TUESDAY February 1 / 14 NS 2023 • Holy Martyr Trýphon, Holy Martyrs Perpetua and those with her, St. Brigid of Ireland ~ Saint Luke of Simferopol on THE ENEMY OF MEN

Trýphon was born of poor parents in the village of Lámpsakos in Phrygia. In his childhood he tended geese. Also from his childhood he was able to cure illnesses that afflicted people and livestock and was able to expel evil spirits. The Roman Empire at that time was ruled by Emperor Gordian whose daughter Gordiana went insane and this caused her father great sorrow. All the physicians were unable to help Gordiana. The evil spirit spoke through Gordiana and said that no one can cast him out except Trýphon. After many who were named Trýphon in the empire were summoned, by Divine Providence, young Trýphon was also summoned. He was brought to Rome and he healed the emperor's daughter. The emperor lavished upon him many gifts all of which Trýphon, upon his return, distributed to the poor. In his village this holy youngster continued to tend geese and to pray to God. When Decius, the Christ-persecutor, was crowned emperor, Saint Trýphon was tortured and cruelly tormented for Christ. He endured all tortures with great joy saying: "Oh! If only I could be made worthy to die by fire and pain for the Name of the Lord and God, Jesus Christ!" All sufferings did him no harm and finally the tormentors sentenced him to be beheaded. Before his death Trýphon prayed to God and gave up his soul to his Creator in the year 250 A.D.

Since Saint Trýphon suffered in Nicaea and since many miracles occurred over his lifeless body, the citizens of Nicaea wanted to bury St. Trýphon in their cemetery. But, the saint appeared in a vision and expressed his desire that he be translated to his village of Lámpsakos where he once tended geese and to be buried there.

The Prayer of Saint Trýphon before his death:

"O Lord, God of gods and King of kings, the most holy of all holies, I thank Thee that Thou hast made me worthy to complete my mortification without faltering. And now, I pray to Thee that the hand of the invisible demon does not touch me; that the demon not drag me into the abyss of destruction. Rather, let Thy holy angels lead me into Thy beautiful dwelling place and make me an heir of Thy desired kingdom. Receive my soul and harken to the prayer of all those who would offer sacrifices to Thee in my remembrance. Gaze upon them from Thy holy dwelling place and grant them abundant and incorruptible gifts. For Thou art the only good and merciful Gift-giver unto the ages of ages. Amen."

Romans 8:28-39 KJV

28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?

33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.

34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Saint Luke 10:19-21 KJV

19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.

Saint Luke of Simferopol on
The  Enemy  of  Men

THE ENEMY WHISPERS

    "The enemy of men, the devil and his angels, the demons, know very well how to whisper into our ear and to pass on to us evil under the guise of the good and to hypnotize our conscience. If that which passes into our mind corresponds to our hidden desires and our passions, then very easily they will be understood by our heart. 

    We must resist their evil works. We can do this more easily if we manage to think of how much these things that we hear correspond with the Will of God and if we shut our ears to the devil."