The Lives of the Saints
1. SAINT JAMES, BISHOP AND CONFESSOR
Neither the place of his birth nor the place of his episcopal see is known. It is known only that he fulfilled the law of Christ, laboring greatly in fasting and prayer, and that in the time of Copronymus he endured great afflictions and torments from the iconoclasts: hunger, imprisonment, and mockery of every kind. At last he gave up his soul to God, Whom he had faithfully served in this life. He lived and suffered in the seventh century.
2. VENERABLE CYRIL, BISHOP OF CATANA IN SICILY
He was a native of Antioch and a disciple of the Apostle Peter. He governed the flock of Christ well. He also had the gift of wonderworking through prayer. Thus he once converted a certain bitter water — which could not be drunk, and in that place there was no other water in summer — into sweet, drinkable water by prayer. He reposed in peace.
3. SAINT THOMAS, PATRIARCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE
He lived in the time of Emperors Maurice and Phocas, and in the time of the holy Patriarchs John the Faster and Cyriacus. Noticed by Saint John for his great piety and zeal, he was elevated by that holy one to the rank of sakellarios (administrator) of the Patriarchate, and after the death of Cyriacus was elected Patriarch. In his time there occurred a remarkable event: when a procession was once going with crosses, the crosses began to shake of themselves and strike against one another. All the people were astonished; and when the patriarch learned of this as a true occurrence, he summoned Theodore of Sykeon, a renowned ascetic and clairvoyant, asking him to explain what this foretold. Theodore prayed to God and revealed to the patriarch that it signified great calamities that would befall both the Church and the Greek Empire on account of internal religious and political discord. Christians would themselves beat and exterminate one another. All of this was soon fulfilled. Thomas begged Theodore to pray to God for him, that God would take him before those calamities came. "Art thou bidding me come to thee, or shall we meet there before God?" Thus Theodore wrote back to the patriarch, thereby hinting that both the patriarch and he would soon die. And that very same day the patriarch fell ill and died, and shortly after him holy Theodore as well. Holy Thomas passed away and departed to the Lord in the year 610.
4. VENERABLE SERAPION
A companion of Saint Anthony the Great. He was in the Nitrian desert the superior of the so-called Arsenoite monasteries, in which there were about eleven thousand monks. Palladius and Sozomen call him the Great. He reposed around the year 366. Saint Serapion wrote: "Do not think that illness is difficult — only sin is difficult... Illness accompanies us only to the grave, but sin follows the sinner even after the grave."
“If a man is not thus crushed, he cannot be a monk!”
Hymn of Praise
VENERABLE SERAPION
Serapion desired to save a sinful woman,
And took upon himself the guise of a sinner,
And entered unto the sinful woman as if to commit sin,
But before the sin he spoke to her thus:
"Await a little — we have the whole night;
While I finish a prayer, then we shall proceed!"
Serapion began to read the prayers,
Raising his mind to God, wandering nowhere.
Then he strung one prayer after another,
Sighing sigh after sigh unto the Most High.
He read through the whole Psalter and other prayers,
Then began long prayers for the sinful woman:
He broke off the prayers with weeping and sighing,
Until even the sinful woman began to sob.
To sob and weep as never before in her life.
She perceived that the holy one had come not for sin,
But to save her from her dissoluteness
And lift her up to God, and wash her of the mud.
And the woman cried out: What must I do?
Behold, I am ashamed of myself and loathe myself! —
Serapion then gave her direction,
And entrusted her to the care of wise sisters,
And he himself set out for the desert,
Rejoicing that he had saved one sinful soul.
Reflection
From many who pursue the getting of wealth, you will hear this justification: When I become rich, I shall be able to do good works! Do not believe them, for they deceive both you and themselves. Saint John of the Ladder knew deeply even the most hidden motivations of the human soul when he said: "Love of money begins with the presumption that one is performing acts of mercy, and ends with hatred of the poor." This is confirmed in all lovers of money, both the very wealthy and the moderately wealthy. People commonly say: if only I had money, I would do this or that good deed! Do not believe him. Let him not even believe himself. Let him look as in a mirror at those who have money and will not do this or that good deed. Such he too would be if he acquired money. Again the wise John says: "Do not say that you need to gather money for the poor — to obtain the Kingdom through such aid to them. For the Kingdom can be bought even for two pennies." Truly, the widow in the Gospel bought it for two pennies, while the rich man at whose gate Lazarus lay — could not buy it for his countless wealth. If you have nothing to give to the poor, pray to God that He give to him, and thereby you have already performed an act of mercy and bought the Kingdom of Heaven. When Saint Basil the New foretold to the empress, wife of Emperor Constantine Porphyrogennetos, that she would first bear a daughter and then a son, the empress offered him much gold. The holy one refused, but the empress adjured him by the Holy Trinity to take it. Then Saint Basil took only three small gold coins and gave them to the poor Theodora who served him, saying: "We do not need much of this thorn, for it pricks very sharply."
“Do not say that you need to gather money for the poor. For the Kingdom can be bought even for two pennies.”
Contemplation
Contemplate the Lord Jesus crucified on the Cross, namely:
1. His head wounded by the crown of thorns;
2. His eyes closed from pain;
3. His lips parched from thirst.
Homily
on the First and the Last, the Living One
Fear not; I am the First and the Last: and He that liveth and was dead; and behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen (Rev. 1:18)
Thus spoke the Lord Jesus to His beloved disciple John in the vision on the island of Patmos. Of what should he not be afraid? Be not afraid of the persecution of the Church by the pagans. Be not afraid of the torturers who torment My faithful ones on all sides. Be not afraid of the emperors who raise up persecution against the Christians. Be not afraid of the violent nobles of this world, who blind men with passions so that they do not see the truth which I have brought into the world. Fear nothing!
How can I not be afraid, O Lord? When all the world is armed to the teeth and gathered against us, few and unarmed as we are — how can I not be afraid?
Fear not, for I am the First and the Last, the Alpha and the Omega. And all those armies armed against you are nothing but a passing whirlwind of dead men. I am before time and I am after time, before the beginning of all things and after the end of all created things — I AM. And they are all locked within a span of time which I have measured out to each created being, and beyond that span they cannot extend themselves.
Fear not, for I was dead and behold I am alive. Fear not even death. I am before death and after death. Death is My servant, and I sent My servant into the world to serve Me. And I gave Myself over to My servant for three days, and commanded him to release Me, and behold I am alive. I am the owner of death as well as of life. I am the owner of time as of eternity. Fear not! For ever and ever I am alive. And thou shalt be alive with Me. And all those who remain faithful to Me and fear not shall be alive with Me. Fear not — I am the Alpha and the Omega.
O Lord, eternal and immortal, grant that these Thy holy words may sound always in the souls of Thy faithful whenever persecution is raised against Thy holy Church. May we not fear, holding on to Thy right hand. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.
“All those armies armed against you are nothing but a passing whirlwind of dead men, locked within a span of time which God has measured out to each created being.”