Second Sunday of Pentecost: All Honest Work Is Pleasing To God

 

Second Sunday of Pentecost

All Honest Work Is Pleasing To God

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

Many Christians, to whom God has assigned hard, by human standards, work, grumble about their occupation, are often dissatisfied with their position and often envy noble and rich people. But... remember the words of the Apostle: "As the Lord has called each one, so let him walk" (1 Cor. 7:17). Any useful work, even if not honorable, is honorable and pleasing to God. Our Savior Jesus Christ Himself, living in the house of Joseph the carpenter, undoubtedly engaged in this craft, because he was in complete obedience to his parents (cf. Luke 2:51). The Apostles also fed themselves from the labor of their hands; thus, the Apostle Paul himself made tents, and other Apostles, for example Peter and John, caught fish. The Most Holy Theotokos was engaged in handicrafts. And the holy saints of God worked hard: some cultivated the land, others wove baskets, others chopped wood...

Let us take, for example, Saint Alexander, Bishop of Comana (August 12). Alexander came from noble parents and received an excellent education; he knew not only Christian wisdom, but also pagan wisdom, and was considered a philosopher. He could have held a prominent position and enjoyed great honor in society, but his holy soul sought higher honors: he chose the highest Christian feat - self-willed poverty. In deep Christian humility, he decided to live the simplest life, almost shameful in people's opinion - he became a charcoal burner; he burned coals in the forest and carried them to the city to sell, which is how he made a living. By his occupation, he appeared black, dirty, in patched clothes. Little by little, they forgot about Alexander as a philosopher and knew him only as a charcoal burner. Now, from time to time, even small children made fun of him, but Alexander did not pay attention to this. He thought he would end his life in this situation, but God's Providence judged him differently. In Comana, in Asia Minor, a bishop died. Presbyters and local bishops gathered to elect a new hierarch; Bishop Gregory the Wonderworker of Neocaesarea, renowned for his spiritual experience, was also invited. When those present began to point to one or another as a worthy successor to the deceased, referring to the nobility of his family, wealth, gift of eloquence, or the venerable years of the one being elected, Saint Gregory the Wonderworker, in turn, noted that when choosing a bishop, one must pay attention primarily to internal qualities, to the kindness of his heart and to God's direction, and he proved his idea with a well-known event from Old Testament history: the election of Jesse's youngest son, David, who had been a shepherd for his father, as king. Not everyone liked the Saint's idea. Many began to grumble and mockingly said: "If we are not to pay attention to appearance when choosing a bishop, then why not choose the coal miner Alexander as bishop?" At that time, Alexander was standing right there in the crowd. "And who is this Alexander?" asked Gregory of Neocaesarea , thinking at the same time: is this not God's indication of a worthy chosen one.

Alexander was summoned in the same state as he was found – black, dirty, in torn and patched clothes. Those gathered, looking at him, could hardly keep from laughing. Meanwhile, the coal miner paid no attention to this and behaved quite decently before the assembly. Noticing great virtues in him, the insightful Saint Gregory took him aside and, under an oath, began to question him about his previous life. Alexander could not help but open up before the revered Saint. Gregory the Wonderworker was convinced of the correctness of his assumption regarding this man and of the indication of him from above. Alexander turned out to be well versed in Christian law, and most importantly, in the height of his life, he turned out to be a rare Christian. Having suggested that he wash himself, change his clothes and appear at the Council, Saint Gregory again went to the assembly. After some time, Alexander also appeared there – he was now barely recognized by those who had previously laughed at him. They began to ask him some questions, and he answered so intelligently that one could not help but be surprised by his answers, then by general consent Alexander was elected Bishop of Comana.

Alexander quickly passed through the lower hierarchical positions and was finally consecrated as a bishop. According to custom, the newly appointed bishop had to give an instructive word to the people. When Bishop Alexander began to give his sermon, all the listeners were moved by the simplicity and sincerity of the sermon.

But there was one young philosopher from the inhabitants of Comana who laughed at the simplicity of the teaching of the saint-philosopher, and the Lord enlightened him with a vision: he saw a flock of white, very beautiful doves, shining with some special light, and heard a voice: "Here are the words of Bishop Alexander, at which you laughed." After this vision, the young philosopher came to his senses and, coming to Bishop Alexander, repented of his sin.

With honor, glory and great benefit Alexander served as a Bishop of the Comana cathedra until he was seized for martyrdom by the enemies of Christianity for his open and firm confession of faith and after cruel torture was consigned to the flames. Thus ended the life of Bishop Alexander, who had previously worked as a coal miner!

This example clearly shows each of us that no work is humiliating; therefore, if any of you, Christians, are destined to bear difficult work, do not grumble at God and at your position. Every title is good if you yourself are good, and, conversely, every title will be bad if you yourself are bad, that is, if you are lazy, and a drunkard, and a thief, in a word, a worthless person.

And you, whom the Lord has destined to occupy the highest positions, do not humiliate your brother because he lives in poverty and simplicity. Do you know the soul of the one before whom you boast? Perhaps his soul is many times more perfect than yours! And by what, in fact, should one value a person, if not by his spiritual qualities? Gold, as we know, is hidden in the earth, and precious stones - in the hard earthy crust. Are not sometimes the precious qualities of the soul similarly hidden under the guise of poverty and simplicity - under beggarly rags? 

 

Source: From the book The Simple Gospel Word: Stories and Reflections from the Gospel Readings on Sundays and Feasts, 1890. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.