Prologue in Sermons: February 6

On What is Necessary in Order to Meet Death Not With Terror, But With Joy

February 6*

(Commemoration of the Holy Martyr Martha and her niece Mary, and of the Koly Martyr Karion the Black Robe Wearer)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev

When we draw near to death, for the most part we meet it with terror rather than with joy. Why is this so? Because then we feel hemmed in on all sides. If we look back, we are met by unpaid sin and unforgiven evil; if we direct our gaze forward, we meet God, the impartial Judge, eternal blessedness — which we have lost for the fleeting sweetness of sin — and the torments of hell, ready to swallow us up forever. In short, we fear death because we are sinners. Were we righteous, it would be otherwise. We would meet death not with terror, but with joy.

In the times of persecution there lived two kinswomen, virgin sisters, Martha and Mary. They prayed to God continually, and their sole desire was to receive the martyr’s crown for Christ. Once, when the imperial governor was passing by their house, they saw him and cried out: “We are Christians!” The governor stopped with his attendants. The virgins cried out again: “We are Christians!” To this the governor replied: “Since you are young, I forgive you; go home; I will not put you to death.” Then Martha said: “O governor, death for Christ is not death, but eternal life!” Mary said the same; and the same was said by a young monk who was there, Karion. The governor then grew angry and ordered them to be hung on three crosses. The command was carried out. Since at that time it was the custom of the torturers, after some period of suffering of those crucified, to cut off their heads, Mary, seeing the approach of this final torment, said to the executioner: “Bear with us a little longer and allow us to raise our final hymns to God.” The executioner agreed. Then a voice was heard from the crosses:

“To You have we lifted up our eyes, O You who dwell in the heavens!
Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters,
as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the Lord our God, until He has mercy on us.
Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us” (Ps. 122:1–4).

When the singing ended, Martha said: “If any of our brethren wish to bid us farewell, let them come and do so, for soon we shall be in the heavenly Jerusalem.” The gathered Christians took leave of the sufferers; then the executioner cut off their heads, and they, it is said, “committed their souls into the hands of the Lord with joy.”

See, then: death was not frightening to the Saints mentioned above when they themselves sought it; death was desirable to them when they called it not death but eternal life; death was joyful for them when, as it is said, after the dreadful sufferings of being nailed to the cross, they surrendered their souls to the Lord with gladness. Yes, truly death was not frightening to them, for they were filled with holiness and, so to speak, breathed it. And this example of a calm, joyful attitude toward death among the saints is not the only one. Listen also to what the Holy Apostle Paul says of himself: "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain… I have a desire to depart and to be with Christ" (Phil. 1:21, 23). Thus, brethren, this is how the saints regarded death; thus it was joyful for them! It will be the same for us if in life we hasten to follow in their footsteps. Let us imitate the saints; let us turn away from sins; let us wash them away with tears of repentance; let us live in God and for God — and then at the hour of death we too shall receive boldness and cry out together with David: "Even though I walk through the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me" (Ps. 22:4). Amen.

Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.

 

* These Holy Martyrs are commemorated on February 6th in the Slavic Churches, while in the Greek Churches they are commemorated on February 8th. Karion is the Slavic name while in Greek he is named Lykarion.