THE PARAGON: Friday September 6/19 ns • The Miracle of the Holy Archangel Michael at Chónai ~ Wine and olive oil are permitted ~ Archangel: Heb. 2:2-10; St. Luke 10:16-21 - FROM THE SAINTS: Saint Dorotheos of Gaza HUMILITY ~ HOW THE TRUE FAITH HAS COME DOWN TO US and KNOWING GOD St. Silouan of the Holy Mountain Athos

Thursday, September 18, 2025

Friday September 6/19 ns • The Miracle of the Holy Archangel Michael at Chónai ~ Wine and olive oil are permitted ~ Archangel: Heb. 2:2-10; St. Luke 10:16-21 - FROM THE SAINTS: Saint Dorotheos of Gaza HUMILITY ~ HOW THE TRUE FAITH HAS COME DOWN TO US and KNOWING GOD St. Silouan of the Holy Mountain Athos

Friday September 6/10 ns 2025

QUOTES FROM THE SAINTS (scroll down): Saint Dorotheos of Gaza ON HUMILITY

In love and honor we remember

today...

THE MIRACLE OF THE

HOLY ARCHANGEL

MICHAEL AT CHÓNAI

Near Hierapolis, in Phrygia, there was a place called Chónai "plunging'', and in that place there was a spring of miraculous water. When Apostle John the Theologian, accompanied by Philip, preached the Gospel in Hierapolis, he looked upon that place and prophesied that a spring of miraculous water would open up there, from which many would receive healing, and that the great Archangel of God Michael would visit that place. Soon afterward, this prophecy was fulfilled: a spring of water burst forth and became widely known for its miraculous power.

A pagan in Laodicea had a daughter who was mute, which caused him great sorrow. The Archangel Michael appeared to him in a dream, and told him to take his daughter to the spring, where she would be cured. The father immediately obeyed, took his daughter to the spring, and found many people there seeking deliverance from various infirmities. These people were all Christians. The man asked how he should seek healing, and the Christians told him: "You must pray to the Archangel Michael, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.'' The man prayed in this way, gave his daughter a drink of this water, and the girl began to speak. The pagan, his daughter and his whole household were baptized. He also built a church over the spring dedicated to the Archangel Michael.

Later, a young man named Archippos settled there and lived a life of austerity, in fasting and prayer. The pagans did many malicious things to Archippos, for they did not like the fact that this Christian holy place emanated such spiritual power and attracted so many people to it. The pagans, in their wickedness, rerouted the nearest river in order to flood the church and the spring. By the prayers of Archippos, the holy Archangel Michael opened a fissure in the rock beside the church, and the river's water plunged into it. This is how that place was saved and why it was called Chónai, or "of the plunging,'' for the river's water that plunged into the open fissure.

St. Archippos labored in asceticism there until the age of seventy, and peacefully reposed in the Lord.

Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. St. John 8:42 KJV

The Jews claimed that God is their Father, but was He?

Hebrews 2:2-10 KJV

2 For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward;

3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?

5 For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.

6 But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man that thou visitest him?

7 Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:

8 Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.

9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

Saint Luke 10:16-21 KJV

16 He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.

17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.

18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.

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 Dorotheos of Gaza

H U M I L I T Y

There are some types of trees which never produce any fruit as long as their branches are upright, but if stones are hung on the branches they bend down and begin to produce fruit. It is the same with the soul. When it is humbled it starts to produce fruit, and the more fruit it produces the lower it becomes. So too with the saints. The closer they get to God, the more they reckon themselves to be sinners.

I recall once we were conversing about humility and one of the great lights of Gaza, hearing us declare, "The closer a man is to God, the more he reckoned himself to be a sinner," was awestruck, and said, "how can this be?" He did not know, and desired to hear the answer. I said to him, "Lord of the First Rank, tell me, how do you consider yourself with regard to the other laymen here?" And he told me, "I consider myself as great, and the first among the men of this city." I said then, "If you should travel to Caesarea, how would you consider yourself then?" "I would think somewhat less of my greatness." Then I said, "If you were to travel to Antioch, what then?" And he answered, "I would consider myself as a member of the common folk." I said, "And if you went from Caesarea to stand before the Emperor, what would consider yourself then?" He answered, "I should consider myself as just one of the poor people." Then I told him, in the same manner, the saints, the closer they draw near to God, the more they regard themselves as sinners."

Abraham, when he beheld God, referred to himself as "dust and ashes." And Isaiah declared, "Woe to me, for my lips are polluted." Just the same when Daniel was in the den of the lion, and Habakkuk came to him with a meal and said to him, "Receive the food, which the Lord has sent to you." And Daniel answered, "For the Lord has remembered me." He had a very humble heart when he was in the lion's cave for they did not consume him once and for all, not even after that, and so with wonder he cried, "the Lord has remembered me."