Homilies from the Menaion for Every Day of the Year: October 29

The Month of October

Day 29

60. Mercy Is the Best Means of Turning a Sinner to the Path of Truth

(From the Life of Venerable Abramius the Recluse)

Just as physicians treating the body, when they consider it necessary to remove an infected limb from a sick person, first endeavor to encourage and calm the sufferer and only then proceed with the operation, so also those among you, brethren, who may wish to become physicians of the soul and undertake the great task of turning sinners from the path of sin to the path of truth should first approach them, not with harsh words of reproach, but in the spirit of evangelical meekness. They should not aggravate the wounds of sinners’ souls, but pour the balm of mercy upon them. If spiritual physicians act toward sinners in this way, following our advice, they will see good results from their efforts on behalf of sinners, and the sinners themselves will indeed return to the right path.

That what we are saying here is the plain truth can easily be confirmed by spiritual physicians. Let them listen attentively to what we are about to relate, and then, we hope, they will believe us.

Venerable Abramius had a brother who had an only daughter named Maria, a girl of seven. When this brother died, the neighbors brought his daughter to Abramius, and she remained with him. The Venerable One taught her to read, and she began to spend her life with her uncle reading the Psalter, fasting, praying, and keeping silence. She received from God the gift of tears, was humble-minded and meek, and burned with fervent love for God. She lived with the Venerable One in this way for twenty years, and he could not rejoice enough at her progress in the spiritual life.

But the devil was not idle. One day, he led Maria into a deadly sin and then hoped to plunge her into despair as well. After committing the sin, the young woman first wanted to take her own life. Then, out of shame, she went away to a distant city and, thinking that there could no longer be any forgiveness for her, resolved to commit every kind of lawlessness and took up residence in a house of perdition.

Meanwhile, for two years, Abramius prayed for Maria day and night, using every means available to him to find her. At last, he found her. He went to the city where his niece lived. So that he would not be recognized, he changed into secular clothing. Upon reaching the city, he went straight to the house where she was living in perdition. When he saw Maria there, he led her to a secluded place and, looking intently at her, exclaimed:

“Do you recognize me? Here before you stands the one who raised you. O my child, what has happened? Who has destroyed you? Where is the angelic image you once possessed? Where are your self-restraint, your tears, your vigils, and your kneeling in prayer? Why did you not tell me about your sin at once? I would have taken it upon myself.”

Maria was horrified. Abramius continued:

“Why do you say nothing to me, my child? I have come here to save you. I will answer for you on the Day of Judgment and take upon myself repentance for your sins.”

Maria wept and said:

“Out of shame, I cannot look at you. And can I, so defiled as I am, ask God for mercy?”

The Saint said:

“I repeat: let God hold me accountable for your sin. As for you, I beg you, spare my old age and come with me.”

Maria replied:

“If that is so, if you are certain that I can repent and that the Lord will accept my prayer, then I will follow you, and I will kiss your holy feet because you have led me away from defilement.”

With these words, she fell at the Venerable One’s feet and wept throughout the night. In the morning, she set out with him for his dwelling, and upon arriving there, she began her ascetic labors of repentance.

What were these labors? The Life of Abramius states that her repentance and prayer were such that our own repentance, compared with hers, would appear to be merely a shadow, while our prayer could not be compared with hers in any way. And how did it end? We are told that God forgave Maria and, as a sign of His forgiveness, granted her the gift of working miracles.

Is it not clear, brethren, from this account, that mercy is the best means of turning sinners back to the right path? Indeed, scarcely had Abramius poured balm upon the soul of the woman who was perishing when she was transformed from a sinner into an angel in the flesh. For at these words of mercy, tears of repentance and heartfelt compunction immediately began to flow abundantly from her eyes—tears most pleasing to the Lord and most unbearable to our enemy. Before long, Maria astonished everyone with her ascetic labors.

And this is not the only example. Consider Zacchaeus: he was a sinner, but when the Lord saw him, He did not rebuke him. Instead, He gently said, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house” (Luke 19:5), and He entered Zacchaeus’s house. How did it end? The Lord’s kindness toward the sinner bore good fruit. Zacchaeus said, “Lord, half of my possessions I give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold” (Luke 19:8).

Thus, we see that the Lord’s mercy immediately softened the sinner’s soul and turned him away from sin toward goodness. Therefore, act toward sinners as the Lord and His saints acted toward them. Point out to them God’s infinite mercy toward those who repent, and show them that there is no sin that can overcome this mercy. Set before them the Gospel accounts of the forgiveness of the sinful woman; of how Jesus was in the house of Simon the Pharisee and a woman approached Him carrying an alabaster jar of ointment; the parable of the prodigal son; and the forgiveness of the thief. Perhaps God will grant that, through your meekness, you too may turn sinners toward Christ.

And when you have turned them back, know that a great reward awaits you yourselves in Heaven for such a conversion. For this is what the Holy Apostle James teaches: “Brethren,” he says, “if any of you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let that person know that whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins” (James 5:19–20). Amen.

Questions on Discourse 60:

1. When, and for how long, did Venerable Abramius the Recluse pray for his niece Maria after she had gone away to a distant city?

2. How did Abramius address Maria when he found her?

3. For what purpose, according to his own words, had Abramius come to Maria?

4. With what did the Lord reward Maria as a sign of forgiveness?

5. Why, according to the Lord’s words, did Zacchaeus need to come down from the tree? 

 

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.