Lives of the Saints
1. COMMEMORATION OF THE MIRACLE OF THE HOLY ARCHANGEL MICHAEL
In Phrygia there was a place called Chonae (Submersion), not far from Hierapolis; and in that place a spring of wonder-working water. When the Apostle Saint John the Theologian with Philip was preaching the Gospel in Hierapolis, he looked upon that place and prophesied that a spring of wonder-working water would open there, from which many would receive healing, and that the great Commander of the hosts of God, Michael, would visit that place. Soon afterward this prophecy was fulfilled: a spring of water opened, which became renowned in all directions for its miraculous power. A certain pagan in Laodicea had a mute daughter, and was in great sorrow because of this. But the Archangel Michael appeared to him in a dream and directed him to bring his daughter to that spring, and she would be healed. The father immediately obeyed, brought his daughter, and found at that water a great multitude of people who had come seeking salvation from various afflictions. They were all Christians. Then that man asked how one should seek healing, and the Christians told him: "In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit one must pray to the Archangel Michael." The man prayed in this manner and gave his daughter water from the spring to drink, and the girl began to speak. Then that pagan was baptized together with his daughter and his entire household, and he built a church by the spring in the name of the Archangel Michael. Later a young boy named Archippus settled in that place and practiced asceticism there with the strict discipline of fasting and prayer. The pagans caused him many vexations, for it was not to their liking that such great power proceeded from this Christian holy place and drew many people to itself. In their malice they diverted a nearby river to flood both the church and the spring. But through the prayer of Archippus, the holy Archangel appeared and opened a fissure in the rock beside the church, into which the diverted river was submerged. Thus that place was saved and was called Chonae — Submersion — because the river was submerged into the opened chasm. Saint Archippus practiced asceticism there until his seventieth year and peacefully reposed in the Lord.
2. HOLY MARTYR ROMILUS AND 11,000 SOLDIERS
When Emperor Trajan was waging war in the East, he once ordered that the Christians in his army be counted. And it was found that there were 11,000 Christians in the emperor's army. Then the emperor ordered that they all be dismissed from the army and sent to Armenia. Saint Romilus was the chief of the imperial household. He came before the emperor and rebuked him for this action, declaring himself also to be a Christian. The emperor ordered that Romilus be beheaded. And of those exiled soldiers, 10,000 were crucified, and the rest were put to death by other torments.
3. SAINT EUDOXIUS
A commander in the Roman army. He suffered for Christ in the time of Diocletian. He was tried and tortured by the governor of Melitene in Armenia. With him also suffered his friends Zeno and Macarius, and an additional 1,104 soldiers whom Eudoxius had converted to Christianity. After death he appeared to his wife. And his wife, Basilissa, kept the faith of Christ until death and peacefully reposed.
4. VENERABLE DAVID
He was the leader of a band of robbers around Hermopolis in Egypt, and only in his later years did he come to himself, repent, and become a monk. The Archangel Gabriel appeared to him and gave him the gift of wonder-working. He peacefully reposed in the sixth century, having through many and long ascetic labors been deemed worthy of the Kingdom of God.
“Then that man asked how one should seek healing, and the Christians told him: "In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit one must pray to the Archangel Michael." The man prayed in this manner and gave his daughter water from the spring to drink, and the girl began to speak.”
Hymn of Praise
Commander of God,
Michael the captain,
Sword-bearing servant
Of the Most High Lord,
Before the Lord he stands
With the heavenly hosts,
With the mighty angels
And the holy souls.
The greatest captain
Of the greatest King,
Wherever he comes, he conquers
And works wonders.
Satan fears him
As he fears the flame,
For God's captain
Stands for truth,
Stands for truth
And exalts righteousness;
Swift as a glance —
He arrives everywhere in time.
Captain of light:
He drives away the foul,
And with his wings
He shelters the faithful.
“Commander of light: he drives away the foul, and with his wings he shelters the faithful.”
Reflection
Christianity has uprooted many barbarous customs from human society. But some of these customs, praiseworthy from the pagan point of view yet shameful from the Christian, still smolder even today like a hidden infection from a seemingly healed wound. One of these customs is the abduction and secret carrying off of girls. Saint Basil writes sternly about this to one of his priests regarding such a case: "Use every effort to find that girl wherever she may be, take her back and return her to her parents, and deprive the abductor of communion in prayer, and declare excommunicated also those who helped him in this, according to my earlier instruction — deprive each of them with his entire household of communion in prayer for three years. And that village which received the abducted girl, hid her, and even forcibly kept her, also excommunicate from communion in prayer, sparing no one, so that all may learn to drive away the abductor from among themselves as they would a serpent or some other beast and common enemy, and to offer protection to those who have been wronged."
“And that village which received the abducted girl, hid her, and even forcibly kept her, also excommunicate from communion in prayer, sparing no one, so that all may learn to drive away the abductor from among themselves as they would a serpent or some other beast and common enemy, and to offer protection to those who have been wronged."”
Contemplation
Contemplate the example of David's self-restraint (II Samuel 23), namely:
1. How in battle with the Philistines David grew thirsty and asked who would bring him water from the well in Bethlehem, which the Philistines held;
2. How three heroes broke through the enemy lines and brought water to the king;
3. How David would not drink but poured the water on the ground saying: Is not this the blood of these men, who went not regarding their lives?
“David would not drink but poured the water on the ground saying: Is not this the blood of these men, who went not regarding their lives?”
Homily
on two births
These words, brethren, are not the words of a prophet or an apostle, but the words of the Lord Himself, uttered by the most pure lips of the Lord. And as in every word of the Lord there is power and salvation, so also in these words of His there is power and salvation. Therefore we must with fear and attention examine these words and apply them to our life. By these words the Lord wishes to emphasize the supremacy of the spirit over the body. Just as the body is born of the body, so the spirit must be born of the Spirit. The birth of our spirit from the Spirit of God, by the grace of God and not by essence, this is indeed the new birth of which the Lord spoke to Nicodemus, the ruler of the Jews. Nicodemus did not understand these words of Christ, just as today they are not understood by all those in whom the flesh has gained the upper hand over the spirit. People in whom the flesh has prevailed over the spirit think and judge everything according to the flesh; while people in whom the spirit has prevailed over the flesh think and judge everything according to the spirit. Those who think and judge everything in a fleshly manner make even their spirit fleshly; while those who think and judge everything spiritually make even their body spiritual. As if someone were to exchange gold and convert everything into paper money — such are the former, who convert even that which is immortal in them into the mortal; while the latter are like someone who exchanges his paper money and converts it into gold, for they not only do not destroy that which is immortal in them, but they convert even that which is mortal into the immortal. The Jews interpreted the Law and the Prophets in a fleshly manner, and therefore they did not understand the Lord Christ, but crucified the Lord of glory. While those who, illumined by the grace of the Spirit of God, understood the Lord Christ, interpreted both the Law and the Prophets spiritually. And not only the Law and the Prophets, but all of created nature and all of their life on earth. If, brethren, our body is of necessity born of the flesh, it is unnatural for our spirit also to be born of the flesh. Let our spirit be born of the Spirit of God, and then we shall be natural both in body and in spirit. This is that higher and sinless nature which Adam possessed in Paradise before sin. It is not possible and not necessary for our body to be born again of the flesh, but it is both possible and essential, and it is never too late, for our spirit to be born anew, to be born of the Spirit of God.
O Lord Jesus Christ, Only-begotten Son of God, help us, that before the end we may be reborn by the Spirit of God, that our spirit may in truth be born of the Spirit. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.
“That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”