Homily Three for Cheesefare Sunday (St. John of Kronstadt)

By St. John of Kronstadt

"For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses, says the Lord" (Matt. 6:14-15).

This Sunday is called Forgiveness Sunday, because today the Church directs us to read the Gospel teaching us to forgive the transgressions of others so that our heavenly Father might also forgive us our innumerable transgressions. For that reason, from the ancient times, among the pious Christians there has been a custom, in this day, and during any day of the Cheesefare week, to ask forgiveness from each other, in those things in which they may have sinned one against another. This is a beautiful, truly Christian custom, for who does not sin against his neighbor in word, deed, or thought; and asking forgiveness from another person proves our faith in Gospel, our humility, our meekness and love of peace; on the contrary, the unwillingness to ask forgiveness from those, before whom we are really guilty, reveals in the one who is unwilling to make peace, a lack of faith, pride, conceit, remembrance of wrongs, disobedience to the Gospel, resistance to God, agreement with the devil. Whereas we all are children of our heavenly Father by grace, members of Christ God, members of one body of the Church, which is His body, and members of one another; God is love 1), and more than any whole-burnt offerings and sacrifices, requires from us mutual love, that love, which is "long-suffering and kind, does not envy, does not make a vain display of itself, does not boast, does not behave itself unseemly, seeks not its own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil, rejoices not over iniquity, but rejoices in the truth. Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things and never fails" 2). The entire Law of God consists of two words: love God and love your neighbor. With all that, the human heart is extremely selfish, impatient, self-willed, malicious and remembering of evil: it is ready to get angry at its neighbor not only for a direct evil, but also for an imaginary one, not only for an offensive word, but also for an unpleasant, or a harsh one, or even for a look, which appeared bad, or ambiguous, malicious, prideful, it almost gets angry even at the imagined thoughts of those around it. The Lord, Who sees the hearts, thus says of a human heart: "from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness" 3).

On the Passion of Suspicion

By Elder Daniel Katounakiotis

Suspicion in time of peace teaches disturbance and misunderstanding. Suspicion never knows the truth, even if the eyes see the truth and circumstances speak of kindness and love. Suspicion distorts everything and persuades its lover to be convinced of a lie rather than of a truth of what he sees.

Suspicion is a false and grotesque photographer, who in photographing distorts the image of the form before him....

When temptations occur to one who suffers from suspicion, whether from men or from God for his correction, or from natural coincidences, he assumes that such or such a person instigated them, freely censuring the one who is not responsible....

As a vivid depiction of this disastrous madness, I will dispassionately tell you of a reposed monk of Little Saint Anna's, Fr. Theophan. He, as we know, being completely conquered by this disease, separated himself from all his brothers and neighbors, declaring that everyone despised him, and that he alone knew what was right, and that the rest were worthy of abhorrence. He suffered this because his suspicions taught such things to him, and he submitted to them and relied on them.

If, my beloved, it happened for the moment that an Ecumenical Synod gathered by the Holy Fathers would condemn such as are deceived by their suspicions, they would never yield, maintaining that they are right and the Holy Fathers are wrong.

- Letter to Elder Kallinikos the Hesychast (2/1/1896)

Flee, brethren, from monster-breeding suspicion.

As much as this passion appears small and unimportant, so, on the other hand, if it is not checked, it can become great and bring disastrous consequences. This passion of suspicion is usually proposed to foolish and vain souls by the crafty serpent, for the reason that they are occupied by the passion of envy and remembrance of wrongs.

Therefore, when any brother yields to the suggestion of this passion, he will first get as a fellow-worker and advocate evil curiosity, and in consequence, whatever his thoughts suggest he will consider as a completed event....

When this passion becomes chronic, the enemy brings to the brother various fantasies suitable to the aim of leading him astray; and thus it happens that he loses his reason, from which may the All-Good God and Lord save us....

In order to prevent such an abominable passion, the brother must from the first beginning shun it as a deadly poison, exposing it to infamy through pure confession and self-reproach.

From Contemporary Ascetics of Mount Athos (vol. 1), pp. 315-316.

 

A Homily on the Holy Eucharist and on Not Judging Others or Remembering Wrongs

By the Holy Hieromartyr Anastasios II, 

Patriarch of Antioch (599-610)

The grace of the Holy Spirit always urges us, throughout Holy Writ, to fulfill the Divine commandments. This is especially true of the admonitions of the Prophet David that are chanted daily in our psalmody. For, the Book of Psalms instructs us in piety, sets forth ordinances concerning faith, teaches temperance, leads us to the fear of God, and speaks about punishment, compunction, continence, repentance, compassion, the love of God, the patience of God, chastity, long-suffering, fasting, and beneficence. Now, assiduity and attentiveness in prayer and in reading the Divine Scriptures are the mother of all the virtues. It is by prayer that we obtain every request and gift from God; as Scripture says: “Praise god in the congregations” (Psalm 67:26, LXX), and “in the midst of the church will I sing praise to thee” (Psalm 21:22, LXX). Hence, the Prophet, in the person of God, quite naturally suggests that we practice unceasing assiduity and attentiveness towards God, saying: “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 45:11, LXX). Thus, without great attentiveness and diligence in prayer and the reading of Divine Scripture it is impossible either to receive what one requests from God or truly to know God.

St. John Climacus on the Remembrance of Wrongs

The Ladder of Divine Ascent

By St. John Climacus

Step 9

On the Remembrance of Wrongs

1. The holy virtues are like Jacob’s ladder, and the unholy vices are like the chains that fell from the chief Apostle Peter. For the virtues, leading from one to another, bear him who chooses them up to Heaven; but the vices by their nature beget and stifle one another. And as we have just heard senseless anger calling remembrance of wrongs its own offspring, it is appropriate that we should now say something about this.

Holy Martyr Nikephoros of Antioch

St. Nikephoros of Antioch (Feast Day - February 9)

Verses

Nikephoros was called, from of old,
To know beheading, practically Nikephoros.
On the ninth Nikephoros was beheaded by the sword.

Regarding Saint Nikephoros of Antioch, Saint Nikolai Velimirovich writes: "The biography of this martyr Nikephoros clearly demonstrates how God rejects pride and crowns humility and love with glory."

The Holy Martyr Nikephoros lived in the city of Syrian Antioch. In this city lived also the presbyter Saprikios, with whom Nikephoros was very friendly, so that they were considered as brothers. They quarreled because of some disagreement, and their former love changed into enmity and hate.

After a certain time Nikephoros came to his senses, repented of his sin and more than once asked Saprikios, through mutual friends, to forgive him. Saprikios, however, did not wish to forgive him. Nikephoros then went to his former friend and fervently asked forgiveness, but Saprikios was adamant.

At this time the emperors Valerian (253-259) and Gallius (260-268) began to persecute Christians, and one of the first brought before the court was the priest Saprikios. He firmly confessed himself a Christian, underwent tortures for his faith and was condemned to death by beheading with a sword. As they led Saprikios to execution, Nikephoros tearfully implored his forgiveness saying, "O Martyr of Christ, forgive me if I have sinned against you in any way."

The priest Saprikios remained stubborn, and even as he approached death he refused to forgive his fellow Christian. Seeing the hardness of his heart, the Lord withdrew His blessing from Saprikios, and would not let him receive the crown of martyrdom. At the last moment, he suddenly became afraid of death and agreed to offer sacrifice to idols. In vain did Nikephoros urge Saprikios not to lose his reward through apostasy, since he already stood on the threshold of the heavenly Kingdom.

Nikephoros then said to the executioner, "I am a Christian, and I believe in our Lord Jesus Christ. Execute me in place of Saprikios." The executioners reported this to the governor. He decided to free Saprikios, and to behead Nikephoros in his place. Thus did Saintt Nikephoros inherit the Kingdom and receive a martyr's crown.

This occurred in the year 260 A.D. during the reign of Gallius. Nikephoros, whose name bespeaks a "victory bearer", won a double triumph over the passions and impiety.

Profuse are the passages of the Old and New Testaments urging us to love one another according to God, even as He who is mercifully most compassionate ofttimes enjoins upon us. The history of Saint Nikephoros teaches us that even if we should give away all our wealth as alms and surrender up all our bodily members to fire and wild beasts, even for the sake of piety, and endure ten thousand other torments, the sacrifice of one who remembers wrongs would not be accepted by Christ. By remembrance of wrongs, we mean those who bear resentment or harbor rancor. Saint John of the Ladder speaks of this vice, saying:

"Remembrance of wrongs is the consummation of anger, the keeper of sins, hatred of righteousness, ruin of virtues, poison of the soul, worm of the mind, shame of prayer, cessation of supplication, estrangement of love, a nail stuck in the soul, pleasureless feeling cherished in the sweetness of bitterness, continuous sin, unsleeping transgression, hourly malice" (Ladder of Divine Ascent, Step 9:2).

For those who have difficulty with forgetting past injuries and offenses, hearken to St. John's further advice: "Let it be put to shame by the Prayer of Jesus which cannot be said with it" (Step 9:10). But, "When, after much struggling, you are still unable to extract this thorn, you should apologize to your enemy, even if only in word. Then perhaps you may be ashamed of your long-standing insincerity toward him, and, as your conscience stings you like fire, you may feel perfect love toward him" (Step 9:11). And, "You will know that you have completely freed yourself of this rot, not when you pray for the person who has offended you, nor when you exchange presents with him, nor when you invite him to your table, but only when, on hearing that he has fallen into spiritual or bodily misfortune, you suffer and weep for him as yourself" (Step 9:12).

Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone

Thy Martyr Nikephoros, O Lord, in his courageous contest for Thee received the prize of the crowns of incorruption and life from Thee, our immortal God. For since he possessed Thy strength, he cast down the tyrants and wholly destroyed the demons' strengthless presumption. O Christ God, by his prayers, save our souls, since Thou art merciful.

Another Apolytikion in the First Tone

Love for the Creator enlightened thy soul, enabling thee to fulfill the law of grace, O Nikephoros. Thou didst love thy neighbor as thyself, win the contest, and destroy the serpent. Wherefore ever preserve us in peace.

Kontakion in the First Tone

Bound fast with chains of love, thou didst mightily sunder the wickedness of hatred with manifest courage, and hence, O Nikephoros, when the sword had cut off thy head, thou wast shown to be a godly Martyr of Jesus, our Incarnate Saviour; pray Him for us who honor thy glorious memory.