Thursday November 18 / December 1 ns 2022 • Holy Martyrs Pláton and Romanós • Fish, wine and olive oil are permitted •THE VANQUISHER OF ANGER - HUMILITY

DECIDING IS AN ACT

If one decides to stop being nasty and become friendly, but does nothing, has he or she actually made a decision?

ON THE RIGHT TRACK?

Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there. 

THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES

What choice would you make between living 200 years in a young, healthy body and living forever without aging in Paradise?

There is old saying:  A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

I might add:  Who would trade infinite Paradise for one bird in the hand (which is this life)?  "He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto Life Eternal." St John 12:25 KJV

TOO BRIEF TO CARE

A temporary life is too brief to care about anything in it but the One Who created it.  

Questions? 

† Holy Martyrs Pláton and Romanós

✠ Pláton was from the town of Ancyra in Galatia. He was a Christian by birth and upbringing. While in his youth, he showed great perfection in every virtue. Pláton did not conceal his faith in Christ the Lord, but preached it openly, denouncing idolaters because of their worshiping lifeless objects in place of the Living Creator. For this, he was brought to trial before Governor Agrippinus, and was interrogated and harshly tortured by him. When the governor counseled him to avoid death and save his life by worshiping the idols, Pláton said: "There are two deaths, the one temporal and the other eternal; so also are there two lives, one of short duration and the other without end.'' 

Then Agrippinus subjected him to even harsher tortures. Among other tortures, red-hot cannon balls were set on the saint's naked body; then they cut strips from his skin. "Torture me more harshly,'' the martyr cried out to the torturers, "so that your inhumanity and my endurance may be seen more clearly.'' When the torturer reminded the martyr that his namesake, Plato the philosopher, was a pagan, the martyr replied: "I am not like Plato, nor is Plato like me except in name. I learn and teach the wisdom of Christ, but Plato was a teacher of wisdom that is foolishness to God.'' 

After that, Pláton was thrown into prison, where he remained for eighteen days without food and water. When the guards were amazed that Pláton was able to live in hunger for so long, he told them: "You are satisfied by meat, but I, by holy prayers. Wine gladdens you, but Christ the True Vine gladdens me.'' Pláton was beheaded in about the year 266 and received his wreath of eternal glory.

✠ St. Romanós was a deacon of the church in Caesarea and zealously preached the Gospel in Antioch. One day, there was an idolatrous feast. The Eparch of Antioch, Asclepiades, went to enter a pagan temple to offer sacrifices, but Romanus stood in the way and said: "You sin, O Governor, when you go to the idols. The idols are not gods - Christ is the only true God.'' The enraged eparch subjected Romanos to tortures and had him flogged and scraped without mercy. 

During this, St. Romanós saw a child by the name of Barulas, and said to Asclepiades: "Even this small child has more understanding than you, old man, for he knows the true God and you do not.'' The eparch questioned Barulas about his faith, and he confessed Christ the Lord as the One True God, contrary to false idolatry. Asclepiades commanded that young Barulas be beheaded, and St. Romanós be strangled in prison. Thus, both of these martyrs inherited the Kingdom of Christ in the year 303.

✠

Barulas beheld the tortures of St. Romanós,
And Romanós beheld Barulas, sad and tear-stained.
Barulas had a child's innocent soul;
Barulas had a heart purer than a lily.
And the wicked eparch asked Barulas:
"Come, my child, without bribery, speak the truth:
Is Christ better, or our gods?''
"Christ is far better than your idols!''
"Had I known, O Child, I would not have asked you!
How is Christ better? Come, tell me.''
"Christ is the Creator of the world,
Idols are fancies of the demon's kingdom.''
The governor, now furious, beat the child.
But this was pleasant to the child, and he spoke louder:
"O people, abandon the cursed demons,
Christ alone is God; He enlightens men.''
Barulas's mother stood by, and encouraged her son:
"Become worthy, O Son, of the rank of martyrdom.''
As a lamb beneath the sword, Barulas bent his neck,
And glorified Christ, himself and his mother.

The Holy Epistle of Saint Paul to

2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5 KJV

13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.

16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,

17 Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.

3 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:

2 And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.

3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.

4 And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you.

5 And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.

The Holy Gospel According to Saint Luke 16:1-9 KJV

16 And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods.

2 And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward.

3 Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed.

4 I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.

5 So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord?

6 And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty.

7 Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore.

8 And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.

9 And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.

THE VANQUISHER OF ANGER - HUMILITY

But whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also (St Matthew 5:39), commanded the Lord. 

This is the shortest and clearest teaching on humility. The evil demons fear nothing so much as a humble man fulfilling the Lord's commandments. There was a rich nobleman in Alexandria who had a young daughter into whom an evil spirit had entered, and the daughter had gone insane. Someone told the despairing father that none could heal his daughter except the monks who lived in the wilderness and came to Alexandria from time to time to sell baskets, their handiwork; but none of the monks would enter the rich nobleman's house if he told them why he was inviting them. It would be better for him to purchase baskets from the monks, then ask them to come to his house for payment. Then, when they entered the house, he could implore them to pray to God for all the members of the household, and thus obtain God's help to cure the maiden. The father obeyed and went to the marketplace on a certain day and met one of St. Makarios's disciples as he was selling baskets. The man agreed to buy the baskets, and invited the monk to his home to pay him. When the monk entered the home, the possessed daughter leaped at the monk and vigorously struck him on one cheek with her hand. The monk silently turned the other cheek. The evil spirit cried out in anguish and departed from the girl, and she became completely calm and rational. When the monk returned to the wilderness, he told the elders what had happened and they all glorified God, that He had given so much power to those who fulfill His commandments.