Homilies from the Menaion for Every Day of the Year: November 1

The Month of November

The 1st Day

63. Those Who, When Setting Out on a Journey, Entrust Their Families to the Protection of the Saints of God Do Well

(From the Life of the Holy Unmercenary Physicians Kosmas and Damian)

Some Christians, when setting out on a long journey, have the custom of praying with particular fervor to certain saints of God, asking for their help and intercession, and entrusting their families, during the time of their absence, to their protection and guardianship. Certainly, Christians who act in this way do well; for the saints of God, seeing their particular faith, love, and devotion toward them, also repay love with love, and in fact become the protectors and guardians of their families during their absence. That this is indeed true can be seen from the following example.

A certain man named Malchus, who lived in the city of Feremane, near the Church of the Holy Unmercenary Physicians Kosmas and Damian, was once preparing to set out on a long journey. He brought his wife to the aforementioned church and said to her: "Behold, I am setting out on a long journey, and I am entrusting you, as you should know, to the protection of Saints Kosmas and Damian. Remain in your own home until you receive a letter from me, and only after that will I take you to live with me."

After this, Malchus departed on his journey. Several days after his departure had passed, the tempter, the devil, appeared to his wife in the likeness of a man she knew. Showing her a letter supposedly from her husband, he said: "Behold, your husband has sent you a letter in which he commands you to come to him, and he has appointed me to be your guide."

After reading the letter, the wife said: "Although this letter is indeed from my husband, know that, since my husband has entrusted me to the protection of the Holy Unmercenary Physicians Kosmas and Damian, I will nevertheless not go with you until you accompany me to the Church of the Unmercenaries and swear there that you will do me no harm."

The devil agreed to this, went to the church, and swore the oath. Then he set out on the journey with the woman. Along the way, he led her into an inaccessible place, where he intended to harm and kill her. When she saw herself in terrible danger, she cried out: "O God, through the prayers of Saints Kosmas and Damian, help me and deliver me from the hand of this murderer!"

Immediately, the Holy Unmercenary Physicians appeared. At the sight of them, the devil vanished, and the Saints led the woman back to her home. The woman said to them: "I thank you, my lords, for delivering me from destruction. Tell me who you are, so that I may preserve forever in my heart a grateful remembrance of your kindness."

The Saints answered: "We are servants of Christ, Kosmas and Damian, to whose protection your husband entrusted you when he departed on his journey. For this reason, we hastened to come to your aid and deliver you from the devil."

At these words of the Saints, the woman fell to the ground from fear, and the Unmercenary Physicians became invisible. When she regained consciousness, the woman told everyone about the mercy shown to her by the Saints of God, and openly praised and thanked them before all.

Thus, it is true that the saints of God actually become the protectors of the families of those who, when setting out on a journey, entrust them to the saints' protection. From this arises the comforting conviction that the saints, being illumined by the light of the face of God, see us and know what feelings we bear toward them. They repay our love with love and, being close to us who honor them, are always ready to offer us their protection and guardianship.

Being convinced of this, let us also, for our part, when setting out on a journey and at every other time, have recourse with love and prayer to our invisible friends, defenders, and protectors, the saints of God. Let us earnestly ask them, through their holy prayers, to shield both us and our families from every visible and invisible evil, to obtain peace and tranquility for our lives, and to bring down upon both ourselves and our families the ever-active blessing of God. Amen.

Questions for Discussion 63:

1. Through whose prayers did Malchus's wife ask God to help her and deliver her from the hand of the murderer?

2. At the sight of whom did the devil disappear?

3. Why did Malchus's wife ask the Holy Unmercenary Physicians Kosmas and Damian to tell her who they were?

4. For what reason did Kosmas and Damian hasten to come to the aid of Malchus's wife and deliver her from the devil?

5. With what should we have recourse to the saints of God when setting out on a journey and at every other time? 

 

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.