Homilies from the Menaion for Every Day of the Year: October 15

The Month of October

Day 15

46. To Those Who Violate the Fasts

(From the Life of the Venerable Martyr Lucian the Presbyter)

We all know that we must observe the fasts, yet we often fail to do so. Especially in recent times, many people do not even want to know about them; they eat whatever happens to be available and think nothing of it. In reality, however, this is by no means a trivial matter, for the book of ecclesiastical rules known as the Nomocanon states, for example: “He who eats meat or cheese during Great Lent, or on Wednesday or Friday, shall not receive Communion for two years” (Small Euchologion, Rule 85). It follows, therefore, that we bear a grave responsibility before God for violating the fasts and must consequently observe them strictly. But how can those who have almost entirely grown unaccustomed to fasting and have completely forgotten about it learn to observe the fasts? Know this, then, brethren who have grown unaccustomed to fasting: we have found a very powerful means of making you remember the fasts and observe them. If you will, we shall now bring this means to your attention.

The pagan emperor Maximian hated Christians so much that he even killed Christian children, like a second Herod. He would customarily order his soldiers to force into their mouths food forbidden by Christian law. The children, however, refused to eat it and were put to death for doing so. On one occasion, for example, two boys were brought before him. They were brothers, born to noble parents. At first, the emperor treated them affectionately and tried to win them over with kindness, hoping to persuade them to eat the remnants of food offered in pagan sacrifices. But the boys rejected the emperor’s kindness, categorically refused to taste the pagan food, and said to Maximian: “Our parents commanded us not to taste any food forbidden by Christian law, and they told us that whoever eats such food thereby provokes God to anger.”

After this, the emperor ordered them to be beaten with rods. Yet even after the beating, they still refused to taste the defiled food. Then one of the emperor’s close attendants said to him: “It would be a disgrace if even little children, who have only just come out of their swaddling clothes, could overcome the Roman emperor through their endurance. Hand them over to me, and I will show them how not to taste what you command.” The emperor handed the boys over to his attendant. The man ordered the hair to be shaved from the children’s heads, smeared mustard on them, and commanded that the children be placed in a bath heated to an intense temperature. The boys’ heads burned as though consumed by flames or scorched by lightning, and both brothers died amid such terrible torment. When the younger brother died first, the elder ran up to him and cried out: “You have conquered, my brother, you have conquered! God was your helper!” With these words, the elder brother too immediately fell and surrendered his spirit to the Lord.

This, then, is the powerful means we have found to make you who have grown unaccustomed to fasting remember the fasts and observe them. As you have just seen, this lesson is presented to us through the example of the ancient Church. Here before you are two helpless, solitary, defenseless boys who refuse, even in the face of terrible suffering, to defile themselves with food forbidden by Christian law! They endure torment and still refuse to taste it; they face death and remain faithful to the Lord to the very end. Will you, then, after this, make excuses that you have grown unaccustomed to fasting and cannot observe it? Will you complain about the weakness of the flesh, your upbringing, the society in which you move, exhaustion, or goodness knows what else? Oh, in view of this example, be ashamed of your complaints and begin to fast. Amen.

Questions for Discussion 46:

1. What was the social standing of the parents of the boys who were brought before Maximian, the pagan emperor?

2. According to the boys, what kind of food had their parents forbidden them to eat?

3. What did the children do when the emperor offered them food after they had been beaten with rods?

4. According to the elder brother’s words to his deceased younger brother, what had the younger brother done?

5. According to the elder brother, how had God helped his younger brother? 

 

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.