Homilies from the Menaion for Every Day of the Year: October 11

 

The Month of October 

Day 11

42. The Lord Sometimes Works Miracles through Holy Icons Even for Unbelievers, in Order to Make Unbelievers Believers

(The Account of the Miracle That Occurred through an Icon of Our Lord Jesus Christ)

The Lord works miracles through holy icons not only for believers but sometimes for unbelievers as well. Why does He work miracles for the latter? Know, brethren, that in His infinite love He does so in order to make unbelievers believers as well, and to bring those who are not of His fold into His fold. How can this be demonstrated? It can be shown by the following wondrous event, which took place in the early centuries of Christianity in the city of Berytus, as Saint Athanasios the Great relates.

In the city of Berytus, a Christian lived in a house situated among the dwellings of Jews, and he had an icon of the Lord Jesus Christ. After some time, he moved to another house, and, leaving the aforementioned icon in the old one, offered the dwelling to a Jew. The Jew moved in, but, by a special dispensation of God, he was unable to see the icon of Christ the Savior. One day, however, a friend came to dine with him. During the meal, the friend glanced at the wall, saw the image of Christ upon it, and was astonished.

“How could you,” he exclaimed to his host, “being a Jew, allow yourself to have an image of the Nazarene in your house?”

The host began to assure him under oath that until then he had never seen the icon and that this was the first time he had laid eyes on it. His guest did not believe him and, upon leaving, told the entire Jewish assembly what had happened.

The following day, the Jews gathered at the house of the man who had the icon. They carried it out of the house and, placing it in the midst of their assembly, said, “Just as our fathers mocked Jesus, so now we, in our turn, shall mock Him.” They began to spit upon the icon and to strike the image of Christ’s face on both sides. Then they said, “Our fathers nailed Jesus to a tree, and now we, too, shall nail Him.”

With these words, they drove nails through the image of the Savior’s hands and feet. They brought a sponge soaked in vinegar to His lips, and finally one of the Jews struck His side with a spear.

But, O horror! As soon as the icon was pierced with the spear, blood and water immediately flowed from it, and the Jews were struck with amazement. When they had somewhat recovered themselves, they said, “Let us bring here the blind, the lame, and the demon possessed, and anoint them with the blood of Christ. If they are healed, we shall believe that Christ is truly the Son of God.”

And they did exactly as they had said. What happened? Those who were anointed with the blood that had flowed from the icon were healed: the blind received their sight, and the demons departed from those who were possessed. News of this immediately spread throughout the entire city, and a countless multitude of people flocked to the icon, bringing the sick, the paralyzed, lepers, those with withered limbs, and those who could only crawl. All these unfortunate people received healing.

Then all the Jews living in Berytus believed in our Lord Jesus Christ, and all those who had formerly been Jews fell before the icon and cried out with one voice: “Glory to You, O Christ, Son of God, for working such great miracles! Glory to You, O Christ, whom our fathers crucified! We now believe in You. Receive us as we fall down before You, O Master!”

All the Jews of that city—men, women, and children—went to the bishop and earnestly implored him to grant them Holy Baptism without delay. The bishop, of course, did not hesitate to fulfill their request.

Thus, it is beyond doubt that the Lord works miracles through holy icons for unbelievers in order to make them believers as well and to bring them into His fold. But what, then, should we learn from the account just related? First, we should recognize and learn to appreciate God’s infinite love for the human race, through which He desires all people, without exception, to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. Second, when we witness miracles wrought through holy icons, we should learn to approach them with reverence and venerate them, and, as we gaze upon them, to raise our souls to those depicted therein and to the Prototype of all perfection and every form of holiness: God in Three Persons.

What else, finally, should we learn from this account? We should constantly remember that, although the ways of God’s Providence are inscrutable, they nevertheless always lead us toward our salvation and blessedness. Amen.

Questions for Discussion 42:

1. Why was the Jew unable to see the icon of the Lord Jesus Christ that the Christian had left in the house where he had formerly lived?

2. What flowed from the icon when the side of Jesus Christ was pierced with a spear?

3. On what condition did the Jews say they would believe that Christ was truly the Son of God?

4. What did those who had formerly been Jews ask of Jesus Christ when they fell before the icon and cried out with one voice?

5. What does the Lord desire, in His infinite love for the human race? 

 

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.