Lives of the Saints
1. SAINT SPYRIDON THE WONDERWORKER, BISHOP OF TRIMYTHOUS
The island of Cyprus was both the birthplace and place of service of this glorious saint. Born of simple parents, farmers, he too was and remained simple and humble until his death. He married in his youth and had children. And when his wife died, he gave himself entirely to the service of God. Because of his exceptional piety he was chosen as bishop in the city of Trimythous. But even as bishop he did not change his simple way of life, laboring personally with his livestock and tilling the land. He used very little for himself from the fruits of his labor, but distributed the greater part to poor people. By God's power he manifested great miracles: he brought down rain in time of drought, stopped the flow of a river, raised several dead, healed Emperor Constans of a serious illness, saw and heard God's angels, saw into future events and into the secrets of the human heart, converted many to the true Faith, and so forth. He participated in the First Ecumenical Council at Nicaea, and by his simple yet clear confession of Faith, as well as by mighty miracles, restored many heretics to Orthodoxy. He was dressed so simply that when once at the emperor's invitation he wished to enter the imperial palace, a soldier, thinking he was some beggar, struck him on the cheek. The meek and guileless Spyridon turned the other cheek to him. Having glorified God by many miracles and been of great benefit both to individuals and to the whole Church of God, he reposed in the Lord in the year 348. His wonder-working relics are now on the island of Corfu, and to this very day glorify God by many miracles.
2. HIEROMARTYR ALEXANDER, BISHOP OF JERUSALEM
Alexander was first bishop of Cappadocia. But in the time of the persecution of Severus in the year 203, he was cast into prison and exiled. Then he received the see of Jerusalem. He founded the famous library of Jerusalem, which Eusebius used in writing his Ecclesiastical History. In the time of Decius he was tortured in various ways and cast before wild beasts. Remaining alive and untouched by the beasts, he was cast into prison, where he ended his earthly life and passed to the Lord in the year 251.
3. HOLY MARTYR RAZUMNIK
His Greek name is Synetos or Synesius. As a young reader in Rome he boldly preached the truth of Christ and denounced the idolaters. For this he was tortured in the time of Emperor Aurelian and beheaded.
Hymn of Praise
Star of Cyprus, and ray of the Church,
Defender of the Faith, Saint Spyridon,
Simple as a child, chaste as a child,
By his simplicity he enlightens the world.
What need has truth for multitude of words?
Quite simple is God's truth:
The Creator is one in the Holy Trinity,
In the Trinity of Father, Spirit and Son.
The Son descended to the sinful earth,
Received flesh from the pure Virgin,
To save mankind. The Lover of mankind,
Many miracles He wrought
By divine power—all-powerful He was—
A new law He gave to mankind,
The law of love and the law of faith.
Glorified now He sits in heaven
And gathers the fruits of His labor,
The sweet fruits of His labor
Are holy men and holy women.
This is the rock of man's salvation—
There is no salvation outside this rock.
O Spyridon, O luminary,
Pray for us, Christ's warrior.
“What need has truth for multitude of words? Quite simple is God's truth.”
Reflection
Nothing will help us at all if we are not condescending toward human weaknesses and forgive them. For how can we hope that God will forgive us if we do not forgive? Once Saint Spyridon sold to a certain merchant one hundred goats at an agreed price. And the saint told the buyer to put down the money. The buyer, knowing that Spyridon himself never counted money, put down money for ninety-nine goats, but for that one he withheld payment. Then Spyridon counted out to him one hundred goats. But when the merchant with his servants drove off the goats, one of them returned bleating. He drove it away, but it returned again. And so the goat kept returning to the pen, not willing in any way to go with the other goats. Then the saint said to him quietly in his ear: *Look, my son, this animal does not do this in vain. Hast thou not withheld her price? * The merchant was ashamed and confessed his sin. And when he paid what was withheld, the goat immediately went after the other goats.
On another occasion thieves entered Spyridon's sheepfold. And when they had seized as many sheep as they wanted, they set out to leave the fold. But an invisible power nailed them to the ground, so they could not move anywhere. When day broke, the bishop came to his fold and, seeing the thieves, rebuked them gently and taught them henceforth to strive to live by their own labor and not by theft. Then he took one ram and gave it to them, saying: Receive this, that your trouble and all-night vigil may not be in vain. And he dismissed them in peace.
“Nothing will help us at all if we are not condescending toward human weaknesses and forgive them.”
Contemplation
Contemplate Noah's blessing over one and curse over the other of his children (Gen. 9), namely:
1. How Ham exposed the nakedness of his father, and Shem and Japheth covered it;
2. How Noah pronounced blessing over Shem and Japheth, and a curse over the posterity of Ham.
Homily
on Melchizedek
Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek (Ps. 110:4; Heb. 7)
O how many hidden and faithful servants the Lord has, who serve Him day and night! O how many brilliant comets there are, beyond the starry heaven known to men, which suddenly appear, flash and vanish into cosmic space, leaving behind a story about themselves! Righteous Abraham with his posterity is like the starry heaven known to us above our heads, while Melchizedek is like a brilliant comet which suddenly appeared, before which the starry heaven known to us bowed down, and which then hid itself in the unknown. Who is this Melchizedek? *King of Salem, priest of the most high God! * (Gen. 14:18). He brought forth to Abraham bread and wine; he blessed Abraham; and to him Abraham gave a tenth of all his goods. Now if Abraham was so blessed by God, how much more blessed is he who blessed Abraham? O unfathomable depths of God's Providence! Human thought extends from today to tomorrow, but God's thought penetrates to the last times. Melchizedek, according to the words of the holy Apostle Paul, prefigures the Lord Jesus Christ Himself (Heb. 7). For while the forefather Abraham was a wonderful and God-pleasing peasant, this Melchizedek was a king and a priest. And our Lord is King and Priest. Melchizedek offered Abraham bread and wine. Our Lord offers to the whole human race His Body and Blood. Abraham bowed before Melchizedek and gave him a voluntary offering. The true posterity of Abraham, that is, Christians, bow before the Lord Jesus and give Him a voluntary sacrifice, a return gift for the gift, for the gift of Body and Blood on the Cross. *Who shall declare his generation? * Both Christ's and Melchizedek's? Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad (John 8:56). Thus the Lord said to the Jews. How did he see? He saw with the spirit. God revealed it to him. And he saw also in the prototype of Christ, in this glorious and wondrous Melchizedek, king and priest and servant of the most high God.
O Lord Jesus, bless us also as Thou didst bless Thy faithful servants, Melchizedek and Abraham. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.
“O how many hidden and faithful servants the Lord has, who serve Him day and night!”