Homilies from the Menaion for Every Day of the Year: September 1

The Month of September

Day 1

1. Without Labor One Cannot Enter the Kingdom of Heaven

(From the Life of St. Symeon the Stylite. September 1 in the Festal Menaion)

Some of those who are lazy in the work of their salvation deceive themselves with the hope that, despite their laziness, they will nevertheless be heirs of the Kingdom of God. Such people ordinarily say: “What can we do, since we are lazy? The Lord is merciful, and He sees that we live amid the cares and distractions of the world; therefore He will forgive us.” Is this so? No, brethren, the lazy merely comfort themselves in vain with such words; and let them know that if they do not cast off their laziness, God will neither forgive them nor admit them into His Kingdom. Why? Because there is no place there at all for the lazy, but only for those who labor, who do not yield to the temptations and seductions of the world, and who conduct themselves according to the commandments of the Lord.

Once, St. Symeon the Stylite began to ask God to show him the path to salvation. His prayer was heard, and Symeon was granted the following vision. It seemed to him that he was digging a pit. At the beginning of his work, he suddenly heard a voice: “Dig deeper!” And Symeon dug deeper. When he stopped, thinking that he had dug deep enough, he again heard a voice commanding him to dig still deeper. And once again he began to dig; and when he again decided to rest, for the third time he heard: “Dig deeper!” Finally, after Symeon had labored for a long time, the voice said: “Stop, it is enough. And now, if you wish, build, build, laboring diligently; for without labor you will accomplish nothing!” With this, the vision ended.

Hear, then, you who are lazy, what the Lord says: “Without labor you will accomplish nothing!” From this, of course, it is clear that without labor you too cannot be saved or enter the Kingdom of Heaven. But perhaps one proof that has been given will seem insufficient to you? In that case, we shall give another as well; but know that it will say nothing different from what the first one said. Thus, “once,” the monk Athanasius related, “a thought came to me: what awaits in the life to come those who labor here for the sake of their salvation? With this thought I felt as though I were in an ecstasy, and someone came to me and, saying, ‘Follow me,’ led me to some marvelous place filled with light and stood me before doors so wondrous that it is impossible to convey their beauty. And I heard that a multitude of people were behind the doors, continually glorifying God. When we [that is, he and the one who had appeared to him] began knocking on the doors in order to enter them, someone from within asked us: ‘What do you want?’ The guide answered: ‘We want to pass through the doors.’ But the voice from within said to us: ‘No one who remains in laziness enters here; but if you wish to enter, go back and strive, giving no thought whatsoever to the good things of this vain world.’” (The Prologue, September 7.)

So here is the second proof we have brought you concerning the fact that without labor, you who are lazy cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven, and, as you see, it says the same thing as the first. “No one,” we have just heard, “who remains in laziness enters here; but if you wish to enter, go back and strive.” And what, then, follows for you from this? Certainly the same thing that we told you at the beginning of this discourse: namely, that if you do not cast off your laziness, your hope in the mercy of God will remain vain, and you will not see the Kingdom of God. And besides us, a holy father will also confirm this truth to you. Listen, then, to what St. Tikhon of Zadonsk says:

“Farmers,” he teaches, “who are lazy and negligent, who do not sow at the proper time and do not gather fruit at harvest time, are like negligent and careless Christians, who now do not sow spiritual seeds, will reap no fruit at the end of the age and at the resurrection from the dead, but will appear before the Lord barren. And how will they gather then, when they have not scattered anything now? And how will they reap then, when they have not sown now?” (St. Tikhon, vol. X, p. 126.)

After these words of St. Tikhon, we shall no longer try to convince you that, in your laziness, your hope of the Kingdom of God is vain. Instead, from the heart, as we bring this discourse to a close, we shall advise you to cast off your laziness and take up the labors that lead to salvation. And in order that it may be easier for you to become accustomed to them, we advise you always to keep in mind and in your heart the following word of the Savior: “The Kingdom of Heaven is taken by violence. And only those who are violent attain it” (Matt. 11:12). Amen.

Questions for Discussion 1

1.What did St. Symeon the Stylite ask God for before the vision?

2. Why, according to the words of the voice in St. Symeon the Stylite’s vision, must one build and labor diligently?

3. What did the voice tell the monk Athanasius to do in order to enter the wondrous doors?

4. What does it mean to strive?

5. According to the words of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, what should Christians do so that they do not appear barren before God?

The Same Day

2. There Is No Sin That Can Overcome the Mercy of God

(From the Life of St. Symeon the Stylite. September 1 in the Festal Menaion)

There are people who, knowing themselves to be guilty of many sins, come to the conclusion that God will not forgive them. This conviction is false. No matter how sinful a person may be, if he turns to God with true repentance and contrition of heart, gives a promise to amend his life in the future, and establishes in his soul the resolve to keep that promise, God will certainly forgive him and will undoubtedly show him His mercy.

In Antioch there was a robber named Jonathan. He killed many people on the roads and in their homes, and he plundered villages and the outskirts of cities. Driven to exasperation by his robberies, the people of Antioch sent an army against him. They defeated and scattered his band, and Jonathan himself was surrounded on all sides. In his desperate situation, he ran to the pillar on which St. Symeon was living his ascetic life, seized hold of the pillar, and began to weep bitterly. Symeon asked him: “Who are you, and where are you from, and why have you come here?” “I am Jonathan, a robber,” the man who had come to him replied, “who has committed many evils, and I have come here to repent of my sins.”

As the robber was saying this, the soldiers pursuing Jonathan approached the pillar and said to the holy man: “Give us our enemy, the robber, Father. In our city even the wild beasts are ready to tear him apart.” Symeon answered: “My children, it was not I who brought here the man you are pursuing, but God Himself brought him here, desiring to receive his repentance. Therefore I cannot give you permission to take him, for I fear God. But if you are determined to take him without my permission, then take him.”

Out of their great respect for the holy man, the soldiers did not take the robber, and he remained with Symeon. For seven days he spent his time in fervent prayer to God and in weeping, as it is said, greatly over his sins. After seven days had passed, Jonathan said to Symeon: “Father, is it not time for me to leave you?” The holy man answered: “Are you perhaps planning to take up your former deeds again?” “No, Father,” the former robber said, “but the time of my departure has come.” And having said this, he died.

Afterward, when Symeon’s disciples began preparing the dead man for burial, officials came from Antioch and began shouting at the holy man: “Give us our enemy quickly, Father, for because of him the whole city has been thrown into turmoil!” Symeon said to them: “Know that the One who brought the robber to me came here with a multitude of heavenly hosts and took to Himself his soul, cleansed by repentance. Therefore I ask you not to disturb me any further.”

When they heard this and saw the robber dead, the officials were seized with awe. They glorified God, who does not desire the death of sinners, and, returning to the city, told its inhabitants everything they had seen and heard.

Thus, it is an unquestionable truth that no matter how sinful a person may be, if he turns to God with sincere repentance and establishes in his soul the resolve to amend his life, then God will certainly forgive him, and the Lord will show him His mercy.

Therefore, you who know yourselves to be guilty of many sins, do not despair. Cast from your mind the false thought that God will not forgive you, and hasten to Him with repentance and tears. The Lord will not despise your heart when it is contrite and humble.

Listen to what St. Dimitri of Rostov says to sinners such as yourselves:

“Do not grieve, O man, beyond measure over your great sins before God. Even if your sin should surpass every other transgression, you must not nevertheless grieve in utter despair and forgetfulness, for there is no sin that can overcome the mercy of God. Our sins are equal to the abyss of God’s compassion, by which He freely saves us through His mercy.

God bears the sins of the whole world and forgives each one his sins through repentance. Yet you think that He will not bear the sins of you, one single person? For the whole world He poured out His blood; will He not grant forgiveness to you alone through His blood? Only cease from sin; only repent; simply tell your sins, so that you may be justified. Say: ‘I will confess my iniquity unto the Lord,’ and at once He will forgive the iniquity of your heart.” (St. Dimitri, Part I, 1857 edition, fol. 398.)

Do you hear, then, what the saint says? “There is no sin that can overcome the mercy of God; God bears the sins of the whole world; He poured out His blood for the whole world.”

After this, you must finally cast aside every doubt concerning God’s mercy toward you and hasten to the Lord, who suffered for all sinners, who calls all sinners to Himself, and who is always ready to forgive them. Amen.

Questions for Discussion 2

1. Why, according to Jonathan’s words, did he run to the pillar on which St. Symeon the Stylite was living his ascetic life?

2. How did St. Symeon the Stylite respond to the soldiers when they asked him to hand Jonathan over to them?

3. How did Jonathan spend the seven days after remaining with Symeon?

4. What kind of soul did the One who came with a multitude of heavenly hosts, according to Symeon’s words, take to Himself?

5. According to Dimitri of Rostov, under what three conditions can one attain righteousness, if the word точие means “only” and the word рцы means “say”?

Source: The Cheti-Minei: Homilies for Every Day of the Year (Book 1: September, October, November) by Archpriest Viktor Guryev. Publication of the Russian Panteleimon Monastery on Mount Athos, 1896. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.