Девятая заповедь блаженства. Блажени есте, егда поносят вам, и ижденут, и рекут всяк зол глагол на вы лжуще Мене ради. Радуйтесь и веселитесь яко мзда ваша многа на небесех

Teaching. Explaining the Ninth Beatitude 1. Here is the last - the ninth commandment of beatitude! Those who desire bliss must be ready to joyfully accept reproach, persecution, disaster and even death for the name of Christ and for our Orthodox faith. 2. a) The feat required by this commandment is called martyrdom. This is the most difficult feat for our weak flesh! The feat is difficult, but for this feat and reward is promised a great one “in heaven,” that is, an advantageous and high degree of bliss. No matter how difficult this feat of martyrdom may be, true faith in our Savior Jesus Christ and fiery love for Him produced a great many confessors of the faith, or, as John Chrysostom says: “A whole army of martyrs.” What kind of torment and death did not the great ascetics of the Orthodox faith endure! The martyrs either lay on hot frying pans, or on burning coals, or were thrown into boiling cauldrons, or into seas and rivers. Some were whittled with iron claws, others were tied to a wheel; some were thrown from rapids into abysses, others to be devoured by wild beasts. But is it possible to count all the types of torment that the martyrs endured? It seems that a whole hell was inventing various kinds of torment. Reading the lives of the holy martyrs, you don’t know what to be surprised at: the ingenuity of the torturers in the variety of torments, or the firmness of the martyrs in enduring them? Of the countless examples of martyrdom, I will tell you, brothers, one that fully explains the courage of Christians. In the year 257 after the Nativity of Christ, a cruel persecution of Christians was launched by the Emperor Valerian. The severity of the persecution fell especially on the altar servers. Among other Christians, Saint Lawrence, a deacon of the Roman Church, was presented at the court. “Where are the treasures of your church?” – Valerian asked him. “Come, sir, I will show them to you,” answered Saint Lawrence, and then pointing to the poor, widows, orphans, the blind and the lame, he said: “here they are, these treasures, of which there is nothing more precious in the world, and which even the tyrants themselves cannot and will not want to deprive us of.” Condemned later to burning, Saint Lawrence, having astonished his contemporaries with his firmness, amazes his posterity. Before his eyes they prepared a fire and heated an iron grate, on which they laid him in chains. The slow fire increased the torment of the sufferer, but his face shone with extraordinary greatness: suffering did not force him to make a single complaint, not a single groan. When the fire consumed one half of the body, he said to the guard with marvelous firmness and amazing indifference: “It’s baked; turn it around!” What wonderful patience! This is what true faith and fiery love for the Savior can do! But men were not the only ones who suffered such torment. Women, girls, even children, strengthened by faith in Christ, endured terrible torment. The torment of Saint Catherine the Great Martyr, Holy Martyr Sophia and her three daughters Faith, Hope and Love, Holy Martyr Kirik and Ulitta are amazing for us, those of little faith and weak. No matter how terrible the torment was, those who had firm faith in Christ and ardent love for Him endured them with joy. But now all the holy martyrs enjoy, and will forever enjoy, endless and ineffable blessings, which “the eye has not yet seen, the ear has not heard,” and the greatness of which we cannot even imagine (1 Cor. 2:9). b) My beloved brothers and children! How can we prove our faith and love for Christ? Now, thank God, there is no such torment; the time of persecution has passed, but a true Christian can still prove his faith and love for Christ. What? Our great saint John Chrysostom tells us about this. Here are his words: “The martyrs despised life: we despise pleasures and luxury. They threw their bodies into the fire: throw your treasures into the hands of the poor. They trampled on the burning coals; extinguish the flame of lust within you. Is it difficult? But it's useful. Do not look at the difficulties ahead, but at the future benefits; Keep in mind not labors, but crowns - not exploits, but retribution. But are you lounging on a soft bed? Is it hard for you to get up? Remember the famous martyrs; they lay on red-hot iron grates; It was not soft feather beds, but burning coals that served them as a bed.” This is what can replace martyrdom for us, according to the teachings of St. John Chrysostom, Fr. Let us, beloved, replace martyrdom with possible deeds of Christian virtues. If we happen to endure reproach or ridicule, we will endure it with joy. Let us be inspired by the zeal of those Christians who went joyfully to death. They have received a high degree of bliss and are in heaven praying for our salvation. With the help of their prayers, we too will tirelessly fight against our enemies: against the world, or those people who do not live like Christians and serve as a temptation for others, against our flesh with its passions, and against the devil; who, “like a roaring lion, walks about, seeking to devour one of the Christians” (1 Pet 5:8), that is, to lead astray from the true path and make him the prey of hell. 3. May the Lord God help us to accomplish the deeds required by the high name of Christians, and through the prayers of the holy, victorious martyrs, may He have mercy and save us, for He is good and a lover of mankind. Amen. Appendix to catechetical teaching Examples showing that the Lord does not leave St. without His all-powerful help. martyrs. 1) The martyr Yermil, during his suffering, prayed: “Lord God, who suffered wounds and beatings under Pontic Pilate! Strengthen me, who suffers for Your sake, so that I can complete the present course and, having become a participant in Your passion, become worthy of Your eternal glory. When the martyr finished his prayer, a voice was heard from above: “Amen! Amen! After three days you will be freed from troubles and will receive much reward for your suffering.” When they hung him on a tree and cut his body with knives, Yermil prayed during these fierce torments: “Lord! My savior! You will be my helper!” And there was the voice again; "don't be afraid! For I am with you, your God.” Yermil and Stratonik, having been put in prison, prayed that the Lord would not remember their previous iniquities and would send His help in their suffering. For their consolation, they heard the Divine voice: “The course of time is over, the faith is observed, and so on, a crown of righteousness is being prepared for you, and you will soon receive it” (Ch. M. Jan. 13). 2) After many severe sufferings, the martyrs Clement and Agafangel were given the most brutal execution: first they tore the skin off their shoulders, then they laid them on iron, liquefied boards and poured hot sulfur and resin over them. But the martyrs, strengthened from above, fell asleep as if on a soft bed and in a vision saw Jesus Christ come with many angels, who said to them: “Do not be afraid! I am with you!” (Ch.-M. January 23). 3) Those sent by Hegemon Agricolaus found St. Blasius was praying in the cave and said to him: “Come out from here and come with us; the hegemon is calling you.” The saint, seeing that the time of his suffering had come, rejoiced and said: “Okay, my children, let's go together; The Lord remembered me, for on this night He appeared to me three times and said: “Arise and offer Me a sacrifice according to the custom of your priesthood.” And so, you did well to come to me; My Lord I. Christ be with you!” (C.-M. Feb. 11). 4) St. torment. Theodore Tyrone was put in prison for burning an idol church. But here the Lord appeared to him and said: “Be brave, Theodore! I am with you; did not accept earthly food or drink; it will be, for you will have another life, indestructible and eternal with Me in heaven.” (Ch.-M. 19 Feb.). 5) The Holy Forty Martyrs were warriors and because they did not want to sacrifice to idols, they were put in prison; but here at midnight the Lord appeared to them and said: “This is the firstfruits of your will; but he who endures to the end will save.” These martyrs were brought out of prison, but not for freedom, but to experience new torment; the order was to throw stones at their faces. But Providence was pleased to direct the blows of the stones in such a way that the servants, instead of the martyrs, beat themselves with them, and even when the governor himself wanted to throw a stone at one of them, instead of him, he hit a nobleman standing near him in the face. In great anger and vexation, the same commander ordered the martyrs to be imprisoned again; but here again, Jesus Christ appeared to them and said: “Believe in Me, even if you die, you will live; take heart and do not be afraid of short-lived torments, for they will soon pass away; endure a little, suffer rightfully, and receive crowns.” (Ch.-M. March 9). 6) St. Savva Stratelates was first thrown into a cauldron with hot tar, but, being protected by an invisible force, he remained unharmed; then he was put in prison, but here, when he was praying, at midnight the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to him in the full light of His glory and said: “Do not be afraid, but dare.” (Ch.-M. April 24). 7) King Savakh ordered the imprisonment of St. Irina was sent to prison, where she remained for seven days. Here the Lord appeared to her and said: “Do not be afraid, daughter! Because I am with you, strengthen you.” (Ch.-M. May 5). 8) The martyr Sisinius was taken out of prison and presented to Apronian the commentator (the caretaker of the prisoners). Apronian, looking at him, saw him overshadowed by a wonderful, heavenly light and heard a voice from above: “Come, blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Apronian, filled with horror, fell at the feet of Sisinius and asked to be baptized, which Sisinius did. (Ch.-Men. 7). 9) When tormented. Athenogenes was severely tormented, then he prayed: “In You, Lord, I trust! save me by Your mercy! At this time a voice came to him from above: “Be of good cheer, My chosen one. I am the God who preserves you.” And another time he heard a voice from heaven: “Today you will be with Me and with your disciples in paradise, and all your requests will be fulfilled.” (Ch.-M. 16). You might be interested in: