April: Day 18: Teaching 1:
Venerable John, Disciple of Saint Gregory of Decapolis
(On How We Can Participate in Spreading Truth and Goodness)
By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko
Venerable John, Disciple of Saint Gregory of Decapolis
(On How We Can Participate in Spreading Truth and Goodness)
By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko
I. Venerable John, commemorated today by the Church, was a disciple of Saint Gregory of Decapolis (whose memory is kept on November 20). From his youth he loved the ascetic life, came to Gregory, and struggled under his guidance. Venerable John and Gregory lived in the 9th century, during the iconoclastic heresy. Both of them left their place of safety and came to Constantinople, where the heresy was especially strong, in order to strengthen the faithful in Orthodoxy. There Saint Gregory soon reposed; but John continued his ascetic labors until his own death, which occurred in the year 820.
We see, brethren, that during the persecution of the holy icons by the iconoclast emperor (Leo the Armenian), Venerable John left his safe solitude and went to the capital of the Greek Empire in order to strengthen the faint-hearted and those wavering in the truth of the Orthodox teaching concerning the veneration of holy icons. Thus clearly he understood his moral duty to teach others the truth and a virtuous life.
The example of Venerable John reminds us also, brethren, of our duty to take part in spreading truth and goodness among our neighbors and among all who have departed from truth and piety.
II. How, then, can we participate in spreading among our neighbors the light of truth and virtue?
To spread light among people — that is, truth and goodness — there seem to be three principal means: word, authority, and example. The word acts by persuasion; authority by rightly used power; example disposes others to imitation.
Not all are given the gift or the right to act by the word of wisdom; to authority, especially higher and broader authority, only a few are called by Providence; but everyone can act by a good example, and it even gives additional strength to both word and authority. Therefore judge how important a good example is.
a) If a minister of the word tells you: be pious, charitable, temperate — but if his teaching is not written in the book of his own life, then the whole fruit of his instruction may be reduced to the reply: “Physician, heal yourself” (Luke 4:23). I do not say it must be so, but it most easily happens so. Yet the Lord commands us to receive just and useful words even from those whose deeds do not correspond to them: “Whatever they tell you to observe, observe and do; but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do” (Matthew 23:3), He says of the hypocritical Pharisees.
But he who practices what he teaches gives great power even to a small word. The light of speech without the power of deeds is a brilliance without life, soon passing away; but the light of good deeds often continues to shine even after the word has fallen silent, and after the worker’s death it spreads a long and wide radiance.
b) The commands of authority, in their many forms, cannot always be accompanied by the example of the one who commands, since one person cannot fulfill all duties distributed among many ranks. But where rulers and subjects can walk the same path — such as in truth of faith, moral goodness, and works of charity and mercy — there the example of authority powerfully and pleasantly draws others after it. As water flows from higher places to lower, not always restrained even by barriers, so the moral spirit of those in higher positions passes to lower ones through imitation, despite differences of rank. The piety and charity of those in authority, like the sun, effortlessly spread their light among those under them.
c) But can the example of a pious life from a person of lowly condition — like not a city on a hill, but perhaps only a hut beneath the hill — shine before others? Why not? Even a small lamp in a hut is seen by a wandering traveler; he goes toward its light, finds shelter from the cold night or wild beasts, rests in safety, and rejoices in hospitality. Likewise, a humble good deed of a person unnoticed in the world, if inspired by a good and holy intention, is a work of light. It acts as light upon those who see it, drawing them to good, and under the guidance of Providence sometimes extends its influence to immeasurable distances.
Look at the widow pointed out by the Savior, who, out of her pious zeal, placed her last two mites into the treasury. What a small good deed! Yet before how many millions of people has it already shone, and will continue to shine in the Gospel — teaching some to do good even with little means, and others to value highly a good intention and holy thought even in small deeds and humble people.
III. By the prayers of Venerable John, may the Lord grant us grace to spread truth and goodness among our neighbors not only by words, but also by the example of our good life — and by authority, if we are called to it.
(Compiled from the Menaion Readings and the sermons of Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow, vol. IV, 1882.)
Source: A Complete Annual Cycle of Short Teachings, Composed for Each Day of the Year. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
