November: Day 25: Teaching 2: Holy Great Martyr Katherine

November: Day 25:* Teaching 2:
Holy Great Martyr Katherine
 
(The Betrothal of the Christian Soul With Christ)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Holy Virgin Katherine, commemorated today, was renowned for her wealth, intelligence, and beauty. The paganism in which she had been raised did not satisfy her with either its beliefs nor its customs. Many sought her hand, but she refused, declaring that she would only marry a suitor who was as accomplished as she was in both education and appearance. A certain Christian elder learned of this and, entering into conversation with her, told her of a suitor who incomparably surpassed her in both wisdom and beauty. She asked if she might see him. And so, praying before an icon of the Mother of God with the Eternal Child, which the elder had given her, she fell asleep and saw in a dream the Queen of Heaven and Her Divine Son. No matter how hard she tried to discern Him, He averted His face from her, saying that she was unworthy of His gaze. As soon as morning came, Katherine told the elder her dream and her sorrow. He gave her detailed instructions in the faith, and she was baptized. Returning home, she prayed for a long time, fell asleep, and again saw the same vision. But Jesus Christ, looking mercifully upon her, said to His Most Pure Mother: "Now I desire that she be My bride." The Mother of God took her hand, and the Savior placed a precious ring on her finger. Awakening, she was amazed to find the ring on her hand, and now she thought only of remaining faithful to the Heavenly Bridegroom.

Neither persuasion, nor temptation, nor threats, nor torture could sway her to apostasy. Exhausted by suffering, covered in wounds, she was thrown into prison, where a dove brought her food, and where the Heavenly Bridegroom Himself, surrounded by angels, appeared to her and, having healed her, said: "Fear not, I am always with you!"

II. a) Let it not be thought, however, that betrothal to Christ is a distinguishing mark only of holy martyrs and virgin ascetics; on the contrary, it is an adornment, a commitment of every Christian soul, a true believer. The Apostle writes to the Corinthians: "I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ" (2 Cor. 11:2). But among the Corinthian Christians were people of all sexes and ages. How did He betroth them? He gave them the pledge of faith, revealed to them the divine dignity of the Heavenly Bridegroom, the riches of His glory, and the eternal blessedness of the souls betrothed to Him; and He took from them a promise that they would remain faithful to Him.

Even today, the Lord remains faithful to us in all His words (Ps. 145:13), and He has granted us the holy pledge of faith; and on our part, at baptism, we made a promise to Him to believe as the Orthodox Church teaches and to live as His law commands. Indeed, all are baptized in infancy, when they were not yet capable of understanding anything. But to whom are the means denied, upon reaching an age to comprehend that the Orthodox faith is the purest and most sacred? Only frivolity and corruption distance one from Christ; and a soul unclouded naturally seeks Him. When Jesus Christ lived on earth, there were many who followed Him and appeared to be His disciples, but later, through negligence and attachment to sinful pleasures, they abandoned Him. The Savior asked the Apostles, "Do you also wish to leave?" But they answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life" (John 6:67). Likewise, even though in our infancy we entrusted our souls to Christ, to whom else shall we go, where else shall we find rest for our conscience, nourishment for a heart created to believe and to love? Would it not be wiser now to take care to preserve the dignity of our spiritual dedication?

b) If the Christian soul is a bride betrothed to Christ, then the distinguishing adornment of the bride is purity. The world thinks that only those who have taken a vow of virginity should preserve chastity. No, neither marriage nor virginity are for everyone, but chastity is for everyone. Whether one is married or lives a life of celibacy, one is obliged to observe purity in all ways in feelings, thoughts, and deeds. For into that Heavenly City to which we are called, no one may enter whoever does anything unclean, nor commit abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Book of Life of the Lamb, Christ (Rev. 21). Amen.

Source: A Complete Annual Cycle of Short Teachings, Composed for Each Day of the Year. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
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* Because in the Slavic calendar St. Katherine is commemorated on November 24th, I switched the date from the original text to conform to the Greek calendar where St. Katherine is commemorated on November 25th.