Prologue in Sermons: September 20

In Times of Misfortune, One Should Not Become Despondent and Despair, But Should Place All Hope in God

September 20

(Commemoration of the Holy Great Martyr Eustathios)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev

There are misfortunes in which we can still, it seems, find help or consolation from people; but there are also those in which people are completely powerless to help or console. In these latter misfortunes, instead of turning to God in prayer for help and placing all hope in Him as the Almighty, we often give in to complete cowardice and, as they say, completely throw up our hands. This is often why many of us, without faith and trust in God, in misfortunes, from cowardice pass to despair and perish. And yet, is there any sorrow in which the Lord cannot console us? Or does He have little love and compassion? Or does He not see our troubles and sorrows? Of His omnipotence and omniscience there is no need to speak, and that He has love and compassion for those in distress is evident from the fact that He Himself calls them to Himself and promises them His help. "Call upon Me," He says, "in the day of your trouble, and I will answer you." Therefore, righteous people do not act like us in adversity: they remain in trust in God, unshakable as a rock, and their trust does not put them to shame. The Lord unexpectedly turns their sorrow into joy and their grief into gladness.

The Holy Great Martyr Eustathios offers a striking example in this regard. He was a Roman commander, possessing immense wealth, numerous slaves, and was renowned and celebrated. But then, grief after grief, misfortune after misfortune began to haunt him. First, death visited his home; then wicked men came and robbed him, and he became a beggar and a helpless wanderer. A robber took his good and pious wife from him, wild beasts carried off his two sons, and Eustathios was left alone with his grief. What could be more terrible than his situation? But he was not lost in it. "For I weep as a man, O Lord," he said, "but in You, my Provider and the Architect of my path, I strengthen myself, I trust in You, and with Your love, like cool dew, and with Your desire, like sweetness, I sweeten the bitterness of my woes." Thus, having nothing on earth, he turned entirely to God, and God consoled him. The time came, and he became even richer and more noble; he found his wife and children miraculously preserved by God, and subsequently found such grace and mercy from the Lord that he was even deemed worthy of a martyr's crown.

Let us not be overcome by misfortunes, let us abandon cowardice and despondency, and let us not seek relief from mortal anguish in some absurd, sometimes superstitious, means. But when oppressive sorrow weighs upon our souls, let us rather cast ourselves before the Lord in tearful prayer, reveal our sorrow and proclaim our grief to Him. He is merciful and will therefore either send us His gracious power, which will grant our souls patience and generosity, or He will completely deliver us from all troubles and sorrows. Amen.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.