August: Day 17: Holy Martyr Myron

August: Day 17:
Holy Martyr Myron
 
(On the Means of Helping to Curb Anger)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Holy Martyr Myron, celebrated today, was a priest in Achaia and lived during the persecution of Decius. Once, the governor of Achaia, Antipater, on the feast of the Nativity of Christ, entered the Christian church where Myron served in order to seize the Christians who had gathered there. Myron reproached Antipater for such an act and denounced him for his idolatry. For this they seized him and gave him over to torture. After various tortures they threw him into a fiery furnace, but the fire rushed out of the furnace and burned the torturers, and the Holy Martyr remained unharmed. Then Antipater ordered that the straps be cut from his body and then gave him over to be eaten by wild beasts, but the beasts did not touch the Martyr, and the governor fell into such a furious rage that he killed himself. Saint Myron was beheaded with a sword.

II. From the brief outline of the life of the Holy Martyr Myron we have seen, brethren, to what the mad anger of the tormentor Antipater led: his impotent rage led him to suicide.

If anger is so dangerous, then it would be useful to think about the means to curb anger.

a) The words of divinely-wise men concerning anger, transmitted to our memory and reason, are very conducive to taming anger. For example, in the Book of Job we find the following words: "Anger kills a fool" (Job 5:2). The meaning of these words is this: the anger of fools is so strong that it upsets their body and soul, and sometimes actually deprives them of life. Also in the Book of Job we read the following words: "Anger destroys the great and strong" (Job 9:22). The meaning of these words is this: anger destroys not only insignificant people, but also important ones. The wise Solomon says: "A fool immediately confesses his anger" (Prov. 12:16). These words can be explained as follows: the feeble-minded are impatient. At the slightest displeasure, they instantly reveal their anger. Even the wise Solomon said: "Anger destroys even the wise" (Prov. 15 :1), i.e. not only the feeble-minded and ignorant perished and perish from anger, but also people with great intelligence and excellent education. And the wise Sirach says: "Anger and wrath... are an abomination" (Sir. 27:33); i.e., angry and furious people are vile and disgusting, like beasts. All these words, having taken root in our memory, can curb and stop the outbursts of our anger; for all these words speak both justly and unfavorably about anger, and by speaking unfavorably about anger, they can thereby naturally humiliate anger in our opinion and cool our inclination to anger.

It is especially useful to remember the following teaching of Christ the Savior when insults arouse anger in us: “If someone strikes you on the cheek, turn to him the other also.” Mountains of discontent, raised in our hearts by the troubles caused to us by our neighbors, are often broken against this stone.

b) Examples of people who met disappointments with magnanimity and calm are also very helpful in taming anger. Such, for example, is Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk, who bowed down to the feet of a freethinker who had struck him on the cheek and asked his forgiveness for having upset him with his conversations, which made him fall in turn at the Saint’s feet with tears and ask his forgiveness with repentance. But in moments of disappointment, the most useful example of magnanimity is to keep in mind the patience of Christ the Savior. He is the King, He is the Creator, He is God, and despite His greatness, He patiently endured the most terrible insults from His creation. He only had to wish to destroy His offenders, and they would have been gone in an instant. But the Almighty endured everything and prayed for His enemies.

In the Old Testament, a look at the copper serpent healed the wounds of people that came from the bite of serpents. Now, in the New Testament, a mental look at the cross of Christ, at the patience of Christ, can greatly contribute to the healing of the wounds produced by moral serpents - passions, and consequently anger. Therefore, remember in moments of anger Golgotha and the cross of the Savior - and it will be easier for you to extinguish in your heart the flame of anger that is destructive to you and your enemies.

c) Are you offended or angry? If you have employed the aforementioned means, and they have not subdued your anger, try one more remedy – offer a sincere prayer for the person who has provoked your anger. Say from the depths of your heart: "Lord! Forgive the transgressions of my neighbor who has offended me; do not hold against him the sin of his action that has distressed me; he is but a man, subject to weaknesses." And you will see in practice that this is not powerless; if not to perfect eradication, then at least to the mitigation of your anger. The same Almighty and Most Gracious Lord Jesus Christ, who prayed for His enemies while on the cross, seeing your prudence, your patience, your magnanimous prayer filled with selflessness and love for your neighbor, will help you triumph over your anger.

III. Let us, my brethren, make use of the proposed means to suppress the angry impulses of our grieved hearts. Let us not give place in our souls to unrighteous anger, lest it bring down upon us the wrath of God. Amen.

 

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