The Holy Martyr Glykería was the daughter of a Roman governor. Becoming impoverished after her father's death, Glykería settled in Trajanopolis in Thrace. During the reign of the nefarious Emperor Antoninus, Glykería was taken to offer sacrifices to the idol of Jupiter [Zeus]. She traced the sign of the cross on her forehead and when the Prefect Sabinus questioned her concerning her lamp, (for all of them carried lamps in their hands), Glykería pointed to the cross on her forehead and said: "This is my lamp." As a result of her prayer lightning struck the idol and smashed it to pieces. The Prefect became angry and ordered her flogged and thrown into prison. The Prefect sealed the doors to the prison, determined to starve the virgin to death. However, an angel of God appeared to Glykería and administered heavenly food to her. After a period of time, when the Prefect thought that the virgin must have died from hunger, he opened the doors of the prison and was astonished when he saw her healthy, radiant and joyful. Witnessing this miracle, Laodicius, the jailer confessed Christ the Lord and was immediately beheaded.
After that Glykería was thrown into a fiery furnace but remained unharmed by the fire. Standing in the midst of the fire and, remembering the miracle of the three youths in the Babylonian furnace, Glykería praised the Lord. Finally, she was thrown to the lions and, praying to God, this holy virgin gave up her soul to the Lord for Whom she bravely endured many tortures.
Glykería suffered honorably in the year 177 A.D. A healing oil [myrrh] emitted from her relics which healed the sick of the gravest diseases.
Acts 17:1-9 KJV
17 Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews:
2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,
3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.
4 And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.
5 But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.
6 And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;
7 Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.
8 And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city, when they heard these things.
9 And when they had taken security of Jason, and of the other, they let them go.
47 Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.
48 If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.
49 And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,
50 Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.
51 And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;
52 And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.
53 Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.
St. John the Holy Apostle, in one of his letters states, "Perfect love casts our fear." What does this saint mean when he says this? What type of love and what type of fear is he referring to?
The psalmist tells us, "Fear the Lord all those who love him." We also find thousands of similar sayings in Sacred Scripture. If then, the saints who so loved Him were afraid of him, how can he say, "Love casts out fear?"
St. John wants to demonstrate to us that there are two types of fear, one preliminary, and the other perfect. The one is found with novices, or as some call them, "the devout." The other occurs in those who are mature in holiness, and have achieved true love.
One forms a desire for God by fear of judgment. This is, as we have related, the preliminary. His beginning is not concerned with what is good, but with the fear of torments.
Another forms a desire for God because he loves God, and knows what is desirable to God. Such a one is virtue itself, understand what it is to be present with God. Behold, this is the man who has genuine love, which St. John calls perfect love, and this love guides one on to perfect fear. Such a one fears and keeps God's will, not out of fear of punishment, not to avoid judgment, but rather as we have said, since he has savored the sweetness of abiding with God. He is afraid he might fall away from it. He is afraid of being turned away. This is the perfect fear which is created from perfect love, and casts out that first fear. This is why he asserts that perfect love casts out fear. But it is impossible to arrive at perfect fear except by that first fear.
No comments:
Post a Comment