Homilies from the Menaion for Every Day of the Year: September 3

The Month of September

Day 3

4. Against Falsehood

(From the Life of the Hieromartyr Anthimos. September 3)

It seems to us that in recent times no sin has become so widespread among people as the sin of falsehood. They lie everywhere and about everything. They lie simply by knowing the truth and concealing it; they lie by presenting a matter not as it actually is; they lie with the aim of harming one person or another; they lie out of greed and bribery, in order to obtain something for themselves through falsehood; finally, they lie out of flattery and the desire to please people, in order by lying to curry favor with someone. In a word, words flow everywhere like rivers, yet there is nothing with which to quench one’s thirst, because the water is rotten. But this sin of falsehood, which, incidentally, is now given so little attention, is in reality a grave sin before God, hateful to Him and severely punished by Him. Thus the word of God says: “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord” (Prov. 12:22). And in another place: “The Lord shall destroy all those who speak lies.” For this reason we, too, must not give ourselves over to the sin of falsehood, but avoid it in every way and always speak the truth alone. But in order to acquire the habit of the latter, what must we do? We must, precisely, first of all remember that falsehood is a grave sin and one severely punished by God; secondly, we must remember also that whoever lies imitates the devil, who, according to the word of the Lord, “did not stand in the truth ... and is a liar and the father of lies” (Jn. 8:44); and thirdly, we must learn the truth from the saints, who stood for it even when, for its sake, they had to lay down their very lives. Yes, brethren, regarding the truth, the saints can always give us saving lessons, and by their example can always turn us away from falsehood. Therefore, for a lesson in truth, we intend now to direct you to the saints as well, and we hope that the lesson they give you will not remain without benefit for you.

Here is the first lesson for you, from the Hieromartyr Anthimos. Once, when he was secretly living in the village of Semane, the fierce persecutor of Christians, Maximian, learned of him and sent twenty soldiers to seize him. The soldiers soon found Anthimos and, not knowing who he was, asked him: “Tell us, where can we find Anthimos, the teacher of the Christians?” Anthimos first of all invited the soldiers into his home and offered them food, and then told them that he himself was Anthimos, whom they were seeking, and offered to go with them to Maximian. The soldiers were astonished and, taking pity on the Saint, said to him: “We will not take you with us, and we advise you to hide somewhere; we will tell Maximian that we searched for you and did not find you.” But Anthimos, to their astonishment, resolutely rejected their proposal and, instructing them that they should always speak the truth alone, went with them and voluntarily appeared before Maximian in order to receive terrible tortures at his hands.

Another similar example of fidelity to the truth is given to us by the Holy Martyr Mamas.

Once, a persecutor of Christians, a certain Alexander, the governor in Cappadocia, learned that Mamas was hiding in the desert and likewise sent soldiers, as Maximian had done, to seize him and bring him to martyrdom. When Mamas saw them in the desert, he himself came out to meet them and asked: “Whom are you seeking?” The soldiers, taking him for a poor shepherd, answered frankly: “Why, we are looking for a certain Mamas; do you happen to know where he is?” The martyr said: “And why do you need him?” “The governor ordered us to bring him to be tortured.” Then Mamas said: “My friends, I know where he is, and I will find him for you; only, I ask you, first come into my hut, rest for a while, and take some food, for you are weary from the journey.” The soldiers entered Mamas’s hut and sat down at the table; Mamas, meanwhile, stood at prayer. When the meal was over, the martyr said: “I am Mamas, whom you are seeking.” The soldiers were amazed and replied: “We leave it entirely to your will: if you wish to go with us to the governor, then go; if you do not wish to, then remain here; we dare not take you.” Mamas said: “Go on ahead, and I will follow after you.” The soldiers departed and, having come to the city, began waiting for Mamas at the city gates. Their waiting was not in vain: the martyr himself came to them, and they led him away to the torturer.

Do you now see, then, under what conditions the saints kept the truth and how faithful they were to it? They, as you surely have now been able to see for yourselves, remained faithful to it even when, because of it, they had to go to crosses and fires, shed their own blood, and endure immeasurable and unimaginable tortures. And we? We, who live in peace and prosperity, and often in ease and luxury, have completely forgotten about it and, having given ourselves over to falsehood at every step, sell our conscience and soul, our good name and honor—and those of both ourselves and our neighbor—and at every step, according to the word of God, “with our mouths we bless, but with our hearts we curse our neighbors” (Ps. 61:5). “With our mouths we speak peaceably with our neighbor, but in our hearts we lay snares for him” (Jer. 9:8). And in relation to God, through falsehood we often have only the appearance of godliness, while at almost every step we deny its power (2 Tim. 3:5). Is this worthy of Christians? And is this falsehood becoming to us, when we know that the tongue itself has been given to us so that we may speak only the truth and by the truth alone glorify the righteous God? And do we not offend and anger that same God by our falsehood, who Himself, being Truth, loves only the truth? And does falsehood not, finally, humiliate us in the most cruel manner, making us like the primordial liar—the devil? Let us come to our senses, then, brethren, and abandon falsehood forever. From this point forward, let truth be our constant companion in our words and in our deeds, while falsehood, as a sin that defiles the mouth and heart, darkens the soul, is hateful to God, and is absolutely destructive to us, should depart from us forever. Amen.

Questions for Conversation 4

1. What did the Hieromartyr Anthimos do for the soldiers before telling them that he himself was Anthimos?

2. What instruction did Anthimos give the soldiers when they suggested that he hide?

3. How did the Holy Martyr Mamas address the soldiers who were looking for him?

4. What did Mamas ask the soldiers to do because they were weary from the journey?

5. Why was the soldiers’ waiting for Mamas at the city gates not in vain?

 

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.