The Lives of the Saints
1. HOLY APOSTLE PETER
He is commemorated on this day because of the chains in which he was bound by the lawless Herod, and which fell from him at the appearance of an angel in the prison (Acts 12:7). Christians preserved these chains both in memory of the great Apostle and because of their healing power, for many sick people were healed by contact with them (as also with the handkerchief of the Apostle Paul, Acts 19:12). The Patriarch of Jerusalem, Saint Juvenal, gave these chains as a gift to Empress Eudoxia, the exiled wife of Emperor Theodosius the Younger, and she divided them in half, sending one half to the Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople, and the other to her daughter, Empress Eudoxia, wife of Valentinian in Rome. This Eudoxia built a church of Saint Peter, and placed in it these chains together with those in which Peter was bound before his death by Emperor Nero (see June 29).
2. HOLY MARTYRS SPEUSIPPUS, ELEUSIPPUS, MELEUSIPPUS AND THEIR GRANDMOTHER LEONILLA
They suffered for Christ in the time of Emperor Marcus Aurelius (161-180) in France. Three brothers, triplets. At first only Leonilla was a Christian, while her grandsons were pagans. After long counsels from the pious Leonilla and the local priest, these three brothers were baptized. Having been baptized, they began with all youthful fervor to be zealous for their faith, and in that zeal they went and smashed all the idols throughout the entire region. Accused and brought to trial, they confessed their deed and publicly professed their faith in Christ. The judge threw them into prison, then summoned grandmother Leonilla and directed her to go to the prison and advise her grandsons to renounce Christ and worship the idols. Leonilla silently went to the prison, but instead of advising her grandsons to renounce the true faith, she began to encourage them not to waver, but to endure to the end in all torments and die for Christ. When the judge examined them again and saw their even strengthened steadfastness in the faith, he condemned them to death. All three were first hanged from one tree where they hung "like strings on a gusle," then flogged, and finally burned with fire. A certain woman, Jovilla, inspired by the courage of these martyrs, cried out: "I too am a Christian!" Immediately they seized her, and together with the aged Leonilla they beheaded them with a sword.
3. VENERABLE MARTYR DAMASCENE OF GABROVO
He practiced asceticism at Hilandar, where he also became abbot. When he sought from certain Turks a debt owed to the monastery, they persuaded a Muslim woman to enter the house where Damascene was staying. Then those Turks came and found the woman there, and dragged Damascene before the qadi. Damascene was given a choice: either to be hanged, or to convert to Islam, to which he decisively replied: "It would be madness if I should purchase eternal destruction for a temporary life." He was hanged in the year 1771 in Svishtov. Thus Damascene sacrificed his body to save his soul. But God's punishment overtook his murderers immediately. They sat in a boat to cross the Danube, but by a sudden storm they were capsized and drowned.
4. VENERABLE ROMULUS
Romulus was born in Vidin. He was a disciple of Saint Gregory of Sinai. He practiced asceticism in several monasteries. At Ravanica (in Serbia) together with him was also Constantine Tsamblak. There Saint Romulus reposed in the Lord, around the year 1375.
Hymn of Praise
Hold fast to glorious Christ
And to His Gospel,
He has prepared for you
An eternity of radiance and joy.
Fear not fierce wounds,
They are passing: nor death:
Death cannot over the faithful to Christ
Either hide or crush.
In the midst of fire three grandsons
Raised praise to God,
While the wicked ones their dear grandmother
Leonilla beheaded.
Reflection
Nothing so breaks human pride as habitual obedience to elders. In ancient Sparta obedience was considered a great virtue. It is told how a Spartan soldier in battle, rushing with an unsheathed sword, overtook an enemy, and just when he swung to strike him down, the trumpet sounded for the cessation of battle, and he lowered his sword into its sheath. When someone who had seen this asked him why he did not strike down the enemy, he answered: "Better to obey the commander than to strike down the enemy!"
Christian obedience differs from this Spartan obedience in that it is voluntary and has as its goal the salvation of the soul, that is, it is not for the preservation of an earthly kingdom but for the obtaining of the heavenly kingdom. Saint John the Short began his struggle with a certain elder of Thebaid. The elder, in order to teach the disciple obedience, planted a dry stick in the ground and ordered the disciple to water it every day. For three years John watered the dry stick without murmuring, until at last it turned green and bore fruit. This is the fruit of obedience without murmuring. The crucified Lord Himself was obedient even unto death (Philippians 2:8).
“For three years John watered the dry stick without murmuring, until at last it turned green and bore fruit.”
Contemplation
Contemplate the peace of the Lord Jesus, namely:
1. The peace which He bore in His soul—the only perfect Myrrh-bearer;
2. The peace which He created among people—the only perfect Peacemaker;
3. The peace which He gave to His disciples—the only perfect Peace-giver.
Homily
on how we are all free only as servants of Christ
He that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant (1 Corinthians 7:22)
The great novelty which Christianity proclaims to the world every day is that nothing is valued at full worth by outward appearance, but by essence. That things are not valued by color and form, but by meaning. That man is not valued by position and possessions, but by the heart—by the heart in which are united feeling, mind and will. According to this teaching, always new to the world, a slave is not one who is outwardly enslaved, nor is a freeman one who has outward, bodily freedom. According to the worldly understanding a slave is one who enjoys less from the world, and a freeman is one who enjoys more from the world. According to the Christian understanding a slave is one who enjoys less from the living and sweet Christ, and a freeman is one who enjoys more from the living and sweet Christ. And again according to the worldly understanding a slave is one who does less his own will and more another's will, and a freeman is one who does more his own will and less another's will. According to the Christian understanding, however, a slave is one who does more his own will and less God's will, and a freeman is one who does more God's will and less his own. To serve the Lord is the only true and human-worthy freedom, and to serve the world and oneself, sin and vice, is the only death-dealing servitude. Kings on thrones—one would think: are there any freer people on earth? And yet many of the kings were the lowest and most unworthy slaves of the earth. Chained Christians in prison—one would think: are there any more wretched slaves on earth? And yet Christian martyrs in prison felt themselves to be free people, and filled with spiritual joy, they sang psalms and raised thankful prayers to God. Freedom coupled with sorrow and grief is not freedom but servitude. Only freedom in Christ is coupled with inexpressible joy. And lasting joy is the sign of true freedom.
O Lord Jesus, only gentle Master, who givest us freedom when Thou bindest us ever more strongly to Thyself, make us as soon as possible Thy servants, that we may cease to be servants of cruel and merciless masters. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.
“Freedom coupled with sorrow and grief is not freedom but servitude.”