Prologue in Sermons: May 8

One Must Not Seek Out Persecution

May 8

(A Word of Saint Peter of Alexandria. Prologue for May 7. From the Paterikon)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev

People of bad character and spiritual pride, unable to live peacefully with those around them, imagine themselves to be martyrs worthy of a martyr’s crown. What a pitiful delusion!

A person who constantly irritates others and brings troubles upon himself certainly suffers sorrows and hardships — but who is to blame for them if not he himself? Yet such a person says to everyone:

“To be saved, one must suffer — and I suffer; therefore I am a martyr.”

And everywhere he stirs up quarrels and discord, making life bitter both for others and for himself. Is there any meaning in seeking sufferings in this way? Is it pleasing to God? Will the sufferings of such a person have any value in the eyes of God?

Without doubt, no.

“Those,” says Saint Peter of Alexandria, “who in their pride take upon themselves excessive ascetic struggles, provoke quarrels, and deliberately go to those who can subject them to sufferings, will share the lot of sinners. For such people themselves sin, because they do not heed the words of the Lord: ‘Watch, lest you enter into temptation’ (Mark 14:38), and: ‘Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil’ (Luke 11:4).

When the Lord sent the Apostles out to preach, He did not tell them to seek out enemies, but to beware of them. And when the time of His own sufferings approached, He did not hand Himself over voluntarily, but waited until they came against Him with swords and clubs (Matthew 26:47).

Therefore those who seek persecutions of their own accord act without understanding. For when the Lord spoke to the Apostles about the sufferings awaiting them, He said: ‘Beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils, and scourge you in their synagogues’ (Matthew 10:17). He said, ‘They will deliver you up,’ not ‘deliver yourselves up.’ And He said, ‘You will be brought before governors and kings,’ not ‘bring yourselves before them.’

Thus He commands us to avoid persecutions and flee from them. ‘When they persecute you in this city, flee to another.’ Therefore He does not want us to throw ourselves willingly before persecutors, aiding them in murder or provoking them. He only commands us to be prepared for everything and to remember His words: ‘Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation.’”

Thus, those who seek persecutions act foolishly and harm both themselves and others. They harm themselves because instead of salvation they receive condemnation; and they harm others because they lead them into sin and provoke them to anger and revenge.

But such people may say:

“I want to be a martyr and receive a martyr’s crown!”

Very well — it is possible. But for this, one must not disturb others. Something else is required.

Abba Athanasios says:

“Many often ask: where are persecution and martyrdom today? Here they are: let your conscience torment you; die to sin; mortify your earthly members — and you will be a martyr. The martyrs struggled against kings and princes; you must struggle against the king of sin — the devil — and against his princes, the demons. The martyrs were brought before pagan temples and forced to offer sacrifices to idols and participate in abominable idol worship. Do not forget that before you also stand temples, sacrifices, and idols. The temple is insatiable gluttony; the sacrifices are fleshly passions; the idol is sinful desire. For whoever is enslaved to lust is an idolater. So too are those possessed by anger and wrath, every lover of money, every lover of pleasure, and every merciless person. If you restrain yourself from these and similar sins, and preserve yourself from savage passions, then you will destroy idols, renounce evil belief, and become both a martyr and a confessor.”

Understand then, brethren, you who stir up quarrels and disorder and consider yourselves martyrs: to seek persecutions is senseless; to arm others against yourselves and lead them into sin is blameworthy; and the sufferings you endure will not save you, because they are the direct consequence of your own foolish actions, for which no one else is responsible.

If you truly desire to receive a martyr’s crown, then rather follow the counsel of Saint Athanasios the Great. Declare war against yourselves and your inner enemies: mortify your earthly passions, uproot self-deception, crucify the flesh with its passions and desires, give no freedom to anger, strike down the serpent of greed, and above all wage relentless war against the deadly serpent — the devil. By struggling against him even unto bloodshed, you will obtain for yourselves a martyr’s crown. Amen.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.