By St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite
Today common joy arose throughout the world for the bright feast and glorious celebration of Saint Symeon the New Theologian. Heaven above rejoices and the whole triumphant Church rejoices, because it has in its midst the blessed soul and the divine and all-illuminated spirit of the sacred Symeon. The earth below also rejoices, and the entire militant Orthodox Church is celebrating, because it possesses as precious treasures and delights and enjoys the divinely inspired and luminous and melodious writings of Symeon. And with this common joy of heaven and earth, the heavenly and earthly glorify the life-bestowing and all-holy Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, the God of all, who graced and glorified and exalted as great His holy Symeon, when he was on earth with so many supernatural gifts, and when he was transferred to heaven with so many inconceivable glories and beatitudes.
We, brethren, the Christians and monks of this wicked age, what should we do to please God and be saved? Let us imitate the example of the God-pleasing life and conduct of our Holy and God-bearing Father Symeon. For today we celebrate his venerable memory not so much to honor him - because the transcendental honor and glory he enjoys in the heavens is enough for him and he does not need more from us - but so that we may benefit by imitating his life according to God.
