Lives of the Saints
1. SAINT GREGORY THE THEOLOGIAN, ARCHBISHOP OF CONSTANTINOPLE
Gregory was born in Nazianzus of a father who was a Hellene and a Christian mother. Before baptism he studied in Athens together with Basil the Great and Julian the Apostate. Often he prophesied to Julian that he would be an apostate from the faith and a persecutor of the Church, which came to pass. Gregory was especially influenced by his good mother Nonna. When he finished his studies, Gregory was baptized. Saint Basil ordained him as Bishop of Sasima, and Emperor Theodosius the Great soon called him to the vacant throne of Archbishop of Constantinople. He composed numerous works, of which the most glorious are those on Theology, for which reason he was called the Theologian. Especially notable for its depth is his work Discourses on the Holy Trinity. He also wrote against the heretic Macedonius, who taught falsely about the Holy Spirit (as if the Spirit were a creation of God), and against Apollinaris, who taught falsely, as if Christ did not have a human soul, but that His divinity was in place of a soul. He also wrote against Emperor Julian the Apostate, his former schoolmate. When at the Council of 381 there arose a dispute over his election as archbishop, he withdrew of his own accord, declaring: "Those who deprive us of the throne cannot deprive us of God." Then he left Constantinople, went to Nazianzus, and there lived until his death in seclusion, prayer and writing useful books. Although his entire life he was of weak health, nevertheless he reached his eightieth year. His relics were later transferred to Rome, and his head is located in the Dormition Cathedral in Moscow. He was and remained a great and wondrous light of the Orthodox Church, both for the meekness and purity of his character and for the unsurpassed depth of his mind. He reposed in the Lord in the year 390 (see January 30).
2. VENERABLE PUBLIUS
First he was a senator, but having come to know the light of Christ, he left his honors, distributed his property to the poor and gave himself to the ascetic life near his city of Zeugma on the Euphrates. He founded two communities and reposed in the Lord in the year 380.
3. VENERABLE MARES
He was distinguished by external beauty and a sweet-singing voice. He withdrew from the world and lived in a hut for thirty-seven years in fasting, prayer and cleansing of the heart from thoughts. As a ninety-year-old elder he reposed in the Lord in the year 430.
4. HOLY MARTYRS FELICITAS AND HER SEVEN SONS
As a Christian woman in the time of Emperor Antoninus, in the year 164 she was condemned to death together with her seven sons. She prayed to God only that they would not kill her before her sons, that she might encourage them during torture and killing, so that they would not deny Christ. And so it was by God's providence. With joy this unsurpassed mother sent off one by one her sons, until she had sent off all seven and seen their execution. Then she too with thanksgiving to God received a martyr's death. All suffered in Rome where their relics are also located.
“We are one in God, as you see, and there is nothing contradictory in us, nor is there a first or second among us.”
Hymn of Praise
Felicitas prayed to God:
"I have a wreath of seven pearls,
I wish to wrap it in purple,
In purple to give it to Thee,
God most dear, receive these gifts!"
Seven sons are seven pearls,
And the purple is martyr's blood.
The maternal prayer ascended
And like incense reached the Lord.
The Roman Caesar condemned the sons
To bitter death in bitter torments.
The mother rejoiced, everyone marvels at her!
Felicitas encouraged her sons:
"For this I nurtured you, children,
To give you to God as a reward,
For God gave you to me as a gift."
This she spoke, the executioner began his work:
One fell, the mother bowed,
The second fell, the mother bows twice,
The third fell, the mother bows thrice,
With the fourth—four times she bows,
The fifth fell, five times she bows,
The sixth fell, six times she bows,
The seventh fell, seven times she bows,
The mother bows, gives thanks to God,
Eight times for herself she bowed,
Then rested her head on the block.
The sword flashed, cut off her head—
The mother kissed her children in Paradise.
“One fell, the mother bowed, the second fell, the mother bows twice. The sword flashed—the mother kissed her children in Paradise.”
Reflection
They deceive themselves those who confidently say that they know people well and will not be deceived by anyone. Who can know what spirit is in which person, except God alone, who knows the secrets of the heart? Even the great saints were deceived in people. Thus for example, Saint Basil for a long time considered a certain hypocritical heretic to be his own man, and defended him from many attackers, until at last he himself was convinced of his falseness and bitterly disappointed. Saint Gregory the Theologian had baptized a certain philosopher named Maximus, and loved him so much that he kept him in his home and at his table. But this Maximus was wicked and cunning as a snake, and after a certain time achieved through intrigues and bribes that he was recognized by some Constantinopolitans as patriarch in place of Saint Gregory. When this trial, after great disturbances, was removed, some reproached Gregory for how he could keep his greatest opponent with himself? "We are not to blame," the saint answered, "if we do not see through someone's malice. Only God knows the inner secrets of man. And we are commanded by law to open our heart with fatherly love to everyone who comes to us." An innocent person cannot easily comprehend the malice of the malicious.
“An innocent person cannot easily comprehend the malice of the malicious.”
Contemplation
Contemplate the Lord Jesus as king, namely:
1. As lord over nature, which He tames and places in His service;
2. As lord over demons, and diseases, and over death;
3. As lord over the immortal kingdom of angels and saints.
Homily
on who Christ is
**Whom do men say that I am? ** (Mark 8:27)
Behold, brethren, it will soon be 2000 years since that day when the Lord Jesus posed this question to His disciples. From then until now this question has been posed to every human generation, to every bright day and dark night; and every human generation, and every bright day and every dark night has had to give some answer to this question. This question is a question of life or death, and the answer to it is life-bearing or death-bearing. Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God, answered the Apostle Peter. And this answer was approved and praised by the Lord Jesus.
Who do people today say Christ is? Some say, with the Jews, that He is a violator of the law and a self-proclaimed Messiah. Others say, with Pilate, that they cannot at all arrive at the truth about this man. Still others say, with the apostles, that He is the Christ, the Son of the living God, the Savior and Redeemer of the human race from sin and death, the Risen One and the Resurrector, the Living One and the Life-Giver. And we all, baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity, agree with the apostles and the holy apostolic Church, which by its conciliar voice thus confesses Christ the Lord.
O Lord, only-begotten Son of God, help us that every day of our life we may believe in Thee with our heart and confess Thee with our mouth as our God and our Savior, as God's power and God's wisdom. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.
“This question is a question of life or death, and the answer to it is life-bearing or death-bearing.”