The Month of October
Day 1
32. To Young Students
(From the Life of Venerable Romanos the Melodist)
Day 1
32. To Young Students
(From the Life of Venerable Romanos the Melodist)
Why is it, young men, that it so often happens that the most capable among you, who have been exalted above everyone else, suddenly become weak in their studies and either do not complete their course, or, if they do complete it, do so only somehow and end up far below even those with whom they never once thought of comparing themselves and whom they always considered nothing more than pitiable mediocrities? And why, on the contrary, does it happen again and again among you that your classmates, although hardworking, yet at first making little progress, but gentle and humble, suddenly begin to study better than everyone else and pass their examinations brilliantly? It is not difficult to answer these questions. In the first case, the reason the first became last was that they were proud, and God resists the proud; in the second, the reason the last became first was that they were humble, and the Lord always gives His grace to the humble and always grants them wisdom.
Saint Romanos, called the Melodist, was a sacristan in the Church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. He did not know book learning, it is said, but was filled with virtues, by which he surpassed the wise scribes. And just as they continually sought the wisdom of this age, so he sought the one God with all his soul. He was one of those of whom the Apostle says: “...God chose the foolish things of the world to put the wise to shame” (1 Corinthians 1:27).
Patriarch Euthymios loved Romanos greatly because of his piety and, seeing his diligent labors in the church, decided that he should receive an income equal to that of the singers. These men began to grumble against the Patriarch because, in their opinion, he had placed an ignorant man on an equal footing with them, and they hated Romanos and tried to do him every possible harm.
Once, before the Feast of the Nativity of Christ, wishing to mock him, the singers forcibly dragged him onto the ambo and shouted: “You receive an equal share with us, so sing!” Romanos began to weep. At the end of the service, when everyone had left the church, he fell down before the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos and, with sobs, prayed long and fervently. Then, sorrowful, he returned home and, weary from the service, soon fell asleep.
In his sleep, the Most Holy Theotokos appeared to him with a scroll in Her hands and said in a quiet voice: “Open your mouth!” Romanos obeyed the command of the Mother of God. Then She placed the scroll in his mouth and said further: “Eat it!” Romanos obeyed this command as well, and immediately awoke.
His heart was filled with extraordinary joy, and together with it he felt within himself the strength and wisdom for understanding books, and in a very short time he learned as much of what he needed as another person could not have learned even in several years.
And so, the next day, during the all-night vigil, he came to the church, and when the time came to sing the hymn in honor of the Mother of God, Romanos ascended the ambo and, in an extraordinarily pleasant voice, loudly sang a new hymn he had composed in honor of his great Benefactress: “Today the Virgin gives birth to Him who is above all being, and the earth offers a cave to Him who cannot be approached!” and so forth.
Everyone present in the church was astonished, hearing from Romanos, who until then had been unlearned in books, this wondrous hymn, and they were struck by the depth and power of its meaning. When the Patriarch, after the service, asked Romanos where such wisdom had come to him, Romanos confessed before everyone the mercy shown to him by the Queen of Heaven and began to glorify Her.
After this, the singers became ashamed of their malice toward Romanos and, falling at his feet, asked his forgiveness. The Patriarch immediately ordained him a deacon, and, it is said, wisdom flowed from his mouth like a river, and those who had previously reproached him for his ignorance became his disciples.
Romanos composed a multitude of kontakia for the Feasts of the Lord, the Mother of God, and the Saints, so that they are said to number more than a thousand. And he was exceedingly loved and honored by everyone. Having lived his life in a God-pleasing and righteous manner, he departed this life, and now, it is said, “with the choirs of the Angels he sings the Thrice-Holy Hymn to God forever.”
From this brief account of the life of Saint Romanos, you can clearly see, young men, the truth that wisdom for learning and success in it depend not solely upon natural abilities, but chiefly upon the grace of God. And the grace of God, as you have just now been able to become convinced once again, is given only to those who are diligent and at the same time gentle and humble.
And now, knowing this, in order to acquire the ability to learn and success in your studies, strive first of all to draw the grace of God upon yourselves through diligence, fervent prayer, gentleness, and humility. If you act in this way, everything will be well.
Saint Sergius of Radonezh and Peter, Metropolitan of Moscow, initially studied poorly; but because they were gentle, hardworking, and prayed fervently to God, they also became great men. So you too should conduct yourselves in your studies just as they did, and then, without doubt, the Lord will likewise not leave you without His mercy. Amen.
Questions for Discussion 32
1. In what way did Saint Romanos, called the Melodist, surpass the wise scribes?
2. What new hymn did Romanos compose in honor of the Mother of God?
3. For which Feasts did Romanos compose a multitude of kontakia?
4. To whom is the grace of God given?
5. Besides diligence, gentleness, and humility, by what should one draw the grace of God upon oneself?
From this brief account of the life of Saint Romanos, you can clearly see, young men, the truth that wisdom for learning and success in it depend not solely upon natural abilities, but chiefly upon the grace of God. And the grace of God, as you have just now been able to become convinced once again, is given only to those who are diligent and at the same time gentle and humble.
And now, knowing this, in order to acquire the ability to learn and success in your studies, strive first of all to draw the grace of God upon yourselves through diligence, fervent prayer, gentleness, and humility. If you act in this way, everything will be well.
Saint Sergius of Radonezh and Peter, Metropolitan of Moscow, initially studied poorly; but because they were gentle, hardworking, and prayed fervently to God, they also became great men. So you too should conduct yourselves in your studies just as they did, and then, without doubt, the Lord will likewise not leave you without His mercy. Amen.
Questions for Discussion 32
1. In what way did Saint Romanos, called the Melodist, surpass the wise scribes?
2. What new hymn did Romanos compose in honor of the Mother of God?
3. For which Feasts did Romanos compose a multitude of kontakia?
4. To whom is the grace of God given?
5. Besides diligence, gentleness, and humility, by what should one draw the grace of God upon oneself?
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.
