I. Saint Zotikos, whose memory the Holy Church celebrates today, is distinguished among the saints by the special title of "Feeder of Orphans." Pleasing God with all the virtues required by God's law of anyone seeking salvation, the Saint especially dedicated himself to serving orphans, to whom he was a true father and provider.
The Holy Martyr Zotikos lived in the 4th century A.D., first in Rome, then he moved to Constantinople. He was known to Emperor Constantine the Great, from whom he repeatedly received financial donations for charitable works. Possessing considerable wealth himself, Saint Zotikos rejected this wealth and all the worldly, vain honors that awaited him in his ministry, accepted the rank of priest, and set himself the task of serving the poor orphans and widows. He opened his home in Constantinople to all the homeless, sheltering them from heat and cold and assisting them in their dire need with all possible means. Thus, during his life, Saint Zotikos wiped away many bitter tears, comforted many, and saved many poor and orphaned people from spiritual and physical ruin. For this, the Lord crowned him with the crown of heavenly glory and eternal blessedness, deigning him to end his life as a martyr for denouncing the heresy of Arius under Emperor Constantius.
II. Following the example of Saint Zotikos the Feeder of Orphans, let us, brethren, also be concerned with the care of orphans, especially since this is directly commanded by the word of God. In the New Testament, caring for widows and orphans is placed as the most important act of Christian faith and piety. "Pure and undefiled religion before God," says Saint James, "is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction" (James 1:27).
But what does it mean to take care of an orphan?
a) To look after an orphan means to enable him to acquire the necessities of life himself, to make him capable of honest and useful work. For an orphan, there is no warmth greater than that of a mother's love, which could warm his heart and awaken in him holy feelings of love for God and neighbor, meekness and patience, modesty and chastity, mercy and compassion — which could enliven and inspire him with the spirit of faith and trust in God, the spirit of prayer and devotion to God's will. Having looked after an orphan, let him experience the sweetness and warmth of maternal and, in general, parental love, with all the innumerable beneficial consequences for his religious and moral education and truly Christian life. If you do not allow an orphan to die of hunger and cold, if one gives him bread, another some clothing, a third some money, then you have still not looked after him. What good will these casual, indifferent alms, seemingly forced by the petitioner's importunity, do to the orphan? Will not the easy method of acquiring wealth through begging accustom him to laziness, idleness, vagrancy, and shamelessness? If the alms are abundant, will they not serve as an excuse for frivolous and useless spending, for intemperance, debauchery, and licentiousness? If, on the contrary, the alms are meager, will they not develop a passion for supplementing them by theft or other dishonest means? Isn't this precisely how most of the unfortunates who fill our prisons are formed in our societies? It is a sacred duty to give alms to the beggar, but the most precious thing is to place the needy in a position where they can satisfy their own needs and not be forced to beg for alms from others, which is sometimes more difficult and bitter than enduring poverty and grief. It is a good deed to feed the hungry or clothe the naked; but, without a doubt, it is better and more beneficial to ensure that both are able and know how to obtain food and clothing themselves, without having to knock on doors or abuse the most holy name of Christ. If our charity were to forever adopt this truly Christian direction, if general sympathy, especially for orphans, were always expressed in this truly brotherly assistance, then the homeless orphan would not become savage, corrupt, or a rotten and harmful member of society, a burden to himself and others; then the homeless youth would not give himself over to idleness and debauchery and become a scourge on society, but would be an active and useful member. Thus, caring for an orphan with the goal of his upbringing, that is a truly good and holy deed! That is a truly Christian endeavor, which the Lord our God Himself places upon us! "You are to leave bread for the poor, and be a helper to the orphan," thus He speaks from heaven to each of us.
b) What does it mean, further, to look after an orphan? It means to replace his parents, his biological father and mother. Can this be achieved without tender, familial love for him? No matter how much you caress an orphan, if your caresses don't sparkle with true, genuine love, they will leave a chill, and the young, tender, receptive heart of the child will feel this chill. No matter what wise instructions you give your young charge, if they don't ring with sincere, heartfelt love and don't touch the tender strings of the young heart, they will fly right past his ears, skim the surface of his soul, and be forgotten faster than you can finish them. Then the reward for all your labors will be mere polite, but not heartfelt, gratitude. Much less will a warm, heartfelt prayer be raised to God for you, or a fervent tear of gratitude be shed before the Heavenly Father — all your labor will remain fruitless. Instead, be inspired by sincere Christian love for these little ones. Then the tender heart of a child will be drawn to yours as by a magnet, will submit completely to your influence, and will cling to you with its ardent love. Your advice and guidance will deepen in their soul, take root, grow, and bear good fruit, always guarding them from error and vice. But even if the storms of life blow upon him with their corrupting breath, disturb his soul and heart with impure passions, and draw him down the perilous path of vice, the memory of your love will awaken his conscience, soften his heart, draw from his chest a heavy sigh of remorse, and draw from his eyes a tear of remorse. Are there many examples where the mere memory of a kind, loving mother has brought the most hardened villains to repentance? Oh, what a precious service to humanity this is! What a truly sacred deed of love and at the same time the most precious reward of love!
c) What does it mean, finally, to look after an orphan? It means to preserve in his soul the grace of Holy Baptism, to develop, direct, and train all the powers of his soul and body, sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit, for proper activity; it means to raise the child into a true Christian, a son of the Church of Christ, a man of God, prepared for every good work. Here, pious educators of orphans, you become servants not of nature, but of the grace of God; you replace for the orphan not his earthly parents, but the Heavenly Father, Who, entrusting to you His children adopted by Him in Holy Baptism, promises and grants you His divine grace to help. You are taking the place of their heavenly Mother, the most holy and most blessed Queen of heaven and earth, who, having chosen you as her co-workers, entrusts to your care that which is most precious on our earth — the Christian child washed and sanctified by the blood of her Son. Do you feel the full height of your calling, the full grandeur of your service in the Kingdom of God, the full glory of the reward prepared for you, and the full weight of the answer before the Judgment of God for these little ones? "It is not the will of my Father that one of these little ones should perish," says our Lord Jesus Christ. "Take heed therefore lest ye despise one of these little ones." If by our care and concern they are preserved for the Kingdom of God, if, at least, from your own hands you deliver them into the hands of God's Providence, into the midst of Christian society, pure and blameless, prepared for every good work; then with what a bright and joyful face you will appear before the throne of God and say: “Here I am and the children whom You have given me, Lord!”
III. With what treasures and rewards will the Heavenly Father not reward you for these little ones! With what honor will the Son of God not honor you in His Kingdom! With what heavenly joys will the Most Holy Mother of God not console you! With what joy will the holy angels of these little ones meet you, embrace you, and lead you into the heavenly dwellings, who see your cares and concerns for them, read in your hearts the Christian love for them, and are themselves ready with love to help you!
Source:
A Complete Annual Cycle of Short Teachings, Composed for Each Day of the Year. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
Notes: * In the original Russian text, Saint Zotikos is commemorated on December 30th, and there this reading is placed under Teaching 1. To conform it to the Greek calendar, the translation of the text was moved to December 31st and there it is placed as Teaching 6.
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