Lives of the Saints
1. SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST
Because John's main role in life was played out on the day of Theophany, the Church from ancient times has dedicated the day after Theophany to his commemoration. This day is also connected with the event of the hand of the Forerunner. The Evangelist Luke desired to transfer John's body from Sebastia, where the great prophet had been beheaded by Herod, to Antioch, his native place. But he succeeded only in obtaining and transferring one hand, which was preserved in Antioch until the tenth century, and was later transferred to Constantinople, from where it disappeared in the time of the Turks. Saint John is celebrated several times a year, but the greatest feast is on this day, January 7. Among the Gospel figures who surround the Savior, the person of John the Baptist occupies a completely separate place, both by the manner of his coming into the world, and by his manner of life in the world, and by his role of baptizing people for repentance and baptizing the Messiah, and so finally by his tragic departure from this life. He was of such moral purity that, truly, he could sooner be called an angel, as Holy Scripture indeed calls him, than a mortal man. From all the other prophets Saint John is distinguished especially by the fact that he had the good fortune of being able to point with his hand to the world Him whom he prophesied. About the hand of Saint John it is told that every year on the saint's day the hierarch would bring it out before the people. Sometimes that hand appeared spread open, and sometimes clenched. In the first case it signified a fruitful and abundant year, and in the second a barren and hungry one (see other dates in the year: February 24, May 25, June 24, August 29).
2. HOLY MARTYR ATHANASIUS
This martyr of Christ was a simple and poor man, but rich in faith and wise by the Spirit of God. Once he unintentionally entered into a dispute about the faith with a certain Turk. The Turk was educated and skillful with words, but Athanasius labored with all his strength to emphasize and confirm the truth and superiority of the Christian faith over the Muslim faith. In that they parted. The next day Athanasius was summoned before the court. This Turk stood there as his accuser. When the judge called upon Athanasius to renounce the faith of Christ and become a Turk, as he had supposedly declared before his traveling companion the day before, Athanasius cried out: "I would sooner accept a thousand deaths than renounce the faith of Christ!" For this he was condemned to death and beheaded in the year 1700 in Smyrna. His body was buried in the church of Saint Paraskeva in the same city.
Hymn of Praise
Thirty years of fasting and silence!
Even the mountain beasts cannot endure this.
The lion soothes his hunger with the music of his roaring,
And the tree rustles when the wind blows upon it,
But thou dost not rustle, nor roar, nor cry out.
Through the wilderness neither thy weeping nor thy song resounds!
Art thou a man, tell me? What is thy name?
Wilt thou ever wish to speak with anyone?
"A voice, a voice, a voice, I am a voice, and He is the Word of God,
I am sent to cry out to the children of Israel:
Repent, O people, behold He is coming,
Bring forth good fruit, each according to his strength.
Behold, behold He comes, O wonder of wonders,
In the midst of the water hidden, fire from heaven!
Behold the Lamb of God walks among the wolves;
Wolves, wash your wolfish nature in the water!"
Thirty years of silence and fasting,
What remains of thy body except a voice?
Thy withered body, the shadow of thy voice,
Which proclaims one message: behold God comes to us!
Thy withered body, like a reed, Herod broke.
But the voice went forth, went forth—no one can silence it.
Whose voice is this? Before which the ages tremble?
A hungry lion's? No, no—a man of faith.
“A voice, a voice, a voice, I am a voice, and He is the Word of God.”
Reflection
"Man is not something visible," said Saint Basil the Great. Just as one house resembles another house, so one outward man resembles another outward man. But honor is given to a house according to who dwells in it, so also to a man according to the spirit that dwells in him. To bodily sight it is clear that the house is not the master but only the house in which the master dwells; but only to spiritual sight is it clear that the body is not the man but only the house in which the man dwells.
“Man is not something visible.”
Contemplation
Contemplate the Lord's going to the mountain of temptation, namely:
1. How He after baptism immediately sets out for fasting and prayer;
2. How the devil makes snares for the baptized person especially during the time of fasting and prayer;
3. How He, meek as a lamb but resolute as a master, rejected all the devil's temptations.
Homily
on obedience to the will of God
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10)
Blessed is John the Baptist, for he fulfilled the Gospel before the Gospel! Having gone into the wilderness, he had surrendered himself completely to the will of God, both in body and in soul. And the will of God was done both on the earth of his body and in the heaven of his soul. Neither hunger nor beast harmed his body in the wilderness through many years, nor did despair harm his soul because of solitude, nor pride because of heavenly visions. He sought from people neither bread nor knowledge. God gave him everything that was necessary, for he had surrendered himself completely to the will of God.
Neither did he direct his steps into the wilderness nor out of the wilderness. An invisible rudder from on high steered his life. For when it was necessary that he come out of the wilderness and go to meet the Lord, it is said: "the word of God came unto John" (Luke 3:2). As an innocent youth so simply does John tell of his communion with the heavenly powers: and I knew him not (that is, Christ); but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God (John 1:33-34). How tenderly and simply he speaks of heavenly matters! And how terrible he is, like a lion, when he speaks against the injustice of men, against Herod and Herodias! The lamb and the lion dwell together in him. Heaven is as close to him as a mother to a child. And the will of God is as accessible and clear to him as it is to the angels in heaven.
O Lord most wise, direct according to Thy will the life also of us sinners in the wilderness of this life, as Thou didst direct the life of Saint John the Baptist. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.
“The lamb and the lion dwell together in him. Heaven is as close to him as a mother to a child.”