Against Blasphemy
January 4
(A Story from the Leimonarion, About a Miracle Concerning Children Who Served)
By Archpriest Victor Guryev
January 4
(A Story from the Leimonarion, About a Miracle Concerning Children Who Served)
By Archpriest Victor Guryev
In the Prologue, in the "A Story from the Leimonarion, About a Miracle Concerning Children Who Served," two truths are revealed with extraordinary clarity: the first is that God cannot be mocked, and the second is that the sin of blasphemy is a terrible sin. To prove both truths, let us turn to a case.
In one village, children were tending sheep. Children, of course, are children everywhere, and when the opportunity arises, they always try to take advantage of the time to indulge in childish games. This was the case with the aforementioned child shepherds. But games are not all the same, and some games are even beneficial for children, while others can be very harmful to them. The child shepherds indulged in this latter game. They decided to arrange the following: "Let's celebrate the Liturgy and partake of Communion," said one of them, "just as a priest does in church." The proposal was accepted.
The children thus appointed one of their number as priest and the other two as deacons. And so the blasphemy began. The children made an altar out of one of the nearby stones and placed bread on it, with wine in the chalice. Some began to recite the deacon's chants, others the priest's. The children, who had always been present in church during services, apparently knew the order of the service. And then, when, amid their blasphemy, the time came for the breaking of the bread and communion, fire suddenly fell from heaven and consumed everything: the bread, the wine, and the stone upon which they had been placed. Seeing God's wrath manifest, the children fell to the ground in terror, unable to rise or utter a single word. Their terror was boundless.
Their parents, not seeing them returning home at the usual hour, went out to meet them where the youths were supposed to be returning and found them where they had committed their blasphemy. But in what condition? They found them mute, unconscious, near death, and were forced to carry them home. The fathers were perplexed as to why this had happened. But soon the matter was explained. When the children came to, they told what had happened to them. In the end, everyone glorified the Just and All-Seeing God.
Therefore, brethren, the first truth — that God cannot be mocked — is proven in the story by the fact that when the most holy Mystery was insulted, even without full understanding, God's power and justice were fully revealed. Suddenly, fire fell from heaven and consumed the entire, so to speak, sacrilegious deed. And further, from all that happened, children and parents should have understood that the sin of sacrilege is truly a terrible sin and will not go unpunished by God. Let us, too, remember all this, and to guard ourselves from this sin, let us constantly bear the fear of God in our hearts, let us treat all sacred things with complete reverence, and finally, let us often recall the words of Scripture: "Woe to you who laugh now! For you shall mourn and weep." Amen.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
Therefore, brethren, the first truth — that God cannot be mocked — is proven in the story by the fact that when the most holy Mystery was insulted, even without full understanding, God's power and justice were fully revealed. Suddenly, fire fell from heaven and consumed the entire, so to speak, sacrilegious deed. And further, from all that happened, children and parents should have understood that the sin of sacrilege is truly a terrible sin and will not go unpunished by God. Let us, too, remember all this, and to guard ourselves from this sin, let us constantly bear the fear of God in our hearts, let us treat all sacred things with complete reverence, and finally, let us often recall the words of Scripture: "Woe to you who laugh now! For you shall mourn and weep." Amen.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.