Saturday October 2 / 15 ns 2022 † Holy Martyrs Cyprian and Justina ~ ASCETICISM by +Metropolitan Cyprian of Blessed Memory

THE HOLY MARTYRS CYPRIAN AND JUSTINA

Cyprian moved from Carthage to Antioch, where Justina lived with her parents, Edesius and Cleodonia. Edesius was a pagan priest, and his entire household was pagan. But when Justina visited a Christian church and learned the true Faith, she converted both her father and mother to the Christian Faith. All three received baptism by Optatus the bishop. Cyprian, however, was a magician, who consorted with impure spirits and practiced sorcery. A certain dissolute pagan youth named Aglaidas was willing to pay any price to charm Justina, for she was beautiful. The holy virgin Justina rejected him adamantly, and he sought help from Cyprian. Cyprian invoked one evil spirit after another, to inflame Justina with impure passion for Algaidas, but did not succeed. By the sign of the Cross and prayer to God, she drove the evil spirits away. After this futile effort, Cyprian recognized the power of the Cross and was baptized. Eventually, he was made a presbyter, then a bishop. Embittered pagans denounced him and Justina; both were tried in Damascus, tortured, and then beheaded in Nicomedia. They entered into rest at the end of the third century. 

+Metropolitan Cyprian of blessed Memory

THE FIRST EPISTLE OF SAINT PAUL TO
SAINT TIMOTHY 1:12-17 KJV

12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;

13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.

15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.

17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO

SAINT JOHN 15:17-16:2 KJV

17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.

18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.

22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.

23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also.

24 If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.

25 But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.

26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

27 And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.

16 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.

2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.

ASCETICISM

by +Metropolitan Cyprian of Blessed Memory
Sts. Cyprian and Justina Monastery, Fili Greece

It is a real tragedy, one that every struggling Christian lives through each day, that our nature is inundated by the passions. We incline towards sin as if in accordance with our nature. Along with the Fall, we have inherited this sick nature from our forefathers. 

The first, earthly Adam, gave us the mortality of our nature along with our robes of skin. But the second Adam, the heavenly Adam - our Savior Jesus Christ - has raised us up again, fashioned our nature anew, and become the Founder of a new race, of a new breed of man - members of His Body - which we become through Holy Baptism, receiving the command to do battle against our weak nature our whole life long, and through His Church to become holy and to make ourselves divine.

This painful struggle with the sin that dwells within us is called by the holy Fathers 'asceticism';   A Christian devoid of asceticism is inconceivable. Faith must be generated in a crucible of voluntary and involuntary sufferings in order to be purified of the dross of sin. Along with the patience we must have afflictions - which our Master, Who loves mankind, allows to come upon us - it is indispensable that there be added the related struggle towards a life of overall abstinence. St. Maximus the Confessor defines the perfect man thus: 'He is perfect who struggles with voluntary afflictions through abstinence, and with involuntary afflictions by restraining himself with patience'. 

One must practice asceticism to endure temptations patiently, yet at the same time one must take care not to exhaust the body, lest through weakness it become the lair of passions.  However, it is incontestable that from this bitter and terrible contest against sin and the passions and the battle to acquire the virtues, there is born the sweet flower of humility and repentance. You will see the full extent of the wretchedness of our fallen nature, and you will understand that you are nothing; you will become contrite and humble, seeking both redemption and the Redeemer. The blessed Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov describes this phenomenon with great profundity: 'Perfect virtue is to understand that only Christ can redeem you, and to place yourself before Him as a slave, realizing that any virtue you might have is not due to yourself, and that you cannot possess any worthiness apart trom Christ and independent of the Person of the God-man';

True and deep humility, which places us on the true path of repentance, is the shocking realization of our own wretchedness - blessed self-knowledge. And this is given to us as a gift of divine grace when we struggle amid both voluntary and involuntary afflictions with patience and abstinence. 

May the Lord strengthen us!