August: Day 21: Teaching 1: Holy Apostle Thaddeus

August: Day 21: Teaching 1:
Holy Apostle Thaddeus
 
(About Miracles)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Holy Apostle Thaddeus, celebrated today by the Holy Church, was one of the 70 Apostles and came from the city of Edessa. Having come to Jerusalem to worship and having heard the preaching of John the Baptist, he was baptized by John. Then, having seen Jesus Christ and His miracles and having heard the teaching, Thaddeus became a disciple of Christ. After the descent of the Holy Spirit, he was sent to preach the gospel in Edessa. Having established a church in Edessa, Saint Thaddeus went to Armenia. Here, combining preaching with miracles, he converted the king’s daughter, nobles, and many people to Christ. The king became angry and imprisoned his daughter and many believers, and put others to death. The Lord Himself appeared to the Apostle and said: “Take courage, Thaddeus! Arm yourself with patience, many troubles await you, but I will be with you.” The Apostle then went to the prison, where the doors opened of their own accord, a heavenly light illuminated the prisoners, and from the midst of the light the voice of God was heard: "Be steadfast, for I will come and take you to Myself." At this miracle, the prison guards asked Thaddeus to baptize them. Many miracles were performed through the Apostle Thaddeus. But the king was not enlightened by the miracles and executed his daughter. On the fourth day after her death, it was revealed to Thaddeus that he too would soon receive the crown of martyrdom. Indeed, the king soon ordered the Saint to be hunted by wild beasts, but the beasts lay at his feet; then they threw him into the furnace, but the wind cooled the furnace. Finally, the king ordered him to be killed with a sword. But as soon as the sword struck the Apostle, a heavenly light illuminated his body, the earth shook, the stone split and received the body. The pagans fled. It was about 44 A.D.

II. In the life of the today commemorated Holy Apostle Thaddeus, many extraordinary signs of God's mercy were revealed. In connection with this, we will say a few words about miracles.

a) A miracle is an action that cannot be performed by anyone except Almighty God. It would seem strange to ask: is a miracle possible? If it is the work of the Almighty, then, of course, it is possible for Him just as it was possible to create the world out of nothing.

A miracle, say those of little faith, is impossible, because everything in the world must proceed as it was intended by the Creator at the very creation, according to the natural order, according to the laws of nature, placed in it by the Creator Himself. Is it possible that the almighty and all-wise Creator would begin to violate His own laws? But, when discussing the laws of nature, one must not forget that there is another, much higher moral law, which is given to man. Nature is unquestioningly subject to the laws given to it. But when sin appeared on earth, man violated the moral law of God, changed his relationship to nature, then it, without changing its laws, also entered into a different relationship with man. The Creator makes a change in nature, gives a different movement to its forces, so that by external influence, from the side of nature, he can call man to return to the path of moral law without violating his freedom. The supernatural action of God's omnipotence in nature turned out to be necessary not to correct some imperfection of nature, but to correct the damage brought about by man's freedom in his own life. After this, can one still doubt that miracles are not only possible, but also necessary for the restoration of violated moral laws? For a Christian who believes in God's Providence, this is an undoubted truth.

b) In the life of every believer, of course, who is attentive to the phenomena of life, there are many signs. How many cases are there when an unbeliever returns to faith, thanks to the irresistible action of the edifying signs that have happened in his life? Perhaps that is why faith still lives among people, because signs and miracles do not run out in their lives. And how many troubles and disasters would people have to endure if the miraculously delivering or warning hand of God did not appear from time to time? Nature, as if offended by the violation of the moral law, often takes a hostile attitude towards man. Most often this happens because man himself takes an incorrect, even criminal attitude towards it, and so it, that is, the Lord himself through it, punishes man; but the Lord also often has mercy. Both by punishment and by mercy He brings to reason those who forget His law.

III. It is enough to say, brethren, that we may repeat with full faith the words of the psalmist: “Who is so great a God as our God? You are a God who works wonders” (Psalm 86:14). 

 

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