July: Day 20: Venerable Fathers Symeon and John his Fellow Ascetic

 

July: Day 20:
Venerable Fathers Symeon and John his Fellow Ascetic
 
(How Should We Regard the Calamities That Befall Us, Seemingly Without Any Fault On Our Part?)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Venerable Symeon, a fool for Christ's sake, whose memory the Holy Church celebrates today, lived in great friendship with a certain virtuous and God-pleasing deacon, John. One day, the following temptation happened to this deacon: in the city where he lived, some villains killed a man at night and, unnoticed by anyone, threw his corpse into the deacon's yard.

When the day came and the people saw the deacon with a dead body, then a rumor spread throughout the city that the deacon had killed a man. The rumor reached the city governor, and he began to judge the deacon as a murderer. The latter could not find anyone who could prove his innocence, and the deacon was sentenced to a shameful death by hanging. The unfortunate man was led to the place of execution. At this time, one of the residents ran to blessed Symeon and exclaimed: “Look, fool! Your friend and benefactor, Deacon John, has been sentenced to death. After all, no one cared for you as much as he did, and if he dies, then you will perish of hunger!” And then he told the reason for which the deacon was condemned. Venerable Symeon immediately hid in a secluded place where he was accustomed to pray, and began to earnestly ask God to deliver the deacon from mortal misfortune. The blessed one's prayer was heard. The real murderers were revealed, and the deacon received forgiveness at the very place of execution, perhaps a few moments before it was carried out.

Released from captivity, he hurried to the blessed Symeon, who he found still in prayer. After finishing his prayer, the Saint turned to the Deacon and said: "So, brother John, you too barely escaped the cup of death! Go now, pray, and give thanks to the God of Deliverance. But before you do, listen to this from me: do you think that you have suffered in vain? No, know this, you have not suffered in vain. The temptation has befallen you for a reason: remember that two beggars came to you; but did you, having something to give them, actually give? Did you not turn away from them? Did you not send them away empty-handed?"

Yes, he turned and sent them away empty-handed, and for this he fell into trouble.

II. From this it is clear, brethren, that when we suffer something apparently and innocently, we must never murmur and say: "I am innocent! Why do I suffer?" You suffer because, if not before the misfortune, then long before it, you have immeasurably offended God with your sins and through this you have brought upon yourself the wrath of God, righteously moved. You sinned before and thought that everything would pass away. No, it will never pass away, for God sees and knows everything and rewards each according to his deeds.

III. Therefore, in the future, if some misfortune should ever befall us, let us humble ourselves before God, acknowledge ourselves as sinners, and accept the misfortune as punishment for our previously committed sins. And this will, of course, be the best thing: God will not despise a contrite and humble heart, and only to the humble does He give His grace. And once God Himself is with a man with His grace, then no misfortune will be able to destroy or frighten him; for with the Lord, according to Scripture, a man will fear no evil, even though he walk in the shadow of death.  

 

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