Homilies from the Menaion for Every Day of the Year: October 16

The Month of October

Day 16

47. A Second Instruction to Mothers Who Have Lost Their Children

(From the Life of Saint Longinus the Centurion)

Not long ago (see Instruction 40), we spoke with you, mothers who have suffered the misfortune of losing one or another of your children. Drawing upon the Life of Venerable Athanasia (October 9), we sought to offer you consolation in your great sorrow. Now, in the Life of Saint Longinus the Centurion, we have found yet another source of consolation for you, which we hasten to bring to your attention.

There was a certain woman, a widow who had lost her sight and hoped, through her faith, to regain it. She set out with her only son to pray in Jerusalem. Her son led her to the holy places, but there he soon fell ill and died. Who could describe the grief of this poor widow, deprived of her sight and now bereft of her only son! But God soon consoled her. Saint Longinus the Centurion appeared to her in a dream and instructed her to seek his head at a certain place outside Jerusalem. He promised to restore her sight and console her over the loss of her son. When she awoke, the widow, guided by those accompanying her, went to the place indicated by the martyr. There she soon found the precious head of Longinus and immediately regained her sight.

The following night, the martyr appeared to her again in heavenly glory, accompanied by her deceased son, who was dressed in a splendid wedding garment. He said to her: “Look upon the one over whom you grieve so deeply; look upon your son! See the glory and honor that are now his, and take comfort! Know that the Lord has numbered him among the heavenly ranks that dwell in His Kingdom. As for me, I have asked the Lord that he might always be with me. Take my head and your son’s body and bury them together. Then cease weeping over your only son, and let your heart not be troubled, for great glory and joy and everlasting blessedness have been granted to him by God.”

With this, the vision ended. Soon afterward, the widow carried out the martyr’s instructions. Having buried his holy head together with her son’s body, she said to everyone: “Now I know that all things work together for good for those who love God. I sought to regain my bodily sight, but along with it I also gained spiritual sight. I was overwhelmed with grief over the death of my son, but now I have him in heaven, in glory with the prophets and martyrs, standing before God and rejoicing eternally with the saints, together with Longinus, who bears the Cross of Christ among the angels and cries out: ‘Truly, this was the Son of God!’” Thus did the Lord console the grieving widow!

Here before you, mothers who have lost your children, is a poor, blind widow whose only consolation was her only son—and now she has lost even him! What could have been more terrible than her situation? What could have been more devastating than this final sorrow for a woman already crushed by blindness? But the ways of God are past finding out! Often, where there was weeping in the evening, joy takes its place by morning; where lamentation was heard in the evening, unceasing praise of the Lord resounds in the morning!

The widow sees her son in heavenly glory, under the protection of the martyr and numbered among the assembly of the saints. And what does the martyr tell her? “Do not weep for your son, for great glory and joy and everlasting rejoicing have been granted to him.” Take comfort, then, from this example, you mothers who grieve over the loss of your children! For the Lord is the most loving Father of all, and especially of children, whom He always called to Himself with particular love even during His earthly life. Would He abandon them in the life beyond the grave? Would He forget to visit them with His mercies? Would He not bring them to maturity there in all that is better and more beautiful? No! Believe and hope that “the Lord is merciful and gracious” (Psalm 102:8, Septuagint numbering); that His mercy is boundless; and that, as David says, “His mercy is great above the heavens” (Psalm 107:5, Septuagint numbering). Amen.

Questions for Discussion 47:

1. How far did the widow’s only son lead her?

2. What did Saint Longinus the Centurion promise the widow in her dream concerning the recovery of her sight and the loss of her son?

3. What was the widow’s son wearing when he appeared to her with Longinus in heavenly glory?

4. What did Longinus ask the Lord concerning the widow’s son?

5. Why did Longinus tell the widow not to weep and not to let her heart be troubled? 

 

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.