Lives of the Saints
1. HOLY GREAT-MARTYR ANASTASIA THE DELIVERER FROM POTIONS AND OTHERS WITH HER
This glorious heroine of the Faith of Christ was born in Rome in a senatorial and wealthy household, of a pagan father and Christian mother. From early youth Anastasia clung in love to the Lord Jesus, guided in the teaching of Christ by a certain pious teacher Chrysogonus. Forced by her father, Anastasia entered into marriage with a certain pagan nobleman Publius. But, excusing herself on account of female illness, Anastasia would not consent to enter into bodily relations with him. Because of this her husband tormented her bitterly with confinement and hunger. And even greater torments he inflicted upon her when Publius learned that Anastasia secretly went to the prisons to Christian martyrs, brought them provisions, served them, washed their wounds, loosened their chains. But by God's Providence Anastasia was freed from her wicked husband. Publius was sent by the emperor to Persia, and traveling by sea, Publius drowned. Then Saint Anastasia began freely to serve the tortured Christians and with her great inheritance to comfort the poor by distributing alms to them. Once Emperor Diocletian was in the city of Aquileia, and commanded that they bring to him the confessor of Christ, Chrysogonus. Saint Anastasia accompanied Chrysogonus on the journey. Holy Chrysogonus was beheaded by the emperor's command. Then also suffered three sisters, Agape, Chionia and Irene (see April 16): the first two were cast into fire, and the third was shot through with an arrow. Their bodies Saint Anastasia took, wrapped in white linen and having covered them with many aromatic spices, honorably buried them. Then Anastasia went to Macedonia, where Anastasia helped the sufferers for Christ. There Anastasia was recognized as a Christian, because of which Anastasia was seized and led to hearings and interrogations before various judges. Desiring to die for her beloved Christ, Anastasia unceasingly cried out in her heart to Him. A certain chief of priests Ulpian wished to touch lustfully the body of Saint Anastasia, but suddenly went blind and expired. Condemned to death by starvation, Saint Anastasia lay in prison for thirty days without food, nourishing herself only with tears and prayer. Then Anastasia was placed in a boat with several other Christians to be drowned, but God preserved her even from that death. Finally Anastasia was bound by feet and hands to four stakes over a fire, and gave up her holy soul to God. Anastasia suffered and passed into the Kingdom of Christ in the year 304.
2. HOLY MARTYR THEODOTIA WITH THREE CHILDREN
Remaining a young widow with her three children, Theodotia gave herself entirely to service to God and to raising her children in the pious faith. With her dwelt Saint Anastasia when Anastasia was in Macedonia, and together with Theodotia, Anastasia visited Christ's prisoners in the dungeons. Brought before the court, Theodotia boldly confessed Christ the Lord. Then Theodotia was sent to the proconsul of Bithynia, Nicetius. When a certain shameless pagan wished to touch her body, Theodotia suddenly saw God's angel beside her, and the man was struck by the angel. Condemned to death and cast into a heated furnace together with her three children, holy Theodotia honorably ended her life and passed into the Kingdom of eternal glory.
Hymn of Praise
To God serves the holy virgin Anastasia,
By faith, hope and deeds, shines with God.
Husband, glory and wealth the virgin leaves behind,
And to the captives gladly serves, God she glorifies.
Chains she loosens, wounds she washes for the martyrs;
Gifts she gives and does not take:
Neither from men nor from earth does she seek payment,
By Christ God her soul and heart she soothes.
The torment passed, remained the glory of Anastasia.
With the angels now in heaven she rejoices.
“Chains she loosens, wounds she washes for the martyrs; gifts she gives and does not take.”
Reflection
The merciful God often sends comfort to His pleasing ones on earth through His saints from the other world. Before Saint Anastasia, holy Theodotia suffered for Christ. Then Anastasia was cast into a narrow and dark prison, that in it, by the torturer's judgment, she might die of hunger. During the thirty days of her imprisonment, every night holy Theodotia appeared to her from the other world and strengthened her in her suffering. After Anastasia had asked sufficiently and heard sufficiently from Theodotia, Anastasia asked her one night how it was that Theodotia came to her after death. Theodotia answered her that to martyrs' souls is given by God this special grace, that after parting from this world they can come to whomever they wish for the purpose of giving instruction and comfort. When thirty days were completed, the torturer brought Anastasia out of prison and was amazed to see her alive. And then he condemned her, with several others, to drowning in the sea. The soldiers put the Christians in one small boat, and they themselves sailed in another. And when they had rowed out to the depths, they bored through that boat, so that water would enter and drown the condemned. Then one miraculous apparition occurred. Namely: holy Theodotia appeared on the water and steered the boat toward the shore. And thus all the condemned were saved with Anastasia. Seeing this miracle of God, one hundred twenty pagans immediately believed in Christ and were baptized.
Contemplation
Contemplate David's sufferings because of sin, namely:
1. How misfortune arose in David's house; one son rose against another, and brother against sister;
2. How Absalom waged war against his father David;
3. How the whole people were overtaken by misfortune because of the king's sin.
Homily
on Patient Job
The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord (Job 1:21)
Let the righteous man fear nothing, brethren, all will be well with him. All of Holy Scripture shows us that God does not abandon the righteous to the end. The example of Job shows us this as clearly as the sun. Job had seven sons and three daughters, Job had wealth and respect among men, and friends. And all this he lost in one day. Job did not murmur against God but fell to the earth and bowed down, and said: Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither. Then Job also lost his health, the last thing he had, and his whole body, from crown to heel, was covered with sores and pus. And Job sat on ashes and raised praise to God. And his wife urged him to renounce his God. Righteous Job said to her: *When we received good from God, shall we not receive evil? * His friends reproached him that he was sinful and boasted of their own wisdom and righteousness before him, but Job humbly prayed to God, and patiently bore his wounds and his misfortune. Even today it happens as it did then, that when some misfortune overtakes us, our neighbors pretend to be wiser and more righteous than we are. But the All-wise God allowed all these misfortunes upon Job to test not only Job, His servant, but also his relatives and friends. And when each showed what he was, when each passed the test before God, then God by His almighty right hand restored to Job both health and double the wealth that He had taken from him, and gave him again seven sons and three daughters.
Whoever has strong faith, brethren, has also clear spiritual vision, that he can see the finger of God both in his prosperity and in his suffering. Whoever has strong faith has also great patience in suffering. When God gives to him, he gives thanks, when God takes from him, he blesses: blessed be the name of the Lord.
O Lord God of Job the much-suffering and patient, teach us also to bless Thy name in our suffering. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.
“Whoever has strong faith has also great patience in suffering. When God gives to him, he gives thanks, when God takes from him, he blesses.”