Against Those Who Turn to Sorcerers for Help in Illness
March 9
(From a Discourse of Saint John Chrysostom on those who treat illnesses with sorcery and charms.)
By Archpriest Victor Guryev
March 9
(From a Discourse of Saint John Chrysostom on those who treat illnesses with sorcery and charms.)
By Archpriest Victor Guryev
It is very sorrowful, brethren, that even now one can still find among you many people who, in times of illness, abandon their hope in God and in the help of ordinary physicians and instead seek relief from the so-called sorcerers. It is grievous to see how sometimes a person, going to some deceiver — or one who truly works with dark powers — gives him his last coin, humbles himself before him, reveres him, and almost worships him as a god. Where then, brethren, is our Lord, our Defender and Helper in the afflictions that befall us? Where is the vow made at Baptism to renounce Satan and all his works? What kind of Christians are we after this?
“O how much better it is to die,” says Saint John Chrysostom, “than to go to the enemies of God! What help is it to heal the body while destroying the soul? What profit is there in receiving a little relief here, only to be sent there with the demons into eternal fire?”
Listen to what once happened: King Ahaziah fell ill and, abandoning hope in God’s help, sent messengers to consult sorcerers. But the Prophet Elijah met the servants of Ahaziah and said: “Go and tell your king: because he has forsaken God and has sent to demons to inquire about his health, God has decreed that he shall not rise from his bed but will die before his time.” Thus premature death overtakes all who go to sorcerers.
The Holy Apostles condemned sorcery, and the Holy Fathers at the synods rejected it, excommunicating those who resort to sorcerers and imposing strict penances upon them.
Therefore, continues the universal teacher, “cease, brethren, from cursed sorcery, lest you receive eternal torment. You will say: ‘We cannot endure the severity of the illness.’ Remember Job, who lay covered with terrible sores for seven years and did not seek sorcerers, but said: it is better for me to die than to offend God. Remember also the paralytic who lay in illness for thirty-eight years and did not seek magicians but awaited help from God. And remember Lazarus, hungry and sick, who lay all his life at the gate of the rich man in neglect and humiliation, yet did not resort to sorcerers.
If they endured such heavy sufferings without complaint, what mercy can we expect from God if even in a small sickness we run to sorcerers and healers? O Christian, just as gold is purified by fire, so our sins are purified by illness. Remember the martyrs, the prophets, and the apostles — what sufferings they endured! Do not forget that the more one endures afflictions or sickness in this life, the greater the reward he will receive in the Kingdom of Heaven.
But sorcerers will not deliver you from illness. By going to them you commit a great and grievous sin, for you abandon God and go to demons. What mercy then will you receive from Him afterward? How will you call upon Him in prayer? Why do you destroy your soul? How will you answer to God? How will you stand in church? How will you partake of the Holy Mysteries? How will you hear the word of God?
Therefore abandon the healers and endure illness with thanksgiving, and you will be numbered with the martyrs on that day.”
How shall I conclude my word to you, brethren, after such a teaching from Saint Chrysostom? I will conclude with a question: you have heard how destructive it is for the soul to go to sorcerers — but do you even receive the slightest benefit for the body from these servants of Satan? Look carefully around you and tell me: among whom do we see twisted faces, blinded eyes, weakened limbs, if not among those who have gone to them? Is this not a clear sign of God’s punishment upon those who went, and a clear proof of the powerlessness of those who claim to heal through dark forces?
Why then seek help from them, and why provoke God to anger?
Let us abandon this evil custom and, in sickness, run instead to our Creator and the Physician of our souls and bodies. Amen.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
