Wednesday September 29 / October 12 ns 2022 • St. Kyriakós the Anchorite ~ About the Grace of God • Fast day

Wednesday
September 29 / October 12 ns 2022

Fast Day

 

 SAINT KYRIAKÓS THE ANCHORITE

Today the Church honors and celebrates the sacred memory of Blessed Kyriakós the Anchorite, who was born in Corinth in 408. His father was called Ioannis and was a priest, while his mother was Evdoxia. The then bishop of Corinth, Petros, who was Kyriakós’ uncle on his father’s side, ordained him reader. But Kyriakós did not find inner peace in Corinth and so, at the age of eighteen, he left for Jerusalem. There were many monasteries there at that time and some great ascetics, among whom he wished to live. His soul took wings and soared with divine love; he was captured and drawn by the eremitic life.

Going to Jerusalem, Saint Kyriakós found Saint Evthymios who made him a monk and sent him to Saint Gerásimos the Jordanite. Saint Evthýmios and Saint Gerásimos are great names in the history of asceticism. Saint Kyriakós lived with them, particularly Saint Gerásimos, from whom he was inseparable. When Saint Gerásimos fell asleep in the Lord, Saint Kyriakós returned to Saint Evthymios. But wherever he was, Saint Kyriakós performed his duties willingly and without complaint. since he always had in mind God’s words: “Cursed be they who do the works of the Lord without care” [Jer. 31, 10 (Septuagint)]

When he returned to the monastery of Saint Evthymios, Saint Kyriakós was ordained a priest. He remained there for many years and was so gentle and ascetic that no one ever saw him angry, nor even eating. He ate just enough to keep body and soul together, when night began to fall in his cell. When he was seventy-seven years old, Saint Kyriakós left the monastery for the desert and, at the age of ninety-nine left that for an even more remote spot. He always had a lion with him for company and protection. We shouldn’t forget that, before the Fall, the wild beats lived with Adam and Eve in paradise.

Saint Kyriakós fell asleep in the Lord at the age of one hundred and seven, and was, until the end, just as ascetic and robust in body. In the depths of old age, he had all his faculties, just as if he were still young. He was a well-built, handsome person, with manly grace, most venerable and imposing to those who approached him. And everyone came to him, because he was gentle and kindly. Since he didn’t stay in one place and one monastery, but went from Saint Evthymios to Saint Gerásimos, back to Saint Evthymios and out into the desert, then into another desert, he was given the name of “anchorite” [from the Greek verb αναχωρέω, meaning “to withdraw”].

THE HOLY EPISTLE OF SAINT PAUL TO TH
EPHESIANS 5:25-33 KJV

25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:

30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.

31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCORDING TO SAINT LUKE 5:33-39 KJV

33 And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink?

34 And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?

35 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.

36 And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old.

37 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.

38 But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.

39 No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.

About the Grace of God

"My Grace is sufficient for you" (2 Corinthians 12:9).

The Lord did not even spare His apostles from temptations. That is why He gave them Grace! When Satan himself began to malign the Apostle Paul, Paul prayed to God that Satan depart from him. To that, the Lord replied: "My Grace is sufficient for you!"   That is, if you need to withstand Satan, for your endurance "My Grace is sufficient for you!"  If you need to struggle with Satan, again My Grace is sufficient for you!"   If you wish to defeat Satan, again "My Grace is sufficient for you!"    Grace is an all-inclusive weapon. Grace is stronger than all opposition, than all assaults, than all the powers of darkness. Grace is invincible and victorious.

Brethren, that is why we should pray to the Lord to give us His All-powerful Grace.   Grace is God within us.   Grace is the kingdom of God within us. When the Grace of God is within us, then day is within our souls. And day signifies light, knowledge and fearlessness.

Brethren, we cannot here on earth implore a greater good from God than the Grace of God. If we were to receive the entire universe as a gift, that gift would be less than the Grace of God.

O most abundant Lord, the inexhaustible source of the omnipotent Grace, sprinkle our hardened hearts with Your Grace that we might weep before Your most great goodness and our horrendous ingratitude.

To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.