Rejoice, thou who holdest
the Upholder of all.
Of these three blessed Fathers, the great and most holy Photios flourished in the ninth century, being Archbishop of Constantinople and achieving a reputation as one mighty in wisdom, oratory, and the dogmas of the true Faith.
St. Gregory Palamas, who was Archbishop of Thessalonica, flourished in the fourteenth century, being distinguished for his virtuous life and his illumination by Divine light and renowned for his discourses and struggles for the truth.
The Holy Mark Evgenikos, who flourished in the fifteenth century, was Metropolitan of Ephesus and proved to be an invincible champion of Orthodoxy at the false Council of Florence.
These thrice-great Hierarchs, having taken up the panoply of the Holy Spirit, “at sundry times and in divers manners” struggled for the sake of the blameless and Orthodox Faith, and having by their doctrines and struggles refuted and put to shame the false teachings of the Latin Church and the overweening and blasphemous claims of her chief Hierarch, the Pope of Rome, they both proclaimed and demonstrated to all the exactitude of the dogmas of the Eastern Church and the genuineness of her good confession. For this reason, they are worthily honored and acclaimed by us as our preceptors and teachers, and as champions and impregnable bulwarks of the Holy Church of Christ. GLORY TO GOD!
By their intercessions, O Christ God, have mercy on us and save us. Amen.
Saint Mark 16:1-8 KJV
16 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.
2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.
3 And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?
4 And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.
5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.
6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.
7 But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.
8 And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.
Ephesians 2:14-22 KJV
2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Saint Luke 16:19-31 KJV
19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
25 But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
26 And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
If we read, contemplate and reflect on the God-revealed guidance found in the testimony of the saints in homilies, we will find not only crucial clarity in scripture but also clarity of our spiritual status in our journey from transient darkness to the Eternal Light of the Holy Trinity.
Saint Luke 16:19-31There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. This saying is connected to what precedes it. For since the Lord had just taught us how to rightly manage wealth, He appropriately adds this parable, which by the example of the rich man illustrates the same teaching. This narrative is a parable, not an actual historical event, as some baselessly suppose. For the time has not yet come for the righteous to inherit the good things, nor for sinners the contrary. The Lord gave this account in the form of a parable, in order both to instruct the merciless about the future awaiting them, and to teach those who suffer here that they shall be blessed for what they endure. The rich man is introduced in the parable without a name, because he is unworthy even to be named before God, as it is said through the Prophet: “I will not even make mention of their names with My lips” (Psalm 15:4).
St Luke 16:20. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate. The beggar is mentioned by name, for the names of the righteous are written in the Book of Life. According to a tradition among the Jews, there was indeed a certain Lazarus living in Jerusalem at that time, a man in extreme poverty and sickness, and the Lord, taking him as an example well known and visible to all, incorporated him into this parable. The rich man was prosperous in every respect. He was clothed in purple and fine linen—and not only clothed thus, but also enjoyed every other kind of pleasure. It is written that he “fared sumptuously,” and not merely now and then, but “every day,” and not modestly, but “sumptuously”—that is, lavishly and wastefully. And Lazarus was poor and sick, and “full of sores,” as it is said. For one can be sick and yet not covered in wounds; and this only increased his suffering. He was cast down at the rich man’s gate.
St Luke 16:21. Desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores. There is yet another sorrow: to see others enjoying abundance, while he wasted away from hunger. He desired not luxurious fare, but mere crumbs—those that fell to the floor—crumbs which the dogs consumed. No one even attempted to heal Lazarus, for the dogs came and licked his wounds and were not driven away.
St Luke 16:22. So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom.
And what then? Did Lazarus, in such misery, curse God, revile the rich man’s luxury, condemn his inhumanity, or murmur against Divine Providence? No—he bore all things with great nobility of soul. How do we know this? From the fact that when he died, he was carried by angels. For had he been a complainer or a blasphemer, he would not have been granted the honor of being borne by angels. The rich man also died and was buried. Even in life, the soul of the rich man was in truth already buried, for his flesh was like a tomb for it. Therefore, after death, he is not carried upward by angels, but is instead cast down into Hades. For he who never concerned himself with anything lofty or heavenly is rightly deemed worthy of the lowest place. The Lord’s saying, “he was buried,” hints that his soul received as its portion the nethermost, most shadowy abode.
St Luke 16:23. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. Just as God, when He cast out Adam from Paradise, placed him before it (Genesis 3:24), that by constantly seeing it he might more acutely feel his loss of blessedness, so also the rich man is condemned before the sight of Lazarus, that, seeing his current state, he might perceive what he forfeited through his inhumanity. But why does the rich man see Lazarus in the bosom of Abraham and not in the company of some other righteous one? Because Abraham was hospitable, whereas the rich man must be reproved for his lack of hospitality. Abraham welcomed even strangers into his home, while the rich man neglected even one who lay at his very door.
St Luke 16:24. Then he cried and said, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.” Why does the rich man address his request not to Lazarus, but to Abraham? Perhaps out of shame, or perhaps he supposed that Lazarus remembered his former cruelty and would not grant his request, judging Lazarus by his own past actions. He may have thought, “If I, enjoying all good things, despised him in his misery and did not even offer crumbs, how much more will he, whom I dishonored, now refuse me any mercy?” Thus he appeals to Abraham, thinking perhaps that the patriarch does not know how things once stood. And what does Abraham say?
St Luke 16:25. But Abraham said, “Son…” He does not say, “Inhuman and cruel man, are you not ashamed to speak of compassion now?” No. He calls him “Son.” Behold the merciful and saintly soul! As the wise man says, “Do not provoke the soul of the humble.” Abraham, therefore, says “Son,” indicating that while it is still within his power to speak to him kindly, this is all he can offer—no more than a voice of compassion. For to pass from here to there is no longer permitted, since all has been determined. “…remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.” Why does Abraham say, “you received” rather than “you took”? The verb “to receive” we typically use for something owed or due. What does this teach us? That even though some defile themselves with great wickedness, they still may have done one or two good deeds. Thus, the rich man must have performed some good acts, and since he received his reward for them during his earthly prosperity, it is said that he “received his good things.” And Lazarus his evil things—perhaps he too committed some minor sins, and through his earthly sufferings received the due recompense. Therefore, now he is comforted, while you are tormented.
St Luke 16:26. “And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.” The “gulf” signifies the distance and difference between the righteous and the sinners. Just as their choices were different in life, so too their abodes are vastly different in the age to come, with each receiving recompense according to his will and deeds. Note also how this contradicts the Origenists. They claim that one day the torments will cease, and the wicked will be united with the righteous and with God, so that God becomes “all in all.” But we hear Abraham clearly say that those who wish to cross from here to there, or from there to here, cannot do so. Therefore, just as it is impossible for one to descend from the lot of the righteous to that of the sinners, so also, Abraham teaches, it is impossible to pass from torment into the place of the righteous. And surely, Abraham is more trustworthy than Origen. What is “Hades”? Some say it is a subterranean place of darkness; others call “Hades” the transition of the soul from the visible to the invisible and formless state. For as long as the soul is in the body, it reveals itself through its actions; but after its separation, it becomes hidden. This, then, is what they called Hades. The “bosom of Abraham” signifies the gathering of blessings awaiting the righteous when they pass from the storm of this life into the harbors of heaven; for even in the sea we call such tranquil places “bosoms,” as havens of rest and refuge. Take note as well that on that Day, the oppressor will see in what glory his victim now abides—and in turn, the victim will behold the condemnation of his oppressor, just as here the rich man sees Lazarus, and Lazarus again sees the rich man.
St Luke 16:27–28. Then he said, “I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.” The wretched rich man, having received no relief for himself, now pleads on behalf of others. Behold how suffering teaches him compassion, and how the one who previously despised Lazarus, now has concern for those not even present. He begs that Lazarus be sent from the dead—not just anyone, but Lazarus himself—so that those who had seen him sick and dishonored might now behold him glorified and whole, and being witnesses of his former poverty, might now behold his exaltation. Clearly, if he were to appear, he would do so in glory, so as to be a convincing witness. But what does Abraham say?
St Luke 16:29. Abraham said to him, “They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.” You do not care for your brothers more than God their Creator. He has already appointed to them countless teachers.
St Luke 16:30. And he said, “No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.” The rich man replies, “No, father!” For just as he himself, having heard the Scriptures, did not believe and considered their words fables, so he supposes the same of his brothers and, judging them by himself, claims that they too will not listen to the Scriptures, but will believe only if someone rises from the dead.
St Luke 16:31. But he said to him, “If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.” Even now there are people of this sort, who say: “Who has seen what happens in Hades? Who has come from there to proclaim it to us?” Let such men listen to Abraham, who declares that if we do not heed the Scriptures, we will not be convinced even by one who rises from the dead. This is plainly confirmed by the example of the Jews. Since they did not listen to the Scriptures, they likewise did not believe when they saw the dead raised—indeed, they even plotted to kill Lazarus (St John 12:10). Likewise, after the Lord’s Crucifixion, when many of the dead arose (St Matthew 27:52), the Jews continued to breathe threats of murder against the apostles.
Moreover, the resurrection of the dead was necessary for our faith, But at present, nothing is more beneficial than diligent study of the Scriptures (St John 5:39). For even the devil could simulate the appearance of raising the dead, and thus deceive the simple-minded, sowing among them a teaching about Hades consistent with his own malice. But when we soberly study the Scriptures, the devil cannot fabricate such things. For the Scriptures are a lamp and a light (2 St Peter 1:19), by whose radiance the thief is exposed and brought into the open. Therefore, it is the Scriptures that we must believe—not demand the resurrection of the dead.
This parable may also be understood in an allegorical sense. The rich man represents the Jewish people, who were once truly rich—enriched with every kind of knowledge and wisdom, and with the oracles of God, which are more precious than gold and many precious stones (Proverbs 3:14–15). They were clothed in purple and fine linen, possessing both kingship and priesthood, and being themselves a royal priesthood unto God (Exodus 19:6). The purple signifies royal dignity, the fine linen, the priesthood—for the Levites wore fine linen vestments while ministering. They rejoiced every day in splendid fashion, for they offered sacrifices every morning and evening—offerings which bore the name of “perpetual” because of their continual repetition. Lazarus represents the Gentiles, a people destitute of divine gifts and wisdom, cast down at the gate—for Gentiles were not permitted to enter the house of God, and their entrance was regarded as defilement, as seen in the Acts of the Apostles. The Jews of Asia cried out against Paul, accusing him of bringing Gentiles into the temple and defiling that holy place (Acts 21:27–28). The Gentiles were wounded with foul sins, and their sores fed shameless dogs—that is, demons—for our (spiritual) wounds are a delight to them. The Gentiles longed to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table, having no share in the Bread which strengthens man’s heart (Psalm 103:15), and were in need of finer, modest, rational nourishment—just as the Canaanite woman, being a Gentile, begged for the crumbs (St Matthew 15:22, 26–27).
What follows? The Jewish people died to God, and their bones were dried up, for they made no movement toward what is good. And Lazarus—meaning the Gentiles—died to sin. The Jews, dead in their sins, burn with the flame of envy, being jealous—as the Apostle says—that the Gentiles have been accepted into the faith (Romans 11:11). Meanwhile, the Gentiles, once a poor and inglorious people, now rightly rest in the bosom of Abraham, the father of the Gentiles. For Abraham, being originally a Gentile, believed in God and turned from idolatry to divine knowledge. Therefore, those who partake of his conversion and faith justly dwell in his bosom, inheriting the same portion, the same dwelling-place, and the same reception of blessings. The Jewish people desire at least a single drop from their former sprinklings and purifications, that their tongue might be cooled, that they might have boldness to say something on behalf of the Law’s power—but they are denied. For “the Law was until John” (St Matthew 11:13). “Sacrifices and offerings You did not desire” and so on (Psalm 39:7). And Daniel foretold: “vision and prophecy are sealed up, and the Holy of holies is anointed” (Daniel 9:24)—that is, they are brought to a close and fulfilled.
You may also understand the parable in a moral sense. If you are rich in evil, do not let your intellect go hungry. Since it was created to reach toward heaven, do not cast it down to the ground, nor allow it to lie outside the gate—but lead it within. Do not remain outside, do not wander, do not lie dormant, but act. This will be the beginning of rational activity, not merely bodily indulgence. And the rest of the parable may be interpreted in like manner for the benefit of moral instruction.
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