August: Day 11: Holy Martyr Euplos the Archdeacon

August: Day 11:
Holy Martyr Euplos the Archdeacon
 
(On the Benefits of Reading the Holy Scriptures)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Holy Martyr Euplos, celebrated today, lived in the city of Catania on the island of Sicily during the persecution of Christians under Diocletian. Despite the danger of being captured and tortured, he fearlessly preached the gospel, gathered people around him and enlightened them with an explanation of the word of God. Then the governor of the city demanded a Christian preacher. They seized Saint Euplos while he was reading the Gospel in a hut; with this book in his hand, as evidence, they brought him to the governor Calvinianus.

“Why do you have this book in your hands?” asked the ruler.

“I was reading it when they took me,” answered Saint Euplos.

The torturer, an inveterate pagan, began to persuade Saint Euplos to renounce his, in his opinion, false belief in Christ, but when he saw that his words could not shake the Christian who was firm in his faith, he ordered that he be subjected to torture, after which Saint Euplos was taken to prison. There they tormented him with hunger and thirst, and after several new attempts to persuade him to renounce Christ, they condemned the confessor to death, to which they led him with the Gospel hanging around his neck. He was accompanied by a multitude of people, among whom were many secret Christians. Arriving at the place of execution, Saint Euplos began to read the Gospel to the people and then, having prayed, joyfully bowed his head under the sword. This was in 304.

II. The Holy Archdeacon Euplos serves as living proof of the truth that the word of God is very useful to read, for it, communicating the teaching about Christ and eternal life, encourages us to seek salvation and achieve it despite torment and death itself, which it teaches us not to fear.

a) The word of God is truly the light of the soul. "Your law is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my paths" (Psalm 119:103), said the Prophet David about the word of God. Therefore, whoever reads or listens to the Holy Scriptures with attention and reverence, learns the truths of the knowledge of God from a reliable teacher and can receive clear and correct concepts about God and the works of God, about eternal life and the conditions for reaching the Kingdom of Heaven. Without the word of God, the strongest, most natural abilities of the mind did not lead anyone into the sanctuary of true wisdom. On the contrary, many people, with the most mediocre gifts, by reading the Holy Scriptures, acquired such knowledge of heavenly things, about which the most intelligent pagan philosophers either had no idea at all, or reasoned weakly and erroneously. Ask anyone who reads the Holy Scriptures with attention and reasoning about God, about the soul, about the future life, and you will hear correct and reassuring answers worthy of these lofty subjects. To what do such people owe their soul-saving knowledge? Without a doubt, to reading the Holy Scriptures. From this reasoning we must conclude that the Holy Scriptures enlighten the mind, communicating to it the highest and correct religious knowledge. And this is the first benefit that we can receive from reading the Holy Scriptures.

b) The word of God corrects our morals. We are all more or less inclined to evil. “The mind of man is set upon evil things from his youth” (Gen. 8:21), says the Prophet Moses. What means shall we choose to correct our morals, to sanctify our lives? We will not be mistaken if we choose the Holy Scriptures for this great work. They have a special power to act on the heart, to bring the sinner to himself and move him to repentance. The Apostle Paul testifies to this power of the Holy Scriptures: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Tim. 3:16). Our Holy Church presents enough examples of change and correction of life from the word of God. One great sinner, who came to church, having heard the following words from the Holy Scripture: "Wash yourselves, and be clean, take away wickedness from your souls" (Isaiah 1:16), firmly decided to change his life from being wicked to virtuous, and, with God's help, truly became a new man, by virtue of his life. Consequently, the Holy Scriptures can correct our morals and improve our lives.

c) Besides this, the Holy Scriptures can console us in our sorrows and give delight to our well-being.

1) In sorrows the word of God consoles us, firstly, by clearly setting forth to us the spiritual benefit that comes from sorrows borne magnanimously. "If you endure chastening, God is found among you as sons" (Heb. 12:7), says the Apostle Paul. Secondly, the Holy Scriptures consoles us with examples from which it is evident that not only sinners, but also the greatest righteous men, such as the long-suffering Job and the chaste Joseph and others, were subjected to the greatest sorrows in life. Thirdly, the word of God consoles the sorrowful by reminding us of God's mercy and God's readiness to give us a helping hand in misfortune. For example, are not the following words of God, written in the Holy Scriptures, comforting for those who grieve: “Call upon Me in the day of your trouble, and I will deliver you” (Psalm 49:15)! Oh, without a doubt, these words are a healing oil for a soul that is grieving!

2) Holy Scripture exalts the well-being of our life, firstly, by recognizing God as the author of every good thing that we encounter in life; secondly, by showing us reliable ways to maintain and continue the well-being given to us by God. For example, the word of God says: “He who desires to love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, let him turn away from evil, and let him do good” (1 Peter 3:10-11), and also, “those who seek the Lord will not lack any good thing” (Psalm 33:11).

3) But the main benefit that comes from reading or hearing the word of God is that such reading or hearing contributes to a great, soul-saving work that comforts God and the angels - a spiritual work, our gracious rebirth and renewal. This renewal begins in the font of Holy Baptism. But the renewal that began in the font of Baptism must be prolonged, developed, grown, strengthened, adorned with the flowers and fruits of holiness of life. In this case, the Holy Scriptures can help us a lot. It, through reading or hearing, falling on the heart of a person, is capable of regenerating a person and bringing the work of regeneration to the highest possible perfection of spiritual life, as the Apostle testifies about this. Paul, said: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16, 17).

III. It remains for us to thank the Lord God the Giver of Light for giving us the Holy Scriptures and, imitating the Holy Archdeacon Euplos and other saints, to read them while death has not yet closed our eyes and sealed our lips; while our soul can still receive the rays of heavenly light and see the path leading to eternal life, to eternal well-being. Amen.

 

Source: A Complete Annual Cycle of Short Teachings, Composed for Each Day of the Year. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.