Homily One on the Afterfeast of the Nativity of the Theotokos (Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov)

Homily One on the Afterfeast of the Nativity of the Theotokos 

By Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov

(Delivered in 1960, on the 16th Week After Pentecost)

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit!

Dear brothers and sisters, these days the Holy Church of Christ, and we with it, brightly celebrate the all-joyful holy days of the afterfeast of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos. The Church proclaims to us: "Your Nativity, O Virgin Theotokos, brings joy to the whole universe, for from you did the Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God, shine forth" (Troparion of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos). "A woman," according to the word of Christ the Savior, "when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world" (John 16:21), that is, the birth of every person into the world brings joy and comfort to the parents of the newborn and to all relatives and friends. And not only the birth itself, but also the very memory of the birth of a notable family member, their day is almost always a day of special joy and deliberate celebration for the family. As for great individuals who have distinguished themselves through charitable deeds in glory of their homeland, their birthdays are invariably celebrated with joy at the appointed time even after their death.

Miracles of Saint Bassian of Tiksnensky

1. A woman named Elena became blind and could not see anything for six years and five months. But, having seen Saint Bassian in a dream, she came to Tiksna and, having venerated his coffin with prayer, immediately regained her sight.

2. Another woman, Justinia, who had also not seen anything for a long time, was brought to Tiksna by her mother. After attending a prayer service, both women, with the priest’s permission, stayed the night near the Saint’s coffin to pray. At the end of the night, they heard an unusual noise in the church and fell to the ground in fear. They heard voices behind the wall, and when the mother looked out the window, she saw two people talking to each other. 

Prologue in Sermons: September 12

 

 

A Good Deed Has Value Only When It Is Carried Through To Completion

September 12

(On Eulogios the Monk and the Paralyzed Beggar)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev 

It does not say, brethren, that “He who endures to some extent will be saved,” but it does say, “He who endures to the end will be saved” (Matt. 10:22). Yet, we lack precisely this endurance until the end. It happens that we embark on good deeds with full fervor and enthusiasm, but after a little time, we become increasingly indifferent to the good work we have undertaken; and sometimes, right at the very end, when we are just about to receive the crown for it, we abandon it altogether. Thus, all your efforts resemble a house built on sand, which is swept away as soon as the wind blows upon it (Matt. 7:26-27).

No, we should not act in this manner. If you have begun something good, you must see it through to the end, resisting temptations; otherwise, the devil will snatch away the crown intended for you, and your reward will be lost.

Saint Euphrosynos the Cook in the Hymnography of the Orthodox Church

By Fr. George Dorbarakis

Saint Euphrosynos is an additional miraculous sign in the choir of saints of our Church, confirming that there is no easier and more comfortable path for man to enter the Kingdom of God, already in this life, than humility. And this is because the most decisive element of his life, from beginning to end, was this exalting virtue. There are numerous references to this by the ecclesiastical poet. Already his Apolytikion, where the essence of the holiness of the Saint is condensed, points this out from the beginning: “You venerably lived in much humility.” And also in the Doxastikon of Vespers: “You have adorned yourself with humility,” that is, this was the adornment of his life -f humility. And it is self-evident for the Christian faith that where there is humility, there is the presence of God, there are all the gifts that the Lord gives. Because it is precisely these two that our almighty and all-good God revealed to us as the most important elements of His life: love and humility. “God is love” and “Learn from Me that I am meek and humble of heart.”

September: Day 11: Teaching 2: Venerable Theodora of Alexandria

September: Day 11: Teaching 2: 

Venerable Theodora of Alexandria

(To the Debauched and Intoxicated Christian)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Venerable Theodora, celebrated today for her profound and genuine repentance for her one-time sin against the seventh commandment, due to temptation, for her perpetual tears of a contrite heart, for her ascetic endeavors in mortifying the flesh along with its passions and desires, and for her great holiness of life following her singular fall and trustworthy restoration, compels us to speak with you about the sin of debauchery as a warning and admonition to a wayward son or daughter.

II. "His flesh will be in pain, and his soul will mourn" (Job 14:22). With these words from the ancient sacred book, I wish to begin my conversation with you, my beloved brother, who has fallen into the sin of debauchery. Do not regard me with such disdain, such suspicion. Why this dissatisfied glance? "What captivates your heart, and what lifts your eyes?" (Job 15:12). Before you stands not an enemy, nor a judge, nor a fearsome accuser; no, before you is one whom you once loved to listen to, to whom you once clung with all the childlike trust of your soul. Do not say in your heart: "I know: the sermon is beginning; advice and guidance will be offered, various boring rules will be prescribed, and threats will be uttered"... What is left for me to advise you that you have not heard before? What to preach that you do not already know? What can I threaten you with?... Listen, oh, listen to me: I will speak to you as you would speak to yourself, if only for a moment you wished to turn inward. Your flesh will be in pain for you, and your soul mourn over you. What were you before? What are you now? And what will become of you?

Prologue in Sermons: September 11

Weapons Against the Wiles of the Devil

September 11

(A Story from the "Paterikon" about Agathon: How He Cast Out Demons With Words)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev 

The word of God commands us to guard ourselves vigilantly from demonic temptations, so that the enemy does not suddenly attack us and destroy us. "Be sober, be vigilant," says the Holy Apostle Peter, "for your adversary the devil, walks about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8). Impiety, superstition, all kinds of delusions, malice, debauchery and other sins, all this is not the work of our will alone, but also of demonic instigation. Fortunately, we are not defenseless against the wiles of the devil, we have been given reliable weapons to fight them. What kind of weapons are these?

Prologue in Sermons: September 10

It Is Not True That the Saints Who Lived in the Deserts Did Not Partake of the Holy Mysteries

INSTRUCTION TO THE PARISHIONERS LIVING AMONG SCHISMATICS

September 10

(The Three Holy Women, Discovered on the Mountain, of whom Paul, the Bishop of Monemvasia, Spoke)

By Archpriest Victor Guryev 

A certain traveler came to one of the monasteries in the East. Once, while talking with the abbot and the brethren under the shade of fruitful trees, in the monastery courtyard, he noticed that several birds were breaking off branches with fruit from the trees and flying away. When he asked the abbot why the birds did not eat the fruit on the spot, but flew away with it, he received the answer that this phenomenon had been noticed for more than ten years. Moved as if by a presentiment, the traveler said: "Are there any Saints of God in your mountains to whom these birds carry fruit by God's command?" At that moment, a raven flew in and broke off one of the branches with fruit. The traveler continued: "Let's go, we will watch him." They went and saw that the raven was flying to one of the hills, first sat on it, and then went down into a crevice and, leaving the branch there, flew out from there without it. Those who were watching him approached the crevice and threw a stone into it. Suddenly a voice was heard from there: "If you are Christians, do not kill us." "Who are you?" asked those who had come. "We are women, there are three of us," they answered. "If you wish to see us, throw us three garments, since we are naked, and, going down the mountain, go along the narrow path that leads to us." The monks did as they were told and found three women, one of whom was the mistress and the other two were her slaves. "Who are you and how did you come here?" asked the abbot of the first of them. "I am from Constantinople, the wife of a royal dignitary," she answered. "Having been left a childless widow by my husband, I was forced to sin by a nobleman and, wishing to preserve myself in purity, I decided to leave the world and, entrusting the distribution of my property to the poor, I boarded a ship at night with these two of my slaves, from which we landed at this place where you found us, and now it is the eleventh summer since we have seen a human face." “Where did you get your food here, my lady?” asked the abbot. “The Lord,” she answered, “who fed His people in the desert for forty years, sent us food too. Birds brought us all kinds of fruits, and the Lord always covered and warmed us, so that we were not afraid of the cold in winter, nor the heat of the sun in summer. We lived here as in paradise, constantly glorifying the Holy Trinity." "Would you like to share a meal with us?" "If you wish to do so," answered the holy hermit, "command that a priest come first and perform the Divine Liturgy, so that we may partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ; for since we left Constantinople we have not been granted Holy Communion." The abbot fulfilled her wish, and the priest who came, after performing the Divine Liturgy, gave communion to the holy hermits. And that same day the first of them (the former mistress), after fervent prayer, departed to the Lord. The next day one of her friends followed her, and on the third day the last of them also peacefully passed away in the sleep of death.

September: Day 9: Teaching 4: Saint Theodosius, Archbishop of Chernigov

September: Day 9: Teaching 4: 
Saint Theodosius, Archbishop of Chernigov
 
(The Example of a True Shepherd, as Presented By the Life of the Saint)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Among other instructions which the Holy Apostle Paul commanded his disciple, Bishop Timothy of Ephesus, there is also this instruction: "Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity" (1 Tim. 4:12). The apostolic bishops, as heads of the Churches, tried to implement this covenant in their lives. And the great saint, Archbishop Theodosius of Chernigov, who is celebrated today, embodied in himself the example of a true shepherd.

II. a) His word was wise, mixed with grace. He edified his flock with his speeches during his life; he edifies us all now. In his visions, he often instructed believers on the path of saving life: he taught them to go to the temples of God, to fast, to fulfill the statutes of the Holy Church, to listen to prayers and akathist chants in churches, to pray before miraculous icons, to honor Church feasts, to confess their sins and to partake of the Holy Body and Blood of the Lord. Saint Theodosius was truthful and spoke only words of truth.

September: Day 9: Teaching 2: Holy Ancestors of God Joachim and Anna

September: Day 9: Teaching 2: 
Holy Ancestors of God Joachim and Anna
 
(Lessons From Their Lives:
a. Piety Does Not Interfere With Family Life, 
b. Christians Should Not Shun Family Life, and 
c. Do Not Be Afraid of Having Many Children)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Let us, Christians, transport ourselves in thought almost nineteen centuries back, to those times of Old Testament history, when the people were increasingly losing their independence and autonomy, and when the time was coming for the work of saving the human race to be accomplished through the only begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ, incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the most blessed Virgin Mary.

In those days, in the poor Galilean town of Nazareth, there lived a pious couple, Joachim and Anna. These humble Nazarenes were not famous in Israel for anything, and did not differ from the simple inhabitants of Nazareth by any special external advantages.