The Lives of the Saints
1. THE HOLY APOSTLE AQUILA
One of the Seventy Apostles. As a Jew he lived first in Italy with his wife Priscilla. When Emperor Claudius ordered that all Jews be expelled from Rome and Italy, Aquila moved to Corinth, where the Apostle Paul first met him, and remained in his house for a year and a half, and baptized him and his wife. Burning with zeal for the Faith of Christ, Aquila and Priscilla accompanied Paul to Ephesus and helped him in his apostolic work. From Ephesus Paul wrote his first Epistle to the Corinthians, in which at the end he says: Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house (16:9). After the death of Emperor Claudius, the Jews were permitted to return to Italy, and Aquila with Priscilla returned to Rome. Writing thereafter the Epistle to the Romans from Corinth, the Apostle greeted his old friends and co-workers: *Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus: who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. Likewise greet the church that is in their house* (16:3-4). Later we again see Aquila in Ephesus, where he labored together with Saint Timothy. Bound in chains in Rome, Paul wrote to Timothy in Ephesus: Salute Prisca and Aquila (II Timothy 4:19). As a bishop, Aquila baptized and enlightened many in the faith, destroyed idols, built churches, ordained priests, and spread among people the glory of the incarnate Son of God. At last he was slain by embittered pagans and departed to the Kingdom of Christ.
2. THE VENERABLE ELIAS
An Egyptian monk of the fourth century. From his earliest youth he devoted himself to monastic ascetical labors in the desert, so that by his life and powerful miracles he drew the admiration of both monks and laymen, and though he fled from the glory of men, he could not hide. He had great battles with the temptations of the devil, especially during prolonged fasting. The devil would present to him now honey, now beautiful apples, but he did not allow himself to be deceived. He saw into the hearts of men and divined each one's passion and each one's thought — not in order to display his mysterious knowledge, but in order to correct people.
“They had been beside themselves, not knowing whether they were on earth or in heaven.”
Hymn of Praise
A torch of light that descended from heaven
First entered the hearts of the Apostles;
The Apostles enlightened the people with it,
And with it strengthened their successors.
By this torch Aquila too was hallowed,
By the great Paul spiritually enlightened,
And his faithful wife, the blessed Priscilla —
The power of baptism filled their whole house.
They forsook wickedness and vain pastimes,
And set out into the world on the Lord's work.
They served Paul, a prisoner alone,
And willingly helped the holy Apollos,
And brother Timothy, the child of Paul;
They brought many into the flock of Christ.
Blessed sacrifices of the blessed Priscilla,
Blessed wounds of the holy Aquila —
Everywhere they were glorified, bearing fruit —
These laborers inherited the Kingdom of God.
“Full of God's peace and true freedom, she saw her dead son without cry or dread.”
Reflection
Christians must arm themselves against the temptations of this world. They must be armored against all blows and all trials, so that every evil rebounds from them. Armor is not made in a day or two, but is carefully and laboriously forged through long practice. What good is all our virtue if we succumb to the first temptation? Speaking of this, Saint Gregory of Nyssa cites the example of a certain ape in Alexandria. "In Alexandria," he says, "a certain trainer taught an ape to very deftly play the part of a dancer on stage. The spectators in the theater praised the ape, which, dressed as a dancer, danced to the beat of the music. But while the audience was occupied watching this for them novel spectacle, a certain jester wished to show everyone that an ape is nothing but an ape. While everyone was cheering and clapping at the ape's skill, the jester, they say, tossed onto the stage those sweets that apes are particularly fond of. As soon as the ape spotted those sweets, he forgot both the dance and the applause and the costly costume, and lunged with his paws at the sweets; and since the garment hindered him, he began tearing it with his claws, trying to throw it off himself. And instead of praise and wonder, laughter erupted among the spectators." For through the torn mask of the "dancer" the ape was revealed.
Contemplation
Contemplate the righteous punishment which God sent upon Korah, Dathan, and Abiram (Numbers 16), namely:
1. How these three stirred up the people against Moses and Aaron and demanded that all be leaders;
2. How the earth opened and swallowed Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, and the rest with them;
3. How the earth devours the souls of all those who think carnally, and thinking thus rebel against the law of God.
Homily
On the Fortress of Faith
Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world (I Peter 5:9)
The chief fortress of the human soul, brethren, is the fortress of faith. Upon that fortress the devil most fiercely assaults with all his arrows and all his cunning. For the unclean and malicious spirit knows that when he destroys that fortress, he has captured the human soul forever. Therefore the holy Apostles prayed to the Lord: Increase our faith (Luke 17:5). Let us also pray, brethren, every day, that the Lord increase our faith, that He strengthen and fortify our faith. The serpent guards its head most carefully in danger; therefore the Lord Himself called it wise. Let us also thus guard the head of our spiritual life, which is faith. Nothing in the world can replace faith in God: neither philosophy, nor science, nor wealth, nor glory, nor the whole world from end to end with all its passing allurements. This the devil knows, and therefore he most fiercely attacks our faith, casting doubt upon us, shaking us, confusing our thoughts, disturbing our hearts. And if the devil knows that faith is the main thing, all the more should we know it. For it was for our sake that Christ descended to earth, for our sake He suffered on the Cross, to us He delivered the testament of the saving faith.
But we can neither strengthen nor increase faith except through suffering. Therefore the much-suffering Apostle Peter also says: the same afflictions (as yours) *are accomplished in your brethren in the world. * Out of humility the Apostle does not speak of his own suffering but speaks of the suffering of our brethren in Christ. Sharers in the faith are sharers in suffering also. Not only you suffer, brethren, for the true faith, but your other brethren of the same faith also suffer.
Let this ease your torments. But most of all, let the Firstborn in suffering, our own crucified Lord Jesus Christ, ease your torments.
O Lord Jesus, Sufferer above all sufferers and Victor above all victors, increase our faith, and strengthen us by the power of Thy grace as Thou didst strengthen Thy holy Apostles. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.
“Through the knowledge of God, grace and peace are multiplied. But through the knowledge of created things apart from God, sorrow and turmoil are multiplied.”