The Benefit of Hearing the Word of God
February 22
(From the Discourse About a Jester Who Was Saved With Two Wives)
By Archpriest Victor Guryev
February 22
(From the Discourse About a Jester Who Was Saved With Two Wives)
By Archpriest Victor Guryev
It is known that the Lord Jesus Christ, during His earthly life, by His divine word turned many sinners to salvation. Such were Matthew the tax collector, Mary Magdalene, Zacchaeus, the Samaritan woman, and many others. But what now? Does the word of God continue to act so savingly upon sinners to this day? Does there remain in the word of God that same power which it had when it came forth from the lips of the Savior Himself? Undoubtedly.
This is evident from the fact that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever; and also from examples that show the extraordinarily beneficial action of the word of God upon the human heart even after the Ascension of the Savior.
In the city of Tarsus in Cilicia there lived a jester named Babylas. He had unlawful cohabitation with two women, and by his deeds he was a vessel of the devil. Once it happened that he was in church, and while there he heard the reading of the Gospel. The words, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 4:17), had an extraordinary effect on him. Immediately he felt deep repentance, wept, began to reproach himself for his former life, and made a promise to amend his ways.
Returning home from church, he called both women and said to them: “You know how shamefully I have lived with you. Now I wish to atone for my sins, to leave the world and become a monk. Here is my property for you; take it and divide it equally between yourselves, and I will go to a monastery.”
And what of Babylas’ wives? Oh, truly, “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17)! As if with one mouth they answered him: “In your lawless life you did not drive us away; why then do you drive us away now? Do you wish to be saved alone? No. As we were your partners in lawlessness, so now we wish to be partners in salvation. Do not reject us, but make us participants in your good deeds.”
After this, Babylas departed, took monastic tonsure, and ascended a pillar (became a stylite). His wives, having distributed all their property to the poor, also received the tonsure and shut themselves up together in one cell.
And thus, says the narrative, the one who had formerly been a jester and a great sinner, Babylas, became “a man contrite, full of the fear of God, humble and meek, beneficial to many; and having pleased God, he passed into eternal life, in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Is it necessary after this to prove that the word of God now has the same power that it had when it came forth from the lips of the Savior? And is it not clear that its grace-filled light still shines upon all and enlightens everyone in the Orthodox Church of Christ, and that hearing it elevates the soul, lifts it up to God, awakens and nourishes feelings of repentance for sins, contrition, faith, hope, and love for God? That "blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it" (Luke 11:28), and that, finally, blessed will you also be, if you reverently listen to it, obey it, and keep it in your thoughts, desires, words, and deeds? Amen.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
