Homilies from the Menaion for Every Day of the Year: November 8

The Month of November
 

Day 8

70. The Good Angels Bestow Benefits upon People

(The Archangel Michael and the Other Bodiless Powers)

The Holy Orthodox Church teaches us to believe that the Holy Angels are our invisible friends, defenders, and protectors; that they guard us from every evil, both visible and invisible, and are always ready to bestow one benefit or another upon us. Is all this true, brethren? And is it true, even in a particular instance, for example, that the Angels are always ready to bestow one benefit or another upon us? Yes, brethren, everything that has been told us about the Angels, both in general and in particular, is indeed the very truth, and there should be no doubt about it whatsoever, for everything we have said is confirmed by an example. What example is this, you may ask. Listen, for we now present it for your consideration.

A certain man from Laodicea, a pagan who had an only daughter who had been mute from birth, exerted every effort to cure her affliction, but no remedy proved effective, and the father was sorrowful. One night, he saw an Angel shining like the sun, who said to him: “If you wish your daughter to speak, take her to my spring, which is near Hierapolis, at Chonae, give her water from it to drink, and you will behold the glory of God.” When he awoke from sleep, that man, believing the words of the one who had appeared to him, took his daughter and brought her to the indicated spring. There he encountered a multitude of people who hoped to receive healing from the water of the spring. He asked them: “Whom do you invoke when you wash yourselves with this water?” The people answered: “We invoke the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and we also call upon the Holy Archangel Michael for help.” Then that man, raising his eyes to heaven and lifting up his hands, cried out: “Father and Son and Holy Spirit, God of the Christians, have mercy on us! Holy Michael, servant of God, help and heal my daughter!” And with these words, drawing water from the spring, he poured it into his daughter's mouth, and immediately she began to speak and cried out: “God of the Christians, have mercy on me! Holy Michael, help me!” And all those who were there marveled at the power of God that had been manifested, and began to glorify the Most Holy Trinity and to praise the Holy Archangel Michael. The pagan, seeing the healing of his daughter, immediately received Holy Baptism together with her and all the members of his household who had come with him. Afterwards, in due course, in gratitude to the Holy Archangel Michael, he built a church over the spring in his name and adorned it magnificently. (Menaion, September 6)

From this account, the truth becomes clear that the Holy Angels are truly our invisible defenders, friends, and protectors; that they deliver us from evil and bestow benefits upon us. From this truth we must learn to love the Holy Angels, honor them, and turn to them with supplication in our needs. In order for our supplication to be more effective, however, we must lead a holy life pleasing to God, remembering that the Angels help only the pious, and not the impious, and that they even withdraw from the latter, as Saint Basil the Great says. “Just as smoke,” he teaches, “drives away bees, and foul odor drives away doves, so grievous sin drives away the Angel, the guardian of our life.” (Works of Basil the Great, Part 5, Homily on Psalm 33:8) In view of this, let us also abandon this grievous sin, so that we may not drive away, but rather draw near to ourselves, our invisible friends—the Angels; so that we may make them prompt intercessors on our behalf; so that we may always have their invisible protection over us; and so that, finally, through them, we may be deemed worthy to obtain both the blessing and the favor of God. Amen.

Questions on Discourse 70:

1. According to the Angel's words to the man from Laodicea, what would the latter behold when he gave his mute daughter water from the Angel's spring?

2. According to the people at the spring, whom do they invoke when they wash themselves with water from the Angel's spring?

3. What did the daughter ask of the God of the Christians and of Saint Michael when she began to speak?

4. What did the pagan do in gratitude for the healing of his daughter?

5. Who, in truth, are the holy Angels to us?

 

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.