A Wise Woman
April 29
(Discourse about a monk corrected by a woman.)
By Archpriest Victor Guryev
April 29
(Discourse about a monk corrected by a woman.)
By Archpriest Victor Guryev
Enumerating the virtues with which Christian widows should adorn themselves, the Apostolic Constitutions say: “Every widow should be meek, silent, free from malice, not prone to anger, not talkative, not double-tongued, not inclined to meddle in others’ affairs. She should continually raise prayers to God for the Church. She should have a pure eye, a clean hearing, hands not defiled, feet at rest, and her lips should speak what is fitting… She should be temperate, reverent, modest, sing psalms, pray, read the sacred writings, fast” (Apostolic Constitutions, book 3, ch. 5 and 7, pp. 105, 109, 110. Kazan, 1864). Such should be the virtues of a Christian widow. But is that all? No; in our opinion, one more may be added.
A certain monk living in a monastery was once sent, on some monastery business, to a village. In a neighboring village lived a man who knew this monk, loved him, and sometimes invited him to his home. This man had an only daughter, a widow, who had lived with her husband only one or two years. The monk was wounded with love for her, but she, fearing sin, avoided meeting him in every way. But once, when her father had gone away to the city on business and left her alone at home, the monk came to the house and asked, “Where is your father?” She replied that he had gone to the city. Noticing that the monk was troubled by sinful thoughts, the chaste widow said to him: “Do not be disturbed, father, by evil thoughts; rather arise and pray, and drive the evil enemy from your heart.” Then she revealed to him the whole foulness of sin. Hearing this, the monk wept, came to himself, and understood all the horror and vileness of sin. Seeing this, the widow said: “What would have happened if you had committed the sin? With what face would you appear before your abbot and stand among the choir of the saints who sing? I beg you, therefore, rise from the sleep of sin and do not destroy your reward! Do not deprive yourself of eternal blessings!” After this the monk glorified God, who through the widow had saved him from mortal sin and granted him victory over himself.
Thus, brethren, in our opinion, to the virtues which a widow should have may be added yet another: care for turning a sinner from the error of his way. “For this is one of the greatest virtues.” Yes, remember, brethren, that as great as the misfortune of a man is when he sins, so great is the virtue of one who not only guards himself from sin but also leads others away from this misfortune. Hear how the Holy Apostle James teaches concerning this: “Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins” (James 5:19–20). Amen.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.