Homily on the Nativity of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos (St. Theodore the Studite)

Homily on the Nativity of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos 

By St. Theodore the Studite

1. Today creation celebrates with splendor, receiving the Virgin as a new heaven. A maiden has been born upon the earth, the living chamber of the King of heaven. A young woman has come into the light, shining more brightly than a ray of the sun. An infant has shone forth from a barren womb, the most holy sanctuary of virginity.

Who will not hasten to the festival? Who will not bring festal gifts, dear and beloved to the Virgin?

The most beautiful gift for those living in virginity is incorruption; for those who are married, temperance; for the rich, generosity; for the poor, thanksgiving; for rulers, meekness; for kings, justice; for priests, holiness; for all, good order in all things.

Since, then, such are the gifts, and with such gifts comes this splendid celebration, come, let us leap for joy in gladness. Let us sing songs of thanksgiving with David: “Let us rejoice in the Lord; let us shout aloud to God our Savior.”

For the Creator of all things, a temple has been prepared for His reception; for the creative Word, a dwelling place for His sojourn has been prepared; for the Sun of righteousness, a cloud of light has been spread forth; for Him who encompasses the heavens in clouds, the fabric of a God-woven garment is being raised up; for Him who mingles the seasons and gathers together times and years, a bridal gathering-place has been revealed.

Discourse on the Prefeast of Lights (St. Theodore the Studite)

On the Prefeast of Lights 

Oration 3 

 

By St. Theodore the Studite

Come, let us survey the forecourts of the Feast of Lights with luminous divine visions. Let us also enter the waters, so that we may become partakers of their abundant divine radiance. And having become luminous in form through the Holy Spirit, let us praise with wholehearted thanksgiving Jesus, the Cause of light, the Radiance of the Father’s glory.

Formerly the Israelites purified themselves before drawing near to the mountain blazing with fire, seeing it full of darkness and tempest; yet even then they did not ascend, because it was not safe, but remained below, terrified by the manifold threats of God. Moses himself removed his earthly sandals when he wished to approach the God-trodden ground, at the time when he was wondrously initiated into the lofty vision of the fire-bearing bush, which prefigured a greater mystery. Likewise Joshua the son of Nun received a command from the angel not to approach that ground at all while wearing sandals, out of reverence for the holy land. And what did the three youths do? Did they not expose themselves to the all-devouring fire with souls and bodies purified, when the burning force was transformed for them into refreshing coolness? With what a great miracle did God reward these saints: that at one and the same moment these two opposing energies should coexist around them! And Daniel, the “man greatly beloved in spirit” — had he not prepared himself by purifying fasting, and thus remained in the den with the lions, again receiving his body completely unharmed?

Prologue in Sermons: October 12

Against the Two False Beliefs of Sinners, Fallen Into the Depths of Evil

October 12*

(The Teaching of the Holy Father Theodore, Abbot of the Studion, Not to Despair of God’s Mercy For the Sake of One’s Sins)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev

Sinners who have sunk to the depths of evil, when it comes to their responsibility before God, generally reason in two ways: some say, "God won't forgive us anyway, and so we must perish together." Others, on the contrary, judge, "God is merciful. He forgives everyone, and He will forgive us." And they make no effort to correct themselves. What do you think, brethren: is this way of thinking just or unjust? No, know that neither is just. And we will prove this to them by our actions.

November: Day 11: Teaching 2: Venerable Theodore the Studite

November: Day 11: Teaching 2:
Venerable Theodore the Studite
 
(Precious in the Sight of the Lord is the Death of His Saints)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Venerable Theodore the Studite, whose memory is now celebrated, lived in the eighth century, when a persecution of venerators of holy icons, instigated by the Emperor Constantine Kopronymos, prevailed in the Greek Empire. As soon as iconoclasm began, Theodore's parents distributed their property to the poor and took monastic vows; Theodore soon followed their example. Venerable Theodore led the strictest way of life. Although he was brought up amidst all the comforts of life, since his parents were rich people, he found in himself enough fortitude to subject himself to all the privations that other monks experienced. He prayed constantly, worked for the brethren, and observed strict fasts. Patriarch Tarasios of Constantinople ordained Theodore a priest, and in 794 the brethren begged him to govern the monastery where he lived. In 789, Constantine VI began to reign. The new emperor wished to dissolve his marriage and marry his relative Theodota. Since such an act was not permitted by the statutes of the Church, Patriarch Tarasios refused to give his blessing for the wedding. When the wedding took place, Tarasios first tried to dissolve the marriage, but due to the emperor’s threats to begin iconoclasm again, he did not dare to do anything. Theodore did not act in this way. He excommunicated the emperor. Constantine, thinking to win Theodore over to his side, sent him rich gifts, but Theodore did not accept them. Constantine, irritated by this, sent Theodore and ten monks with him to Thessaloniki. However, Theodore’s firmness found many imitators among the clergy, and even Pope Leo III in a letter to Theodore approved of his courage and patience.

Homily on the Veneration of the Honorable and Life-Giving Cross (St. Theodore the Studite)

Homily on the Veneration of the Honorable and Life-Giving Cross

Sermon for the Third Sunday of Great Lent

By St. Theodore the Studite

The present day is a day of joy and gladness, because now a sign of joy is offered. Now a hymn of praise and confession is heard, because the most holy tree appears. O, most precious gift! Look what a radiance before your eyes! This is not the tree of the simultaneous knowledge of good and evil, like the one in Eden; no, this tree is completely magnificent and beautiful both for the look and for the taste. For this tree gives us life, and not death, enlightens us, and does not darken, leads us into Eden, and does not drive us out of it. This tree, on which Christ ascended, as a king on his chariot, struck the devil, who had the power of death, freeing the human race from heavy slavery: This tree is exactly the one on which the Lord, being wounded, like a warrior during a battle, in the feet, and in the divine ribs, he healed the ulcers of sin, that is, our nature, struck by the evil dragon. And, if another praise should be added, this tree is the one to which the blood of the Lord has flowed out to give such invincible power that demons are cast down by it and the world is enlightened.