January: Day 4:
Synaxis of the Holy Seventy Apostles
(Lessons Learned From the Lives of the Holy Apostles for Christians: We Must
a. Teach Others By Good Example,
b. Generously Forgive Offenses, and
c. Patiently Endure Sorrows)
By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko
Synaxis of the Holy Seventy Apostles
(Lessons Learned From the Lives of the Holy Apostles for Christians: We Must
a. Teach Others By Good Example,
b. Generously Forgive Offenses, and
c. Patiently Endure Sorrows)
By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko
I. On the fourth of January the Holy Church honors the memory of all Seventy Apostles together. This feast is called the Synaxis of the Seventy Apostles, i.e. a gathering of believers to glorify the Seventy Apostles.
Saint Luke the Evangelist relates that Jesus Christ, besides the Twelve Apostles who followed Him, chose seventy more apostles and sent them into the cities and villages to preach His word. He gave them power to work miracles, did not command them to take care of the necessities of life, but to call people to eternal life. When these Seventy Apostles returned to the Lord and joyfully said to Him: "Lord, even the demons are subject to us through Your name," Jesus answered: "Do not rejoice in this, instead rejoice that your names are written in heaven."
After the Ascension of Jesus Christ, the Holy Apostles, strengthened by the grace of the Holy Spirit, diligently continued the work bequeathed to them by the Lord. They tirelessly went around the cities and villages, everywhere preaching the word of God, serving as examples of holy life and baptizing those who believed in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
They suffered many hardships and persecutions; the pagans armed themselves against them, imprisoned them, tortured them, but they endured everything with patience and steadfastness. “We suffer hunger and thirst, and nakedness, and beatings,” writes the Holy Apostle Paul, “and wander about and toil, working with our own hands. They revile us, but we bless; they persecute us, we endure; they blaspheme, we pray.” This was the life of the Holy Apostles, a life filled with labors and hardships, but overshadowed by the grace of God, for they fulfilled the will of God. The power of the Lord visibly helped them in their deeds. Expelled from one country, they went to another, and thus the persecution itself contributed to the spread of the word of God.
The Apostles preached humility and contempt for wealth to people attached to earthly goods, glory and greatness; they promised only suffering in this life. Those who believed were subjected to terrible persecution; and meanwhile the Christian faith quickly spread and was established in hearts. The preaching of the Apostles consisted, as the Apostle Paul says: "Not in persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power" (1 Cor. 2:4). They taught not only with words, "but also by example of a virtuous life, patience, meekness and deeds of love." Many of the Apostles died a martyr's death.
II. a) Following the example of the Holy Apostles, we too must not only by word, but especially by the good example of life, contribute to the spread of the Christian faith and the glory of God: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven,” says the Lord.
b) Imitating the Holy Apostles, for whose glorification we have gathered, we too will magnanimously forgive the offenses of our enemies, pray for those who revile us and do good to those who oppress and hate us, so as to become like the Lord, who forgave His enemies and prayed for them to His Heavenly Father, and receive from Him mercy and forgiveness of our countless sins before Him.
c) Following the example of the now glorified Holy Apostles, we too must endure all sorrows with great patience for the sake of a pious Christian life and for the name of Christ: “Blessed are you, when they shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for My sake: rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven,” said the Lord to His disciples and all His faithful followers.
III. “Have all joy, my brethren, when you fall into various temptations, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience, and let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing,” teaches the Holy Apostle James, showing the great benefit of patiently enduring sorrows that befall every Christian, just as they did the Holy Apostles.
Source: A Complete Annual Cycle of Short Teachings, Composed for Each Day of the Year. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
