May: Day 19: Teaching 1: Holy Blessed Prince John of Uglich, in Monasticism Called Ignatius, the Wonderworker of Vologda

May: Day 19: Teaching 1:
Holy Blessed Prince John of Uglich, in Monasticism Called Ignatius, the Wonderworker of Vologda
 
(Temporary Misfortunes Are God's Blessings)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Our Russian saint, Prince John of Uglich, who is commemorated today, lived more than three hundred years ago. The Grand Prince of Moscow Vasily suspected his relative, Prince Andrei of Uglich, of treason and ordered him to appear in Moscow. Although the treason was not proven, Andrei was put in chains and imprisoned, where he soon died. Because of their father, his children, Demetrius and John, completely innocent, were also taken into custody, on only one unfounded suspicion. They were transferred from prison to prison until, finally, the prison in the city of Vologda was chosen as their permanent place of imprisonment; here, in severe confinement, the innocent sufferers spent more than thirty years.

The moral disposition of the brothers became apparent immediately. The impatient Demetrius, although older than John, lamented greatly the cruelty of his uncle — he was despondent and lost heart. Not so with John: from a young age, meek and God-fearing, he completely accepted his imprisonment — he did not allow himself a single word of complaint against his uncle, but instead thanked God for everything, finding solace in prayer and in the study of God’s law. He looked at prison as a school of piety appointed for him by the Lord. Being completely calm and good-natured, like the holy martyrs, he was a true comforter for his faint-hearted brother Demetrius. "Why should you grieve, my brother?" he said to Demetrius more than once. God inspired the Grand Prince to take care of the salvation of our souls. Do you not see how far we are from the world, which is dangerous for the soul? Everything that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world (John 2:16). It is our good fortune that we are separated from such unenviable advantages of the world. Is our prison narrow? Did not the saints walk along a narrow path to the Kingdom of Heaven? They suffered hunger, cold, beatings, wounds, imprisonment, the loss of everything, but they sang psalms and were consoled by reading the word of God. Let us imitate them, and we will be given the crown of incorruption."

Only death separated him from his brother and from prison. "Into Your hands, O Lord, I commit my spirit!" were the last dying words of the prince-prisoner. The Christian consolation that filled John's soul throughout his life was reflected in his deathly face: his face, even after death, shone with meekness, good nature, and blessedness.

II. Brethren! All those who are impatient in the misfortunes of this life would, without a doubt, endure their sufferings as patiently as Saint John did, if they would enter into themselves and thoroughly know the state of their hearts. The Lord God would not have left them without His light, and they would very soon see what everyone should see, and which, however, very many do not see and do not want to see - they would see that "all the misfortunes that happen to us in this life are always God's blessings that are very salutary for us." Let us, brethren, turn our attention to this worthy truth.

a) All the misfortunes of this life, whatever their nature, are truly a very saving blessing from God for us.

In this life, many people, under the influence of various passions that dominate them, forget themselves to such an extent that they almost never remember God, their soul, or their duties, they live only the life of the flesh, and multiply sins upon sins. “Therefore God, who ardently desires all men to be saved” (Ezek. 33:11), sends upon them some sensitive illness, need, various sorrows, fears, some other misfortunes. He sends them in order to remind them of Himself, to bring them to the consciousness of the bad state of their hearts, and to dispose them to correction. Is this not a blessing? “Whom the Lord loves,” says the Holy Apostle, “He chastens, that we may be partakers of His holiness” (Heb. 12:6, 10). Thus God acted and acts not only with individuals, but also with entire nations. Therefore, whenever misfortune befalls us, no matter what kind it may be, we must immediately examine with all possible care what in our hearts requires correction, and immediately correct ourselves.

b) The misfortunes of this life are God's blessings for us, because they protect us from sin. Many complain about their poverty, about the difficulty of providing for themselves or their families. But do they know what their life would be like if they were rich? Now they constantly feel the need for God's help, and pray fervently. But many rich people completely forget God and do not pray; and when they do pray, they pray without due attention and reverence. Can they say for sure about themselves that they would not become just as insensitive?

c) The misfortunes of this life are a blessing from God for people, even for the pious. For misfortunes provide them with an opportunity to exercise and strengthen themselves in virtue. As long as a person has no opportunity to awaken his powers, his powers sleep, often so deeply that he himself does not know about them, and leaves them without any exercise. But when an opportunity opens up and awakens his powers, he acts with them, and often becomes a completely different person. Every pious person deeply feels this truth, and in moments of the most vivid awareness of it he says to himself: “What would I be without my illness, without my poverty, or other misfortune!”

However, God, who subjects people to various misfortunes, never subjects them to misfortunes so that they are unable to bear them. This is clearly stated by the Holy Apostle, admonishing the Corinthians: “God will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear, but with the temptation will also make a way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Cor. 10:13).

III. Therefore, brethren, calmly rely on the paternal goodness of God, and do not complain, but glorify God in all the misfortunes that weigh you down. Remember, my brethren, that all the misfortunes sent to us by God, of whatever kind they may be, are God’s blessings.  

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