of avarice? Why have you given him a resting place
within yourself? Why are you amassing gold as though it will go to the
grave with you, and not into the hands of others? Why are you
strangling yourself by stinginess? While others hunger and thirst and
perish from cold, you rejoice looking at your heap of gold! Is this
the path of repentance? Is this the monastic rank? Do you see your
demon?'' At that, the spiritual eyes of the monk were opened, and he
saw the dark demon and was greatly horrified. The demon dropped away
from the monk and fled, driven by Andrew's power. Then a most radiant
angel of God appeared to the monk, for his heart was changed for the
good. Immediately, he went about distributing his hoarded gold to the
poor and needy. From then on, he pleased God in everything and was
more greatly glorified than before.
Contemplation
Contemplate
the righteousness of Hezekiah, and God's reward to him (II Chronicles
30, 31):
1. How Hezekiah did that which was good and right and truth before the
Lord his God (II Chronicles 31:20);
2. How he restored holiness to the Temple of the Lord, and rooted out
idols and idol-worshiping among the people;
3. How God had mercy on him, and he was prosperous in everything.
Homily
on the
will of the righteous in the will of God
But his
delight is in the Law of the Lord and on His Law doth he mediate day
and night (Psalm 1:2).
Brethren, blessed is that man-thrice blessed is he-whose will is
submitted to the will of God; whose mind thinks of nothing contrary to
the counsel of God; and whose heart desires nothing contrary to the
will of God. The mind is the rudder of both the will and the heart. If
the mind is permanently directed toward God, then it will eagerly
meditate day and night on the Law of God, and will not walk in the
counsel of the ungodly (Psalm 1:1) but will seek the truth and the
revelation of all that is in God's Law. If the mind is so directed to
God, then, swiftly, the heart and will of man will also be directed
toward God. Then the will, as the implementing organ of the inner man,
will carry out only what is in accordance with the will of God and
what is written in the Law of God. Then man will not stand in the way
of the sinners (Psalm 1:1), and will not sit in the seat of the
scornful (Psalm 1:1); he will not commit sin, nor will he draw other
men to sin. At the beginning of this Psalm, the Prophet David praises
the man who does not commit three specific evils, and now he continues
to praise him when he does two good things. The three evils are: to
seek wisdom of a sinner, to live the life of a sinner and to corrupt
others by one's evil example. The two good things are: to conform
one's will completely to the Law of God; and to direct one's mind to
meditate day and night on God's Law.
O my brethren, how lamentably shallow are the minds of all those who
do not know the Law of God! The depth of man's mind is measured by the
depth of his knowledge of God's law. The mind of him who meditates on
the mysteries of God's law is deep, wide and exalted; and the mind is
the rudder of the heart and will. O my brethren, how shallow, unstable
and dissolute is the will of him who does not subordinate his will to
the will of God! Indeed, it is lamentably shallow, unstable and
dissolute. What is the Law of God, brethren? It is the expression of
God's will. Where is that expression to be found? In Holy Scripture
and in the Tradition of the saints of the Church of God. Blessed is he
who knows the will of God and fulfills it.
O Lord God, great and powerful, merciful and just; enlighten our minds
by Thy holy law, so that we may conform our wills to Thy man-loving
and saving will.
To
the Top
October
16th
(New Style) • October 3rd (Old Style)
The
Holy Hieromartyr Dionysius the Areopagite
Dionysius
is numbered among the Seventy Lesser Apostles. This wonderful man was
the scion of a distinguished pagan family in Athens. Having completed
the school of philosophy in Athens, he went to Egypt to study further.
While he was there the Lord Christ died on the Cross, the sun was
darkened, and there was darkness in Egypt for three hours. Then
Dionysius cried out: ``Either God the Creator of the world is
suffering, or this world is coming to an end.'' Returning to Athens,
he married a woman named Damaris and had sons by her. He became a
member of the highest court among the Greeks, the Areopagus, and
thereafter he was known as the ``Areopagite.'' When the Apostle Paul
preached the Gospel in Athens, Dionysius was baptized with his entire
household. Paul consecrated him Bishop of Athens. He left his wife,
children and his position for the love of Christ. He traveled with
Paul for a long time and met all the other apostles of Christ. He
traveled to Jerusalem especially to see the Most-holy Theotokos, and
described his encounter with her in one of his written works. He was
present at the burial of the Holy and Most-pure One. When his teacher,
St. Paul, suffered martyrdom, Dionysius also desired such a death for
himself, and went to Gaul, with his presbyter Rusticus and the deacon
Eleutherius, to preach the Gospel among the barbarians. He suffered
much but also succeeded much. By his labors many pagans were converted
to the Christian Faith. Dionysius built a small church in Paris, where
he celebrated the divine services. When he was ninety years
old, he, Rusticus and Eleutherius were seized and tortured for Christ;
then all three were beheaded. The severed head of St. Dionysius rolled
a long distance, to the feet of Catula, a Christian, who honorably
buried it with his body. Dionysius suffered during the reign of
Dometian in the year 96. He wrote several famous works: on the Divine
Names of God, on the Celestial and Ecclesiastical Hierarchies, on
Mystical Theology, and on the Most-holy Theotokos.
The
Venerable John the Chozebite
John was
an Egyptian who lived the ascetic life in the Chozeba community during
the reign of Emperor Justinian. Whenever he celebrated the Liturgy, he
perceived a heavenly radiance in the sanctuary. Ananias, an elder,
labored ascetically not far from him. Wondrous was the humility of
these two saints. A man brought his insane son to the elder Ananias to
heal him by prayer. Ananias sent him to St. John as being greater than
he. John could not help but obey the elder; however, he cried out:
``In the name of Jesus Christ, it is Ananias, not I, who commands you
to come out of this young man!'' And the young man was healed
immediately.
The
Venerable Dionysius of the Monastery of the Kiev Caves
Dionysius
was a hieromonk and a recluse. The following incident occurred to him
on the Feast of the Resurrection in 1463. With a cross and censer,
Dionysius visited the caves in order to cense the relics and graves of
the saints reposing there. Filled with the joy of the Resurrection, as
he approached the caves, he cried out: ``Holy fathers and
brethren-Christ is Risen!'' And a voice resounded from the graves as
powerful as thunder: ``Indeed, He is Risen!''
Saint
Hesychius the Chorebite
At
first, Hesychius was negligent about his soul's salvation, but then he
became gravely ill and died. However, he came back from the dead and
regained health. This completely changed him. He shut himself up in a
cell on the Holy Mountain, and spoke to no one for twelve years.
Before his death, the monks opened his cell and begged him to give
them some instruction. He said only: ``He who contemplates death
cannot sin.'' From Hesychius descended the so-called hesychasts, who
stress silence, divine contemplation, and mental prayer as the chief
works of a true monk. There was even a hesychast skete on the Holy
Mountain. It is said that St. Gregory the Theologian was a hesychast
during the Lenten season. St. Hesychius lived in the sixth century.
Reflection
A vision
of St. Andrew: Walking one day along the streets of Constantinople,
St. Andrew saw a large, splendid procession. A rich man had just died,
and his funeral procession was majestic. However, when Andrew looked
more closely, he saw many black figures capering around the corpse
with joy: some laughing like prostitutes, others barking like dogs,
others grunting like swine, and others pouring a foul liquid over the
body of the deceased. They all mocked the processional chanters,
saying: ``You are chanting over a dog!'' Astonished, Andrew wondered
what this man had done in his life. Glancing around, he saw a handsome
youth standing by a wall and weeping. ``For the sake of the God of
heaven and earth, tell me the reason for your weeping!'' he said, and
the youth replied that he was the guardian angel of the deceased. The
dead man had grievously offended God by his sins, and had rejected the
counsels of his angel. He had completely given himself over to the
black devils. The angel said that that man had been a great and
unrepentant sinner: he had been a liar, a despiser of men, a miser, a
perjurer and a libertine, who had defiled three hundred souls by his
debauchery. He had been honored by the emperor and respected by men,
but all in vain. The great funeral retinue was also in vain. Death had
caught up with the rich man in his unrepentant state, and the harvest
had come to him suddenly.
Contemplation
Contemplate
the miraculous deliverance of Jerusalem from the Assyrians (II
Chronicles 32):
1. How Sennacherib and his mighty army surrounded the walls of
Jerusalem and mocked the God of Israel;
2. How Hezekiah and the Prophet Isaiah fervently prayed to God for
deliverance;
3. How an angel slew 185,000 Assyrians by night; how Sennacherib was
slain by his sons; and how Jerusalem was saved.
Homily
on fear
and joy in God
Serve
the Lord with fear and rejoice in Him with trembling (Psalm 2:11).
The prophet of God speaks these words to earthly kings and judges, for
they are inclined to pride and lasciviousness born out of the power
and riches that are given to them. O you kings and judges-clods of
dust beneath the feet of God-do not forget that you are only the
servants of God, hirelings from today until tomorrow! Of what does a
hireling think, digging in the field all day? About the pay that he
will receive in the evening. Of what is the hireling proud? Not of his
labor, but rather his pay. In what does the hireling rejoice? In his
labor, his sweat, or his pay? Naturally, in his pay. O kings and
judges, your service in the field of this life is the labor of a
hireling. Therefore, with fear serve your Lord, who hired you: for you
know not how your Lord will evaluate your labor in the end, or what
pay He will render unto you. Serve with great humility, saying to
yourself: We are unprofitable servants (Luke 17:10). Whether you will
receive a reward or punishment when you go down into the grave and
come before the King and Judge is uncertain. Therefore, fear must fill
all the days of your service.
Rejoice in Him with trembling. Rejoice with a pure and holy joy, as
the angels rejoice in the living and unapproachable God. The joy of
Paradise is fragrant with purity and sanctity; but the malicious joy
of hades is accompanied by rebellious laughter. Therefore the joy of
Paradise is eternal, while the laughter of hades is turned to rage and
groans.
Serve with fear, for the Lord is just; rejoice with trembling, for the
Lord is exalted and holy. O Lord our God-just and exalted, awesome and
holy-all of our life on earth is service to Thee and joy in Thee. If
we do not serve Thee, we serve our own destruction; and if we do not
rejoice in Thee, we rejoice in our own evil works. We worship Thee and
pray Thee to help us, that our service be directed by fear of Thee,
and that our joy be purified by our trembling before Thee.
To
the Top
October
17th
(New Style) • October 4th (Old Style)
The
Hieromartyr Hierotheus
Hierotheus
was a companion of St. Dionysius the Areopagite and received the
Christian Faith from the Apostle Paul a short time after Dionysius
did. Later, the Apostle appointed him bishop of Athens. At the time of
the Dormition of the Most-holy Theotokos, Hierotheus arrived in
Jerusalem and took part in her burial. With his divine chanting he
inspired heartfelt worship in many, revealing himself as a man
inspired from on high. He labored much in the work of evangelism,
converted many pagans to the truth and governed well his rational
flock. He finally died a martyr for Christ, Who granted him a twofold
crown in His Heavenly Kingdom: the crown of a hierarch and the crown
of a martyr.
Saint
Stefan Štiljanović
Stefan
was a Serbian despot, born of the Pastrović clan. He governed the
Serbian people during a most difficult period, struggling courageously
against the Turks and the Latins. A righteous man and a patriot, this
wonderful prince could be compared with St. Alexander Nevsky, or with
the holy King Jovan Vladimir. He entered into rest in the sixteenth
century (according to some, in 1515). Over his grave a light appeared
at night, by which means his holy relics were discovered. They were
brought to the Monastery of Ši
atovac in Fru
ka Gora, where they repose for a long time. During the Second World
War, St. Stefan's relics were transported to Belgrade and placed in
the Cathedral Church beside the body of Prince Lazar. The prince's
wife, Helena, seeing Stefan's incorrupt relics and witnessing miracles
arising from the relics, was tonsured a nun, and gave herself over to
asceticism until death.
The
Venerable Ammon
Ammon
was an Egyptian wine grower. His kinsmen forced him to marry against
his will, but he did not wish to live with the woman as husband and
wife. From the first day he called her his sister, and counseled her
to join him in preserving their mutual chastity for the sake of the
greater good in heaven. He lived with his wife this way for a full
eighteen years. Later, by mutual agreement, his wife established a
convent in her home, and Ammon went to the Nitrian desert, where he
gave himself up to the ascesis of hermitic life. Because of his purity
of heart, God granted him the great gifts of clairvoyance and
miracle-working. A husband and wife brought their insane son to Ammon
for healing by his prayer, but Ammon in no way desired to do this.
After prolonged insistence by the parents, Ammon said: ``The illness
and health of your child is in your hands. Return the stolen ox to
that widow (and he spoke her name) and your son will be healed.'' The
parents, amazed at the saint's clairvoyance, admitted their sin and
promised to return the stolen ox as soon as they arrived home. Then
St. Ammon prayed to God and the child was healed. Ammon was a close
friend of St. Anthony the Great. When Ammon died in Nitria, in
approximately 350, St. Anthony saw Ammon's soul in the heights from
his cell and said to the brethren: ``Today Abba Ammon died; behold, I
see his holy soul as the angels bear it to heaven.''
The
Venerable Paul the Simple
Until
the age of sixty, Paul lived in the world as a married man. Catching
his wife in sin, he left everything and went to St. Anthony in the
wilderness, receiving the monastic tonsure from him. Even though he
was simple and illiterate, he achieved such spiritual perfection that
he perceived every man's soul just as ordinary men see each other's
bodies. He was a great miracle-worker, and in some instances,
surpassed even St. Anthony. Paul died in deep old age in the year 340,
and took up his joyful habitation with the angels.
Reflection
A
vision of St. Andrew: St. Paul was not the only one who was caught up
into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words (II Corinthians 12:4). Over
850 years after St. Paul, this also occurred to St. Andrew. One wintry
night, St. Andrew was lying among the dogs on a dung heap in order to
warm his frozen body, when an angel of God appeared to him and raised
him up to Paradise (whether in the body or outside the body, St.
Andrew himself could not explain), and kept him in the heavenly world
for two weeks, eventually leading him to the third heaven. ``I saw
myself clothed in the most dazzling garments-they were as if woven
from lightning-with a wreath of flowers on my head, and girt with a
royal girdle. I rejoiced greatly at this beauty, and was amazed in
both mind and heart, at the inexpressible beauty of God's Paradise, as
I walked around it and rejoiced.'' Andrew also wrote that he saw
Christ the Lord: ``And when a flaming hand drew the curtain, I saw my
Lord-as once did the Prophet Isaiah-sitting upon a high and exalted
throne, with Seraphim standing all around Him. He was clothed in a
crimson garment. His face was most radiant, and His eyes gazed most
kindly upon me. Seeing Him, I prostrated before Him, worshiping the
brilliant and awesome throne of His glory. How much joy overcame me
during the vision of His face cannot be expressed; and now, calling to
mind this vision, I am filled with inexpressible joy…. I heard my
Most-merciful Creator when, with His most sweet and pure lips, He
spoke three words to me, which so sweetened my heart and inflamed it
with love for Him, that I melted as warm wax from spiritual
warmth….'' When St. Andrew also desired to see the Most-holy
Theotokos, he was told that she was not in heaven just then, but had
descended to earth to help the poor and to comfort those in need.
Contemplation
Contemplate
the injustice of King Manasseh and God's punishment (II Chronicles
33):
1. How Manasseh restored idol worship, enchantments and witchcraft,
and did everything that is evil in the sight of the Lord;
2. How God permitted the Chaldeans to capture Manasseh.
Homily
on
useful anger
Be
angry and sin not (Psalm 4:4).
Be angry with yourself, brethren, and sin no more. Be angry at your
sins of thoughts and deeds, and sin no more. Be angry with Satan the
father of lies (John 8:44), and no longer do his will. Be angry at sin
in the world and the trampling of God's holy Church by godless men,
but beware that you do not cure sin by sin. Be angry with your friends
when they sin; but be angry with the intention to correct them, and
not to embitter them even more. The anger of a friend toward a friend,
and the anger of parents toward their children-and of God toward
men-is not a storm that uproots the tree but a wind that strengthens
the tree, and rids it of rotten fruit so that the healthy fruit will
increase in number and beauty. But let your anger have measure, so
that it may be healing and not poisonous. In order to have this kind
of control, keep God before you in your anger. There is no stronger
containment for anger than God. All anger that is not in the name of
God and God's righteousness is a sin. Do not become angry for the sake
of idleness, but become angry for that at which God is angered. If
your will is firmly set in God's law, you will always know when it is
necessary to be angry, and how much is needed. This cannot be
expressed entirely in words, nor can it even be explained to the
uneducated. Anger, in its place, acts as mercy does in its place. O my
brethren, do you see how various powers are placed in our souls, and
man, by his free will, can utilize them for life or death? Anger
toward oneself can never be recommended enough. Here is a wonderful
example: the more a man learns to be angry with himself, the less he
is angry with others. Carried away with anger at his own weaknesses,
he either does not see the weaknesses of others, or when he does see
them, he judges them kindly.
O Lord God, Thou only righteous One, implant in us the remembrance of
the Day of Thy righteous anger, so that we may protect ourselves from
spiritual sin.
To
the Top
October
18th
(New Style) • October 5th (Old Style)
The
Holy Martyr Charitina
Having
been orphaned in infancy, Charitina was adopted by an eminent
Christian man named Claudius, who raised her as his own daughter.
Charitina was meek, humble, obedient and quiet. She studied the Law of
God day and night, and vowed to live her life in chastity, as a true
bride of Christ. Since Charitina also brought others to the Christian
Faith, Dometius, Emperor Diocletian's eparch, heard of her, sent
soldiers to take her from her foster father, and brought her to trial.
The judge questioned her: ``Is it true, young maiden, that you are a
Christian, and that you deceive others, leading them to this profane
Faith?'' Charitina courageously replied: ``It is true that I am a
Christian, but it is a lie that I deceive others; rather, I lead those
in error to the true path, by leading them to my Christ.'' The evil
judge condemned her. Her hair was shorn and hot coals were poured onto
her head. Even so, she was saved by the power of God. They threw her
into the sea, but God delivered her again. They tied her to a wheel
and began to turn it, but an angel of God stopped the wheel, and
Charitina remained unharmed. Then the depraved judge sent some
dissolute young men to defile her. Fearing this dishonor, St.
Charitina prayed to God to receive her soul before those degenerates
could defile her virginal body. While she knelt, praying to God, her
soul departed from her and was translated to the Immortal Kingdom of
Christ.
The
Hieromartyr Dionysius, Bishop of Alexandria
Dionysius
was born in Alexandria of eminent pagan parents. He was educated in
Greek philosophy, and then studied with Origen. As a young man, he
read the epistles of the Apostle Paul, came to believe in Christ and
was baptized by Demetrius, Bishop of Alexandria. In the year 247,
Dionysius became Bishop of Alexandria, and served God and God's people
as a true shepherd under very difficult circumstances. Externally, the
Church was persecuted by pagans, while from within it was rent by
heretics. In addition, a plague decimated the population for several
years. Dionysius lived, hidden by the faithful, outside Alexandria for
three years so as not to be slain before his time. During those three
years, he wrote many epistles and other compositions to his flock,
instructing and encouraging them to uphold Orthodoxy. Among his
writings are several canons that the Church adopted. His epistle
against Novatian is also considered a canonical writing. He governed
the Church for seventeen years, and reposed in the year 265.
The
Venerable Eudocimus of Vatopedi
In the
year 1841, when the ossuary at Vatopedi was being restored, the
workmen found the relics of a man in a kneeling posture. He had an
icon of the Most-holy Theotokos in his hands, resting on his bosom. A
wondrous fragrance exuded from these relics. Not knowing who this holy
man was or when he lived, the monks gave him the name Eudocimus, and
transferred his relics into the church, where they remain today. Many
miracles of healing have occurred over these relics. Even now, one can
read these words, carved on his silver coffin: ``This coffin was made
for the honorable head of St. Eudocimus by the monk Gabriel, whom this
saint healed from a grave illness.''
The
Venerable Damian, Jeremiah and Matthew
They
were clairvoyants and miracle-workers of the Monastery of the Kiev
Caves. They all lived in the eleventh century.
Reflection
Whenever
men exert great effort in seeking the truth, and prefer nothing else
to the truth, God comes to meet them in His gentle way. This is shown
to us in the life of St. Dionysius of Alexandria. Even as a young man
and a pagan, Dionysius read all the Greek literature, seeking the
truth. When he was not satisfied with this, he read everything that
came into his hands. And, in accord with God's providence, he met a
poor woman who offered to sell him several hand-copied epistles of the
Holy Apostle Paul. Dionysius gladly purchased and read them. They so
overcame him that he sought out this woman and asked her if there were
more such writings to be had. The woman directed him to a Christian
priest who gave him all of Paul's epistles. Having read all carefully,
Dionysius came to believe in Christ, and was baptized without any
hesitation.
Here is another incident: In the town of Arsinoe, the Millenarian
heresy had spread. This heresy taught that Christ would soon come, and
He would establish an earthly kingdom on earth for a thousand years.
At the head of this heresy was a certain Korakion. St. Dionysius went
to Arsinoe to change the minds of the millenarians and to prevent the
spread of this heresy. At a large gathering of millenarians and true
Orthodox, Dionysius debated with Korakion and other leaders of the
millenarians. This debate lasted for three whole days. (Such zeal did
the ancient Christians show in the examination of the truth!) God
blessed their labor and zeal, through the prayers of St. Dionysius. At
the end of the debate, Korakion and all the other millenarians
rejected their false teaching and accepted the Orthodox teaching of
St. Dionysius.
Contemplation
Contemplate
the repentance of King Manasseh and God's forgiveness of him (II
Chronicles 33):
1. How Manasseh, living as a slave in a foreign land, recognized his
sin, repented, and prayed to God for forgiveness;
2. How God forgave him, and freed him from bondage;
3. How, after that, Manasseh did that which is good in the sight of
the Lord unto the day of his death, and reigned peacefully.
Homily
on the
good that is shown
There be
many who say, Who will show us any good? (Psalm 4:6).
My brethren, great is God's goodness. What words can express that
goodness? Great is the goodness of the Heavenly Kingdom with its fiery
angels, wonderful saints, and the sweetness of Paradise. Who can
describe this goodness? Immortal life, close to God and the angels of
God, in the company of the saints and the righteous, is a great good.
Another great good will be our meeting with our kinsmen and friends in
the heavenly world; with our parents, our children, and our most
beloved ones, who by their departure left us in sadness and grief. Who
will show us all that good? Many asked this in King David's time, and
many ask even today. Who will show it to us, so that we may believe
and hope?
That good is shown to us Christians, and we wait for nothing higher,
for no one but the Lord Christ-the true Witness to all this good, the
true Witness and Lord, brethren, of all this good. The compassionate
Lord showed this good to His chosen prophets even before His coming to
earth. That is why David says to God: Lord, lift up the light of Thy
countenance upon us (Psalms 4:6).
This is the reply to those who ask: Who will show us any good? God
Himself showed us that good. The light of the Lord's countenance is
marked upon us, inscribed and etched in our hearts, and in that light
we recognize that good which only heaven can give. Brethren, is there
a cure for those who have heard about the coming of Christ on earth,
but nevertheless asked: Who will show us any good? If Christ had not
shown and revealed all that is good by His glorious birth, His
glorious miracles, His glorious Resurrection, and His Holy Church, the
dark earth would not show it, for it cannot; men would not show it,
for they do not know. However, there is a cure for everyone-even for
the most incorrigible unbelievers-up to the moment of death. This cure
is in repentance of one's evil, in the cleansing of one's heart, and
in the fulfilling of Christ's commandments. The healthy can see the
light of the countenance of the Lord; but not the sick in soul, the
impure in heart or the wrong-minded.
O our Lord God, light of angels and men; help us that we not darken
the light that Thou hast given us-and by which we see the heavenly
good-by the darkness of our sin. Do not deprive us of these good
things, O Most-merciful One.
To
the Top
October
19th
(New Style) • October 6th (Old Style)
The
Holy Apostle Thomas
Thomas
was one of the Twelve Apostles. Through his doubt in the Resurrection
of Christ the Lord, a new proof was given of that wonderful and saving
event. The resurrected Lord appeared to His disciples a second time,
in order to convince Thomas. The Lord said to Thomas: Reach hither thy
finger, and behold My hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it
into My side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas replied:
My Lord and my God (John 20:27-28). After the descent of the Holy
Spirit, when the apostles cast lots to see where they would each go to
preach, the lot fell to Thomas to go to India. He was a little
saddened that he had to go so far away, but the Lord appeared to him
and encouraged him. In India, St. Thomas converted many, both
aristocrats and poor, to the Christian Faith, and established the
Church there, appointing priests and bishops. Among others, Thomas
converted two sisters to the Faith-Tertiana and Migdonia-both wives of
Indian princes. Because of their faith, both sisters were ill-treated
by their husbands, with whom they no longer wanted to live after their
baptism. Eventually, they were allowed to go. Being freed of marriage,
they lived God-pleasing lives until their repose. Dionysius and
Pelagia were betrothed, but when they heard the apostolic preaching
they did not marry, but devoted themselves to the ascetic life.
Pelagia ended her life as a martyr for the Faith, and Dionysius was
ordained a bishop by the apostle. Prince Mazdai, Tertiana's husband,
whose son, Azan, was also baptized by Thomas, condemned the apostle to
death. Mazdai sent five soldiers to kill Thomas. They ran him through
with their five spears, and thus the Holy Apostle Thomas rendered his
soul into the hands of Christ. Before his death, he and the other
apostles were miraculously brought to Jerusalem for the burial of the
Most-holy Theotokos. Arriving too late, he wept bitterly, and the tomb
of the Holy Most-pure One was opened at his request. The Theotokos'
body was not found in the tomb: the Lord had taken His Mother to His
heavenly habitation. Thus, in his tardiness St. Thomas revealed to us
the wondrous glorification of the Mother of God, just as he had once
confirmed faith in the Resurrection of the Lord by his unbelief.
The
Venerable New Martyr Macarius
Macarius
was born in the town of Kios, in Bithynia. His parents, Peter and
Anthusa, were Christians, and he was baptized with the name of Manuel.
In his youth, he was sent to learn tailoring as a trade. In the
meantime, his father embraced Islam and moved to Brussa. There came a
time when Manuel came to Brussa on business, and his father found him
and exerted great pressure on him to become a Moslem. Manuel resisted
in vain: the Turks circumcised him by force. Manuel then fled to the
Holy Mountain and was tonsured a monk in the Skete of St. Anna. His
monastic name was Macarius. For twelve years he was an excellent monk,
but he never had peace of soul. Whosoever shall deny Me before men,
him will I also deny before My Father which is in heaven (Matthew
10:33)-Christ's words continually echoed in Macarius's mind. Finally,
with the blessing of his elder, he went to Brussa and openly confessed
his Faith in Christ before the Turks, calling Mohammed a false
prophet. After being flogged for 130 days and enduring other harsh
tortures, he was beheaded there, on October 6, 1590. A part of his
miracle-working relics is preserved in the Skete of St. Anna on Mount
Athos.
Reflection
We have
a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the
heavens (II Corinthians 5:1), says the discerning Apostle Paul. All
our efforts for God on earth have this purpose: to merit, according to
our power, this eternal house in the heavens not made by hands. The
Indian King Gundafor decided to build himself a magnificent palace,
unlike any other on earth. When Abban, his envoy, sought a skilled
craftsman to build the king's palace, he met the Apostle Thomas by
God's providence. St. Thomas told him that he was a craftsman, and
that no one else could build what the king wanted. Thomas therefore
received much gold from the king for the building of this palace. As
soon as he departed from the king, he distributed all the gold to the
poor. The palace site was some distance from the king's capital, and
after two years the king sent servants to ask Thomas if the palace was
completed. Thomas replied: ``Everything is ready except the roof,''
and he sought more money from the king; and the king gave it to him.
Again, Thomas distributed it all to the poor, and went throughout the
kingdom doing his work, preaching the Gospel. The king, learning that
Thomas had not even begun to build the palace, seized him and threw
him into prison. That night, the king's brother died, and the king
fell into great sorrow. An angel took the soul of the deceased and,
leading him through Paradise, showed him a magnificent palace, such as
the mind of man could not imagine. The soul of the deceased wished to
enter that palace, but the angel told him that he could not, for it
was his brother's palace, which the Apostle Thomas had built with his
alms. Then the angel returned the brother's soul to his body. When he
came to himself, he said to the king: ``Swear to me that you will give
me anything I ask.'' And the king swore. Then the brother said: ``Give
me the palace that you have in the heavens.'' The king was amazed that
he had a palace in the heavens. When the brother described everything
in detail, the king believed and immediately released Thomas from
prison. Then, when he heard the apostle's preaching of salvation and
eternal life, the king and his brother were baptized. King Gundafor
undertook new works of charity, and built an even more magnificent
palace in the heavens for himself.
Contemplation
Contemplate
the injustice of King Amon and God's punishment of him (II Chronicles
33):
1. How Amon, the son of Manasseh, turned from God and did that which
is evil in the sight of the Lord;
2. How he reigned for only two years, and was slain by his servants.
Homily
on the
king's repentance
I am
weary with my groaning; all night I wash my bed; I water my couch with
my tears (Psalms 6:6).
Day replaces night, and night replaces day. Let our daily repentance
be succeeded by nightly repentance, and our nightly repentance by
daily repentance. Daily repentance is shown primarily in good works;
and nightly repentance in prayer, sighing and weeping. Thus, we repay
our debt both day and night, by filling them with that which is most
worthwhile before the Lord, and that which will go with us to the
Judgment of God. Look at King David and behold an example of true
repentance. It is not enough to confess one's sin before a priest and
consider it forgiven. Behold, even David acknowledged his sin before
the Prophet Nathan, saying: I have sinned against the Lord (II Samuel
12:13). However, the great king did not consider this enough, but
continually sighed in prayer before God, and washed away his sin every
night with tears of repentance. Even lying in bed did not serve as
rest for him, but as exhaustion from tearful repentance and tearful
sighing. Do not say: ``David committed murder and adultery, and
therefore he had much to repent for.'' Do you not kill men by your
hatred, and commit adultery by your impure thoughts and desires?
Brethren, this life is not to justify ourselves but to condemn
ourselves. Blessed is he whom God will justify at the Dread Judgment.
Repentance is not a matter for one hour or for one day. Repentance
should be our inner occupation to the end of life. All night I water
my couch, said King David. That does not mean that there is no need
for repentance during the day, but that the outpouring of spiritual
repentance is more suited to the night than the day. In the stillness
of the night, both our sins and God's judgment come more clearly into
focus. Doesn't the night remind us more clearly of death than the day?
Doesn't the bed remind us of the nearness of the grave?
O Lord, just and wonderful, truly we cannot repent without Thy help.
Help us, O All-good One, that we might see our sinful wounds, and
smell the stench from them, and weep over ourselves-before our kinsmen
begin to weep over our dead bodies, and before our guardian angels
begin to weep over the carrion of our souls, when they are cast into
the unquenchable fire. Help us and save us, O our God.
To
the Top
October
20th
(New Style) • October 7th (Old Style)
The
Holy Martyrs Sergius and Bacchus
These
holy and wonderful martyrs and heroes of the Christian Faith were at
first noblemen at the court of Emperor Maximian. The emperor himself
esteemed them greatly because of their courage, wisdom and fidelity.
But when the emperor heard that his two noblemen were Christians, his
love for them turned into rage. Once, when there was a great
sacrificial offering to idols, the emperor demanded that Sergius and
Bacchus offer sacrifices with him, but they openly refused to obey the
emperor in this. Beside himself with rage, the emperor commanded that
their military garments, rings and emblems be stripped from them and
that they be dressed in women's clothing. He then placed iron hoops
around their necks and paraded them through the streets of the city of
Rome, to be mocked by everyone. Afterward, he sent them to Antiochus,
his deputy in Asia, for torture. Antiochus had risen to his position
with Sergius and Bacchus's help, as they had at one time recommended
him to the emperor. When Antiochus implored them to deny Christ and
save themselves from dishonorable suffering and death, these saints
replied: ``Both honor and dishonor, both life and death-all are the
same to him who seeks the Heavenly Kingdom.'' Antiochus cast Sergius
into prison and ordered that Bacchus be tortured first. His minions
took turns beating the holy Bacchus until his whole body was broken.
Bacchus's holy soul departed his broken and bloodied body, and in the
hands of angels was borne to the Lord. St. Bacchus suffered in the
town of Barbalissos. Then St. Sergius was led out and shod in iron
shoes with inward-protruding nails. He was driven, on foot, to the
town of Rozapha, in Syria, and was beheaded there with the sword. His
soul went to Paradise where, together with his friend Bacchus, he
received a crown of immortal glory from Christ, his King and Lord.
These two wondrous knights of the Christian Faith suffered in about
the year 303.
The
Holy Martyr Polychronius
Polychronius
was born in the district of Gamphanitus, of peasant parents. As a
young man, he worked as a day-laborer in the vineyard of a certain
Constantinopolitan. But even as a day-laborer Polychronius devoted
himself to the ascetic life of prayer and fasting day and night.
Seeing his life, angelic in its purity and abstinence, the vintner was
amazed, and gave him much more money than he earned. St. Polychronius
took the money and built a church. At the time of the Nicaean Council
(325), Polychronius was a church reader. He showed such zeal in the
defense of Orthodoxy against the Arians that he was ordained a priest.
Later, these evil heretics sought revenge, and attacked St.
Polychronius inside the church itself, and chopped him into pieces.
Thus, this great defender of the truth and purity of Orthodoxy
suffered and received a wreath of glory from his Most-glorious Lord.
Reflection
A vision
of St. Andrew the Fool-for-Christ: Once, St. Andrew was sitting with
his disciple Epiphanius, talking about the salvation of the soul. Just
then, a demon approached Epiphanius and began setting traps to
distract his thoughts, but did not dare to approach Andrew. Andrew
cried out: ``Depart from here, impure adversary!'' The devil drew back
and replied maliciously: ``You are my adversary, such as no other in
all of Constantinople!'' Andrew did not drive him away immediately,
but permitted him to speak. And the devil began: ``I feel that the
time is coming when my work will be finished. At that time, men will
be worse than I, as children will be even more wicked than adults.
Then I will rest and will not teach men anything anymore, since they
themselves will carry out my will in everything.'' Andrew asked him:
``In what sins do your kind rejoice the most?'' The devil replied:
``The service of idols, slander, malice against one's neighbor, the
sodomite sin, drunkenness and avarice-in this we rejoice the most.''
Andrew further asked him: ``And how do you tolerate it when someone
who first served you rejects you and your works?'' The devil replied:
``You know that better than I do; we find it difficult to tolerate,
but we are comforted by this: we will probably bring them back to
us-for many who have rejected us and turned to God have come back to
us again.'' After the evil spirit had said this and much more, St.
Andrew breathed on him and he disappeared.
Contemplation
Contemplate
the righteousness of King Josiah, and God's reward to him (II
Chronicles 34):
1. How King Josiah rooted out the idols, and did all that which is
good in the sight of the Lord;
2. How God's blessing was poured out upon him and his people during
his long reign.
Homily
on
children and their praise of the Lord
Out of
the mouth of babes and sucklings Thou hast ordained strength, because
of Thine enemies (Psalm 8:2).
At the glorious Entry of the Lord Jesus into Jerusalem, and even in
the Temple itself, the children cried out: Hosanna to the Son of
David! Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord! (Matthew
21:9). It seems that nothing irritated the Jewish elders so much as
this praising of Jesus by young children. Hearest thou what these say?
(Matthew 21:16), they asked Him maliciously. And Jesus answered them
meekly: Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and
sucklings thou hast perfected praise? (Matthew 21:16). Thus, it is as
clear as day that these prophetic words of David pertain to the wonder
that occurred at the Entry of the Lord Jesus Christ into Jerusalem:
this wondrous praising of the Lord by little children. It is obvious
that, as this event was prophesied, so it was literally fulfilled. It
is also obvious from this that the Lord Himself was then referring to
that prophecy of King David: Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings
Thou hast perfected praise. There can be no doubt that it was a great
wonder, inspired by the Spirit of God and carried out by the power and
will of God. While the princes, scribes, elders and priests were not
able to recognize Christ the Lord, the little children both recognized
and proclaimed Him! In truth, this is a miracle, unique throughout the
Old and New Testaments; and no less of a miracle than the resurrection
of the dead. In fact, during the first miracle (Christ's Entry into
Jerusalem) and during the second (Christ's Resurrection), the same
power of God was acting-the same Spirit and the same providence of
God. And the prophet wanted especially to emphasize this power and
majestic glory of God by the event with the little children, which
event he places parallel with the wonders of the starry universe,
created by the same power of God. When I consider Thy heavens, the
work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained
(Psalm 8:3).
Besides this, among those little children should be numbered the
apostles themselves-and many saints, ascetics, martyrs for Christ, and
virgins-thousands, thousands and thousands of those who, with
innocence and open hearts, recognized Christ as the Son of God and
their Savior, who embraced Him with wholehearted love and endured
difficult suffering for Him. Why, exactly, did the Lord ordain praise
for Himself from their mouths, and not from the mouths of nobles,
philosophers and rhetoricians? He accepted their praise because of
their meekness, and rejected the others because of their pride; for
the proud are the greatest enemies of God. That is why Christ
miraculously loosed the tongues of children, simple fisherman and
peasants-to proclaim the truth contrary to their enemies, that is, the
proud and empty princes and scribes of the Jews.
O Lord Most-powerful, Almighty God; loose our tongues also, that with
strong faith and childlike joy we too may proclaim Thine endless
glory.
To
the Top
