The Lives of the Saints
1. HOLY MARTYR NICEPHORUS
The life of this martyr shows clearly how God rejects pride and crowns with glory humility and brotherly love. In Antioch there lived two close friends, the learned priest Sapricus and an ordinary, simple citizen Nicephorus. Their friendship somehow turned into terrible mutual hatred. The God-fearing Nicephorus tried many times to reconcile with the priest, but the priest would not consent to this in any way. When persecution of Christians arose, the priest Sapricus was condemned to death and led to the place of execution. The grieving Nicephorus followed Sapricus, begging him along the way to forgive him at least before death, and that they part in peace: "I beg you, martyr of Christ," Nicephorus said, "forgive me if I have sinned against you in anything!" Sapricus would not even turn to look at his adversary, but calmly and proudly walked toward death. But seeing the hardness of the priest's heart, God did not want to accept his martyric sacrifice and crown him with a crown, but secretly withdrew grace from him. And at the last moment Sapricus renounced Christ before the executioners and declared that he would bow down to idols. Thus he was blinded by hatred! Nicephorus begged Sapricus not to renounce Christ. "O beloved brother, do not do this, do not renounce our Lord Jesus Christ, do not lose the heavenly crown!" But all in vain. Sapricus remained in his decision. Then Nicephorus cried out to the executioners: "I too am a Christian, behead me instead of Sapricus!" The executioners reported this to the judge, and the judge ordered them to release Sapricus and to behead Nicephorus. Joyfully Nicephorus placed his head on the block, and was beheaded. And thus he was deemed worthy of the kingdom and was crowned with the immortal crown of glory. This happened in the year 260 during the time of Emperor Gallienus.
2. PRIEST-MARTYR PETER OF DAMASCUS
Regarding this saint some think he lived in the eighth century, and others in the twelfth. This difference in opinions surely comes from the fact that there were two Peters of Damascus. This one of whom we speak was a great ascetic. Selfless to the extreme, he did not have a single book of his own, but borrowed and read. And he read tirelessly, gathering wisdom as a bee gathers honey. He was for some time bishop in Damascus, but because he spoke against Mohammedanism and the Manichaean heresy, the Arabs cut out his tongue and sent him deep into Arabia into exile. But God gave him the power of speech so that even in exile he preached the Gospel and converted many to the Christian faith. He composed and left to posterity one precious book on the spiritual life. He died as confessor and martyr and departed to the Kingdom of Christ.
“God rejects pride and crowns with glory humility and brotherly love.”
Hymn of Praise
Eight kinds of knowledge Damascus enumerated
For people of spiritual and divine lineage:
First: knowledge of sorrows and all temptations,
Second: knowledge of the sum of one's transgressions,
Of one's transgressions and God's goodness.
Third: knowledge of horror, torment and terror,
Before death and in death, and after separation,
When the soul stands before righteous judgment.
Fourth: knowledge of Christ the Savior,
Of His life, and of all the saints,
Of saintly deeds, sufferings and words,
That like a silver bell resound through the ages.
Fifth is knowledge of natural properties.
Changes and transformations of physical phenomena.
Sixth is knowledge of forms and things,
Of all sensory beings, natural apparitions.
Seventh: knowledge of the intelligible, spiritual world,
Angelic and demonic, both good and evil.
But the eighth knowledge—is knowledge of God,
The Only Holy One. Strong, Immortal.
By theology this knowledge is called
To it the rare, the rare ascend:
The greatest purity a theologian needs,
For an impure heart does not reach heaven.
Damascus acquired the seven lower knowledges
And reached the eighth, to knowledge of God.
But the eighth is given and granted by God,
It neither is learned, nor is earned.
“The eighth knowledge is knowledge of God. But the eighth is given and granted by God; it neither is learned, nor is earned.”
Reflection
Saint Peter of Damascus writes about general and particular gifts of God and says: "The general gifts are the four elements, and all that comes from them, as well as all the wondrous and awesome deeds of God, set forth in Divine Scripture. But the particular ones are those which God gives to each person individually: whether wealth for the sake of almsgiving, or poverty for the sake of endurance with thanksgiving; whether authority for the sake of justice and establishing virtue, or subjection and servitude for the sake of swift salvation of the soul; whether health for the sake of helping the weak, or illness for the sake of the crown of patience; whether reason and skill in acquisition for the sake of virtue, or powerlessness and ineptitude for the sake of obedient humility... All this, although it seems contrary one to another, yet according to purpose all is very good." In conclusion he says that we owe God thanks for all gifts, and with patience and hope to endure all afflictions and misfortunes. For everything that God gives us or permits upon us benefits our salvation.
Contemplation
Contemplate the Lord Jesus as source of joy, namely:
1. In the torments of life, which only He can replace with joy;
2. In the bondage of passions, which only He can replace with the joy of freedom;
3. In death, from which only He can resurrect us.
Homily
on the word of God stronger than death
If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death (John 8:52)
If a candle burns in a room, there will be no darkness as long as the candle burns and gives light. If food is salted, it will be preserved from spoilage. If someone keeps the word of Christ in his soul, he keeps both salt and light, and life will abide in him. Such a soul will neither grow dark in this life nor taste decaying death.
Whoever keeps the word of Christ in himself, the word of Christ keeps him; it sustains him from within, and nourishes, and illumines, and enlivens. Whether he is in the body or out of the body, he feels equally alive from the word of Christ. Death can separate his soul from the body, but not from Christ, that is, from undying eternal life. The death of the body will give to his life-bearing soul only a freer flight into the embrace of the beloved Christ the Life-giver.
But what does it mean, brethren, to keep the word of Christ in oneself? It means: first - to keep it in one's mind, thinking about it; second - to keep it in one's heart, loving it; third - to keep it in one's will, fulfilling it in deed, and fourth - to keep it also with the tongue, openly confessing it when there is need for this. In a word, to keep the word of Christ means - to be filled with it and to fulfill it. Whoever thus keeps the word of Christ, truly will not taste death forever.
O our Lord, mighty Lord, mightier than death, grant us strength and understanding, that we may keep Thy holy word to the end. That we may not taste death, and death may not taste us - that decay may not touch our soul. Be merciful to us, all-merciful Lord. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.
“Whoever keeps the word of Christ in himself, the word of Christ keeps him; it sustains him from within, and nourishes, and illumines, and enlivens.”