May: Day 17: Holy Apostle Andronikos and Junia His Helper

May: Day 17:
Holy Apostle Andronikos and Junia His Helper
 
(On Familial Love)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Saint Andronikos, whose memory is celebrated today, was one of the Seventy Apostles and a relative of the Apostle Paul, who lovingly mentioned him in his letter to the Romans (chapter 16:7). “Greet Andronikos and Junia, my kinsmen and fellow prisoners, who are renowned among the apostles and were in Christ before me.” Andronikos preached the gospel in various countries and was Bishop in Pannonia. He suffered a martyr’s death, and his relics, like those of Saint Junia, were later found in Eugenia (a locality near Constantinople).

II. The "familial love" that existed between the now celebrated Holy Apostle Andronikos and the Apostle Paul is instructive for everyone. On the contrary, what could be more outrageous than when relatives live among themselves worse than enemies, avoid meeting, quarrel at every meeting, and especially when they engage in some kind of litigation over property interests. This is no longer Christian, but worse than pagan.

a) First, familial love serves us as a rich source of delight, consolation and comfort; and a person in distress on earth very often needs delight and consolation. Has some “joy” been sent to us, has some “sorrow” happened - how pleasant and comforting it is for us when there is someone with whom to share this joy and this sorrow, when we have a loved one who will take this joy and this sorrow to his heart, as his own joy and his own sorrow; and how hard it is, on the contrary, when there is no one with whom to share one’s soul. For example, a great holiday has arrived: what kind of holiday would it be if on this day we had no one with whom to share a meal, no one with whom to have a friendly conversation, no one with whom to have fun, no one to embrace with all our hearts.

Or, for example, you have been struck by a serious illness, or death has snatched away one of your close ones: will not your grief be doubled when not a single human soul shows warm sympathy for you, when you, the sick, do not see anyone at your bedside, when no one will shed tears with you at the grave of a person dear to you. And even in ordinary times, with our daily activities, do we not need daily rest and entertainment in the family circle? And what kind of life would it be within four walls without a wife, children, friends, brothers, sisters, and other relatives, reviving and encouraging us with their presence and their words?

Or who does not know the bitter lot of an orphan? That is why Christ the Savior valued familial love and considered it necessary for people. For example, during His suffering on the cross, He did not leave His lonely, grieving Mother, but adopted His beloved disciple John as Her son.

b) But besides joy and consolation, relatives give us help. Not all people are rich enough to always support themselves. There are also many different accidents (e.g. fires, the loss of a husband who supported the family), which deprive a person of even a piece of daily bread. And besides material support, we often need other support, e.g. advice in a difficult matter, some kind of favor, some kind of participation in a matter, etc. To whom should we turn in these cases and from whom should we expect reliable help, if not from relatives? Or to whom, for example, should we bow the head of infirm and aged parents, if not to our own children? Or who will remember the dead in prayer, if not their relatives?

c) Finally, familial love serves as a model for us for love towards all people, for love towards strangers. Having learned sincere love towards our relatives, and even having it by nature, we must little by little transfer it to all people - as far as it is possible to love even strangers with sincere familial love. If we did not have relatives, we would not know this sincere love; but now we have them, and therefore we know this sincere love from personal experience and must use it in relation to all people. And have you not noticed that when your heart is seized with sincere love for some very close and dear person to you, for example, for your father or mother, then it, so to speak, expands and is ready to embrace all people in rapture; love for a close person is poured out, so to speak, on everyone and everything, on the whole world. He who has no love for close relatives, according to the words of the Holy Apostle Paul, is worse than an unbeliever, worse than a pagan, who does not know the teachings of the Christian faith.

III. Thank the Creator for this great and precious gift – familial love. Cherish this gift and sacredly preserve it, i.e., beware of discord with your relatives and abide with them in sincere love. Finally, kindle familial love for strangers, especially for orphans, widows, the lonely, so to speak, abandoned in the world. After the grave we will all form one family, we will all love one another with the same love with which we now love our relatives; try to come at least somewhat closer on earth and prepare for what awaits you in heaven. “What can be more beautiful,” says the Holy Prophet David, “than for brethren (i.e. people) to live in harmony with one another.” Amen. 

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