Homily Two on the Repose of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian
By Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov
(Delivered in 1961)
By Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov
(Delivered in 1961)
"If we love one another, God abides in us" (1 John 4:12)
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit!
Today, dear brothers and sisters, we honor the memory of one of the great Apostles of Christ, a pillar of the Christian Church, a zealous preacher of Christ's teachings, who wrote for us the Holy Gospel, three Epistles and the Apocalypse, the wise and loving Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, recalling the day of his death.
He was the closest and most beloved disciple of our Lord Jesus Christ, or, as the Church hymn puts it, the friend and confidant of Christ. What made this Apostle so different from the Lord's other disciples, and how did he earn such special favor and affection from Jesus Christ?
A model of chastity and meekness, with a soft and tender heart, inclined to love God and neighbor, the Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian clung wholeheartedly to the Lord, his Teacher, and loved Him with the tenderness of a child's heart, for which he was closer to the Savior than the other Apostles. This love for the Divine Teacher was expressed not only in words but also in deeds. Thus, when Jesus Christ was crucified and when His disciples fled "for fear of the Jews" (John 19:38), only the Mother of God and one disciple, John, stood at the Cross. It was here, in moments of the Divine Teacher's greatest humiliation, in moments of general fear for their own lives, that the Holy Apostle John demonstrated in deeds his love and deep affection for the Lord Jesus Christ. Seeing John's great love and devotion to Him, Jesus Christ immediately distinguished him from His other disciples. He adopts John as His Mother's son, and from that time on the Most Holy Theotokos remained in the Apostle's house until Her glorious Dormition.
But, in addition to love for God, the first and foremost duty of every person, the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian also loved his neighbors. He continually exhorted people to live in peace and love, repeating the same words until the last days of his life: "Children, love one another." When asked why he repeated the same thing so often, the Apostle, with deep conviction in his gracious heart, answered: "Because in this one commandment everything is contained. Fulfill this one commandment, and you will fulfill the whole Law, please God, and attain the highest perfection, for you will become like the Lord Jesus Christ who loved us, and you will be sons of the Most High."
And what is the essence of love? Let us listen to the Holy Apostle Paul, who says that "love suffers long, is kind, love does not envy, love does not boast, is not puffed up, does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not easily irritated, keeps no record of evil, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails" (1 Cor. 13:4–8).
While exhorting people to love their neighbors, the Apostle John also taught that love must be done not in word and tongue, but in deed and truth. He demonstrated this by his own example. Once, as the Apostle traveled through the cities of Asia Minor preaching the gospel, he saw a young man in one of them, capable and gifted with good spiritual qualities. Taking the youth to himself, he instructed him in the faith and truths of Christ and, departing further, entrusted him to the bishop of that city, saying: "I commend this young man to you; let the whole Church and the Holy Spirit be witnesses. Keep him from every evil deed." The bishop, having received the youth, raised him as his own son. Upon reaching adulthood, seeing his good character and meekness, relaxed his supervision over him. The young man began to indulge in a sinful life, met wicked people and began to steal, drink, and finally, he retired to the mountains and joined a gang of robbers, which chose him as their leader.
After some time, the Apostle John returned to that city and said to the bishop: "Return to me the treasure I entrusted to you for safekeeping, as if it were in safe hands. Return to me the youth I entrusted to you, so that you might teach him the fear of God." "The youth is lost," the bishop replied tearfully, "dead in soul, but with his body he is a highway robber." "Is this the proper way to guard a brother's soul?" asked the Apostle John. "But give me a guide, and I will seek the one you have destroyed."
Immediately taking a guide with him, he mounted his horse and set off into the mountains to search for the lost sheep. Guards from the band of robbers, stationed in hidden places, seized the Apostle and brought him to their leader, but the latter, recognizing the captive as Saint John, fled from him. Then the holy elder, forgetting his old age, began pursuing the fugitive, shouting after him: "My son, why are you fleeing from me, your father? Why do you trouble me in vain? Stop, have mercy on me, a weak and feeble old man; stop, do not fear, you still have hope of salvation. I will answer for you before God; I will lay down my life for you, as Christ laid down His for us. Christ has sent me to grant you the remission of sins. I will suffer for you, let the blood you shed be on me, let the burden of your sins weigh on my neck!"
Moved by the Apostle's tears and words, the robber stopped, threw down his weapon, and stood before the holy elder in fear and trembling, streaming with tears and burning with shame. The Holy Apostle John fell at the villain's feet, begging him to spare his soul and return to the bosom of the Holy Church and the All-Merciful Lord Jesus Christ. And thus the lost sheep returned to the chosen flock.
The loving Apostle himself shared with the man he saved the feats of ecclesiastical repentance — fasting, prayer, vigil, and prostrations — and did not abandon him until he had completely healed his soul and established him on the path of Christian life. Such is sincere Christian love, ready to take upon itself all the weaknesses of its neighbors and lay down its life for their salvation. This is true love, worthy of the Christian calling. It is this love that makes us true disciples of Jesus Christ, who laid down His life for us, as He Himself says: "By this do all know that you are My disciples, if you have love one for another" (John 13:35).
Therefore, beloved brothers and sisters, following the example of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, we too must love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and love our neighbors not in word and tongue, but in deed and truth, not sparing even our own life for their salvation. "Greater love has no one than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13), says the Holy Apostle John, whom we now honor. If we Christians sincerely love one another and are kindly disposed toward one another, then God will always be with us, and our life on earth will be happy and peaceful.
In the early days of Christianity, the entire community of believers was "of one heart and one soul" (Acts 4:32). Today, when enmity, hatred, quarrels, discord, disputes, and disagreements have crept into our relationships, we need to look more often to the images of pious, loving men, to the image shown to us by the Holy Apostle and Evangelist, and to learn from his writings about true Christian life and love, and to ask his prayers for us.
All his messages are imbued with the spirit of Christian love and a call to love one another: "Let us love one another, because God first loved us. Whoever does not love his neighbor does not have the love of God in him" (see 1 John 4:7; 19:8 ), he says. Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, let us strive to clothe ourselves in Christian love, and let us love one another because love is from God, and "whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him." Amen.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
