The Lives of the Saints
1. SAINT TYCHON, BISHOP OF AMATHUS
A wonderworker. After the death of the blessed Memnonius, Tychon was unanimously elected bishop and was consecrated by the renowned Epiphanius for the diocese of Amathus. The purity of his life and his zeal for Orthodoxy recommended him for this rank. At that time there were still pagans on the island of Cyprus. And Saint Tychon undertook with apostolic zeal to convert the unbelievers to believers. And he had great success in this. After long labor in the vineyard of the Lord he departed to blessed eternity around the year 425. He was called a wonderworker because of the many miracles he performed during his life. His father was a baker. Whenever his father would leave him in the shop, he would distribute bread to the poor for free. Once his father rebuked him for this, and he prayed to God, and their granary was filled with grain so that they could barely open the doors. Another time he planted dry vine cuttings, and the vine turned green and in due time bore fruit.
2. THE HOLY MARTYRS TIGRIUS AND EUTROPIUS
These two were from the clergy of Saint John Chrysostom. When malicious people drove Chrysostom out of Constantinople, the cathedral church caught fire, and the flame rose from it and fell upon the houses of the persecutors of this luminary of the Church. The people saw in this the finger of God, while the enemies of Chrysostom attributed the fire to his followers. Many of these people suffered because of this, among them the presbyter Tigrius and the reader Eutropius. The city prefect, a certain unbaptized Greek named Optatus, with particular malice organized a hunt for the followers of Chrysostom. Tigrius in his youth had been the slave of a certain rich man, who had made him a eunuch. Having gained his freedom from slavery, he gave himself wholly to the service of the Church, and in that service he shone as a bright torch. This "meek, humble, merciful, and hospitable" man Optatus subjected to great tortures and then sent into exile to Mesopotamia, where he ended his life in prison. Eutropius, a virgin from birth, pure, blameless, and guileless, was beaten with ox sinews and rods, and finally hanged. When Christians carried his body for burial, sweet angelic singing was heard in the air.
Hymn of Praise
The most glorious Chrysostom soars like an eagle,
Beside him Tigrius and the reader Eutropius,
Like little eaglets, but vigorous and faithful,
They followed him, guileless and undefiled.
But powerless malice uses spite as its tool,
The powerless and malicious the devil quickly unites.
The malicious rose against the servants of God
And poured upon them a sea of mockery.
As arsonists, these servants of God's house,
Were subjected to tortures, wondrous martyrs.
But every torment is indeed for heroes —
And torment despises the feeble in virtue!
Tigrius the presbyter and the reader Eutropius
By their suffering confirmed the truths of God.
As arsonists, these heroes of God,
Were put to death — innocent lambs!
Little eagles flew after their eagle
And descended in sweet Paradise to rest.
While malice from the mud barks after eagles —
In mud it is born, in mud it remains.
“While malice from the mud barks after eagles — in mud it is born, in mud it remains.”
Reflection
In enumerating the miracles of the Christian faith, we must never forget the countless and great miracles of the transformation of hearts and characters of men truly converted to the faith. How many fierce criminals has this faith tamed! How many bloodthirsty robbers has it transformed into guileless lambs! How many profligates has it converted into pure virgins! How many selfish lovers of money has it taught mercy! How many cowards has it led to the path of supreme self-sacrifice! Of the Russian Prince Vladimir, Metropolitan Philaret writes: "The pleasure-loving pagan Vladimir, beyond all measure, in Christianity became a model of pure married life; he dismissed all his wives and concubines and lived with one alone, the pious Anna. The wicked, vindictive, and bloodthirsty fratricide in paganism, in Christianity he was the most tender friend of the wretched. The wretched always had open access to him, and he distributed to them both food and money with a generous hand. And more than that: 'The sick cannot come to my court,' he said, and he ordered that meat, fish, bread, mead, and honey be carried through the streets. The Gospel words: Blessed are the merciful penetrated to the very depth of his heart and became his law of life."
“How many fierce criminals has this faith tamed! How many bloodthirsty robbers has it transformed into guileless lambs!”
Contemplation
Contemplate the miraculous healing of the daughter of the Canaanite woman (Matt. 15:22), namely:
1. How the Canaanite woman persistently and repeatedly besought the Lord to save her daughter from the devil who tormented her,
2. How the Lord praised the faith of the woman and healed her daughter,
3. How the Lord can also free my soul from the devil who assails it in its distance from God, if only I pray to Him persistently and with faith.
Homily
On How Death and Life Are in the Power of the Tongue
Death and life are in the power of the tongue (Prov. 18:21)
Did not the Lord Jesus Himself confirm this when He said that men will give an account for every idle word at the Dread Judgment? Did He not expressly say: By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned (Matt. 12:36-37)? He who is justified will receive life; he who is condemned will receive death. Do you see, then, how both life and death are in the power of the tongue? And the Apostle James says: If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body (James 3:2). Great is, in truth, and unfathomed the mystery of the word, and the impression of the word cannot be measured or calculated. Today the human word can be transmitted by skillful devices from one end of our planet to the other. A word spoken by the tongue in America can be heard by the ear in Europe. Is not that an image of the all-hearing of God? O my brethren, we cannot whisper anything to the earth that the heavens will not hear. Every word of ours goes forth before the assembly of the angels of God. Every evil word of ours is received by Hell and kept as a pledge of our eternal death; and every good word is received by Paradise and kept as a pledge of our eternal life. Truly, wisely does the Old Testament sage speak, and in good time does he warn us with the words: Death and life are in the power of the tongue!
O Lord our Savior, Eternal Word of God, help us to bridle our tongues, that they may not speak to our destruction. Help us to speak with our tongues only that which is according to Thy holy will and to our eternal salvation in the immortal life. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue. Every evil word is received by Hell as a pledge of our eternal death.”