Похвальное слово святым четыредесяти мученикам

I intend to paint a martyr’s image and, not having acquired bright colors, I am planning to depict martyrdom’s firmness, but I am afraid that David will say to me: The Lord says to you through me, sinner: “Having told you all my justifications” (Ps. 49:16)? I want to follow in my words the courage of the martyrs and I am in awe, not having any merit. I am filled with the desire to swim across the great and glorious sea of ​​praise for their patience and, like an inexperienced helmsman, I tremble so as not to drown in their praise. I strive to proclaim the army of the saints and I find myself in a whirlwind, not having the weapon of truth. I hasten to enter the meadow and be fragrant with the flowers of their virtues; but, having entered the garden of the holy martyrs, I do not find the strength to collect the fruits of praise. I’m in a hurry to announce the winning awards, but how will I announce them? I am exhausted and sinful. So, is it really because I am unworthy and weak that I should remain silent and deprive you of benefit? Or, relying on Christ’s generosity and compassion, dare to proclaim praise to the martyrs? It is better, I think, to praise the saints than to bury a talent and be condemned; especially since I am a debtor and am obliged to repay the debt with growth, because I have not forgotten my promise, which I made to you about the good-victorious martyrs, when I talked about the life of God's chosen man, the reverend and faithful Basil. So, help me, saints, with your intercession, and you, beloved, with your reverend prayers, so that Christ, by His grace, will move the tongue to proclamation, the mouth to narration, the heart to understanding, the soul to contrition and the mind to insight and imitation of the saints, and you to sobriety, zeal, listening, striving, excitement, diligence, constancy, because bright The Supreme Bishop honored me with this work. The time has come, beloved brothers, to put the word into the martyrdom; time to embark on an excellent path; time to double your talent income. I have already said that in one legion there were forty martyrs living piously, who immediately from the very beginning proved that their face was glorious and honest; Now it occurred to me to apply the study of the prophetic image to the martyrs. Moses, having fasted for forty days on Mount Sinai, accepted the law, and the martyrs, having decided to sacrifice their bodies in the same number, acquired eternal life. Moses, seeing the raging people, crushed the tablets in anger on the mountain; They, seeing the raging demons, kept their faith unshakable. Meek Moses, having received the tablets for the second time, finally promulgated the law to all Jews; They, with one seal of the cross, taught to everyone the dogma of Christ. And what is surprising if we find that the virtue of Elijah will be equated with them? “In the fortress” of a single “eat,” Elijah the Tishbite reached Mount Horeb in forty days (1 Kings 19:8); They, having tasted the body of Christ, numbering fourty, all entered heaven together. God appeared to Elijah, who was going on his journey, saying: “The way is far from You,” Elijah (1 Kings 19:7), and God made Himself clear to them, strengthening their hearts and saying: “Wonderful is your zeal for piety.” The zealot left his mantle to Elisha and ascended in a chariot, and the Savior gave His peace to the forty martyrs and ascended in glory. Just as the number of forty days destroyed all obscenity under Noah, so the number of forty martyrs then stopped the fury of the lawless; a dove flew there, brought and gave to the righteous a twig - a symbol of goodness; Saints settled here, took up their labors and brought victorious rewards as a gift to God. The Ark received wordless victims, and gave many of them to serve God; the oven received the bodies of the saints and offered them up completely as a sacrifice to the Master, according to the Inspired Scripture, which testifies that every sacrifice “will be salted with fire” (Mark 9:49). But let the all-consuming furnace tell us now how it became again in the cohabitation of the saints, how it moved from the east to the north, seeking such a harvest for itself, and not in the land of the Chaldeans was it fed with everything - tow, brimstone, resin and brushwood? How did you light a torch from Babylon, transported to Sebastia? Yes, she says, I was placed in the land of Assyria, beyond the Roman borders, far from them, but I heard that forty blocks of gold were found in the northern land, and I came to kindle and clarify them, so that they could be purified from impurities and handed over to the Artist. For where the Lord’s work happens, there I transfer the power of my breath. God turned me into a working church to separate the good from the evil; I am set to be tormented by those who hate God, to be annoyed by those who do not love Him; I know the saints, I do not know the profane; I abhor the wicked, I love the pious; I do not burn the saints, as the foolish think, I do not scorch the faithful, as the Greeks say. I have two lights, two works are being carried out - one towards death, the other towards life. Licinius and Nebuchadnezzar and their servants turned out to be powerless: one Shadrach, Meshach and Abednegos threw the living with their tiaras to be burned; another brought to me the saints completely broken and without clothes. The lawless tormentors, who continue to bake, wondered that my fire was destructive for the faithful, and did not realize that I mysteriously served both of them as an obedient slave. Those whom I received alive, those I release alive, and those whom I took dead, those I burn into life; and among the former she did not denigrate the holy bodies, and among the latter she did not degrade the honorable remains; and the former did not pour libations to the golden image, and the latter to the images of dishonest idols; Fire enlightened the former like dew, and made the latter a bright river stream. There, having received three into myself, I brought out four, so that they could combine the tens of these fourty and for a long time secretly lead the four leaders of the fourfold ten. This was represented by the power of the One who was present with Azarius and the other youths, and who is the true God, who said in the prophets: if you stand in fire, “the flame will not burn you” (Is. 43:2). You see what kind of competition is revealed to us by the memory of the wonderful courage of the valiant ascetics. I would like to spread the word further to study the image of piety. Just as fourty was their number, and all, courageous and irresistible, had military signs, so they clearly crowned the inside of their hearts with the seal of the cross. Well, if in body they stood before the corruptible king, then in spirit they served the Imperishable, and all, serving under the banner of the tormentor, bore in their souls the standard-bearing image of the Cross. The darkness of terrible wickedness was not strong enough to eclipse the love of beautiful piety; neither the flattery of a peaceful disposition nor hatred destroyed her; the darkness of idolatry did not extinguish this lamp of divine knowledge; the fear inspired by the military leaders did not crush either the jealousy or zeal of the heavenly ones. Neither error disturbed the struggle of virtue, nor the struggle itself disturbed true prayer. Invisibly on earth they grew within themselves to their own measure. Externally they were girded with a shield and armor, and internally they were armed with faith in the Trinity; they laid a quiver on their body, but had wisdom in their soul; outwardly they carried a bow, arrows and spears in their hands, and internally they offered glory and honor to God, for it is said: “revealed” to the sons of men “the secret of the Lord of all things” (Deut. 29:29); a visible sword was laid on the outer man, and the sword of the Holy Spirit on the inner man: one repelled the sensual barbarian, the other overthrew the mental tormentor; one fought with the enemy, the other with the principalities and authorities; one struck the neck of the enemy, the other cut off the head of the evil one; one defeated enemy ambushes, the other provided for the cunning of the Belial; one overthrew the arrogance of robbers, the other trampled the hordes of demons. Therefore, a new and unusual spectacle presented itself - double valor in one fight. And this, of course, clearly reveals and confirms that they were strong and invincible in battle; I don’t say in battle, as if in one battle, because they had a double struggle and a double battle; therefore, having won victory in both battles, they were adorned with the crown of righteousness. Therefore, beloved brothers, it is important for us to consider the beauty of this narrative. Fourty was their number, and all their faces seemed heavenly; Their appearance was different and their names were different, but the beauty of their names was equal in all. Their unfading beauty was not damaged by either the drought of unbelief or the ulcer of delusion; The weapon of superstition did not divide them, nor did a sophisticated arrow desecrate them, but an undivided and cheerful squad of ascetics appeared before the Savior Christ. What a cathedral of saints and a host of the faithful! What a pompous face and heavenly clergy! What a harmonious regiment and an inextricable union! What a bright gathering of fellow celebrants and a formidable fellowship! What an inseparable path and what an inexplicable combination! What an impeccable army and an impeccable assembly of councilors! Oh, sacred people and chosen people, heirs of life and resurrection, bright stars, unquenchable lights, glorious inhabitants of a pleasant Paradise, worthy of the bridal chamber and the heavenly calling, worthy of the spoons of eternal light, who made an excellent condition among themselves - to follow the scepter of the Kingdom, who laid their hand on the rolo and did not look back, who rejected honors in the present and chose glory in the future, unanimously gathered for the slaughter and unanimously moved into life, a sacred cathedral of celebrants, representing in itself the beginnings of the love of Christ, the most solid group of forty pillars, which was built by the wise Artist; holy camp, snatched by God from the mouth of this second Pharaoh! Just as Jannes and Jambres and Pharaoh resisted Moses and were disgraced, so this general and Satan, who opposed the saints, were even more disgraced. And could the forty overcome the one who was put to shame in Egypt by one meek one? If Moses and Aaron, whom Abraham begat, were so persecuted by the seeds of lies, then how much more were those born of the Holy Spirit able to expose the teachings of error? The rulers thought with poisonous words to damage the firmness of the holy martyrs, just as the Magi hoped to ensnare the wise servant with the rods of serpents. But just as the staffs of the Magi were swallowed up by the true rod of Moses, so the broadcasts of the judges were turned into nothing by the unshakable faith of the saints. What was Israel's strength? Obviously, Moses, Aaron and Mariamne. By whom were these saints most strengthened? Without a doubt, the three who were the leaders of all the others. They say that it was these three who provided everyone with the word of teaching. Thus they testified, and thereby they graciously accepted admonitions, submitted to each other with love, and were obedient in every good deed. One of them says: “You know, the Lord himself teaches us how to overcome our opponents. We killed those who resisted with the sword and put those who were like-minded among ourselves to flight. But it is not surprising that we overthrew the uprisings of a visible enemy; It will be much more surprising if we overcome the malice of this temptation. This is, in a real sense, the true field of fighters! Here is valor and strong courage! Here is a glorious struggle and a terrible victory monument! Here is victory, and power, and eternal glory! This is our domain, this is our crown, this is glory, and honor, and praise in God. Therefore, as we have always and everywhere said, let us now say to the All-Generous: “God, in Thy name save us” (Ps. 53:1), and soon He will send His help and give strength to our souls. For Daniel also called upon Him in the den and was saved from the mouth of mighty beasts. Jonah also remembered this in the whale, and his life was freed from all damage. This all-holy name removed three youths from the midst of the fiery furnace. They can free us from delusion and our zeal from exaltation through victory. Therefore, just as we came together in a temporary army, so let us unite to acquire eternal dignity. Just as we hastened to place helmets on our fleshly heads for all safety, so let us place a helmet on our souls—the hope of salvation. Therefore, let the enemy not upset our rejoicing, let the deceiver not overcome us with arrogance, let him not plunder the number of holy ascetics, and let him not frighten the hearts of those who trust in God.” This is the Lord’s parting word that the saint taught to his martyrs every time. And he was on guard, anointing with words day and night in this and similar ways; the rest, before the court at that time, for their entire assembly, said to the judge: “We love God, but we have hated you; and, hated by us, do not think of proving your love to us. Therefore take our aprons, take our bodies; for us there is nothing more desirable than Christ. From this, finally, understand sincere commitment, understand the commitment and jealousy of perfect love. Take the body from us, they cried, for God desires nothing more than anything else. Why, they say, do you flatter our hearts? It desired to see the Heavenly Word. Why are you involving us in idolatry? Christ was imagined in our hearts. Why are you trying to destroy our foundations? Behold, they are set upon the rock of faith. Why do you tempt the ascetics of the New Testament? Their mind is occupied with the Almighty. Why do you, lawless one, adopt a feigned and false character against righteousness? You announce to us promises of gifts, but we do not take oil from the wicked; You turn out to be a rude flatterer in words, but you will not confuse our calm words; You intend to secretly destroy us all, but you will never defeat the servants of Christ. And let the shameless lips be ashamed, who spoke untruths against God, because to the Lord is victory, and power, and glory, and honor forever and ever!” In such and similar expressions of jealousy, without yielding to each other, these courageous ascetics hastened to the Heavenly Lord. The resistance was truly great; High are the rewards awaiting the faithful and victorious. Otherwise, how could persecution remain unshakable and inaccessible to intrigues amid such fears? Although they died in human eyes, their death turned out to be a victorious triumph; They overthrew the tormentor, extinguished delusion and won victory. They prepared their feet to walk holyly “in preparation of the gospel” (Eph.6:15); They girded their loins with strength to ascend to the city on high, Jerusalem. They had with them the lamps of spiritual fire and this life-giving oil, and therefore this fire shone on them in the lake. Just as the pillar of fire saved the Israelites in the sea, so this fire saved the holy martyrs amid the darkness of demonic deception; he appeared to them from heaven at night, when their bodies were numb from the frost. The fire of the Divine did not leave them, appearing either “behind” or “in front”; the cloud of the heavenly gift, spread over them day and night, did not rise; the grace of the heavenly power did not leave, comforting their minds in the waters. At the coming of the sons of Jacob the visible creation rejoiced; at the deliverance of the holy martyrs all the invisible Powers rejoiced. There the mountains galloped like rams, and here the Angels and the God of Spirits rejoiced. I think that more miracles have happened to the good-victored than in ancient history. There the sea changed into dry land, so that Israel would not be drowned in it; here the martyrs, reclining on the waters as on a wedding bed, did not wallow in them. There Joseph's bones protected the Jews; here the body of Christ supported the saints. There Aaron's rod accompanied the people; here the arm of the Lord protected the faithful. There are the sounds of cymbals among the waves; here is the voice of the Lord on the waters. There is a pillar of fire visible over thousands; here is the Cross of Christ shining on the martyrs. There Moses, Aaron and Miriam were in charge, and here the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Do you see how many victorious miracles were performed in the lake, surpassing the miracles of the Red Sea? Glory, and worship, and splendor to Him who supported them in such exploits! Then the serpent, creeping in the marsh grass, papyrus and reeds, wept bitterly; then his heart was torn, not having the strength to come and burn the glorious army to ashes; Exhausted by defeat, he was then in complete exhaustion, revolting all the ends of the world against the saints. For “into his own eye” the containing Jordan was suppressed by the single sprinkling of the Trinity; overshadowed by branches and “summerblooms,” he died naked and in pathetic rags; squeezing a “bug like a cypress,” like a “brab,” became a playground for the servants of God (Job 40:12–24). The depths of the lake became a repository of the treasure and did not accept the blasphemer. The serpent hissed, trying to frighten those approaching, and then suddenly began to creep, crawled on his toes and belly and did not approach the waves of the lake. So that the enemy could not disturb the martyrs, Angels guarded the breadth of the lake; here is Gabriel, there is Michael, and from above is Christ, who watches over everything and immediately showed crowns on the martyrs in order to make up for the lack of numbers, and so that instead of the unworthy, the worthy one would receive the dignity of the saints in the light, so that the crown of the fugitive would descend on the head of the one who desired Christ and (it must be said) secretly joined the host of saints. For he who was at one with the martyrs was expelled from among them, and whoever was against them flocked to them; he who fled to the bathhouse was cooled by love, and he who trembled from the filth was inflamed with love. Therefore, here too it is fitting to say, beloved, that Judas fled, and Matthew entered, that Paul, who once breathed anger and rebuke against his disciples, became a disciple, that the persecutor of Christ’s preachers himself began to call on Christ the Lord in the lake. The light shone upon him in the middle of the night, like Paul at noon; Ananias removed the scales from Paul’s eyes, and this was cleansed from sin by a regiment of saints. When he persecuted, he was wounded and healed; and this one, when he caught others, was himself caught and saved, so that he, the divine, with all the saints, could become the holy completion of the fourth ten. How will I be able to equal the invincible victory of the victorious? What features can I find in which I could imagine a similarity to this event? I will say that the miracles of the virtuous martyrs are more numerous and higher than the miracles of Joshua. There forty thousand soldiers in Jericho consumed error among Israel, and here fourty martyrs destroyed the images in the heavenly places. They crossed the Jordanian currents and put Zion and its power to death; and these entered the waters of the lake and overcame Satan and his servants. Jesus, having then rested in the tabernacles, circumcised the Jews with stone knives; Christ crowned the faithful victorious with holy gifts, delighting them in the light. Wonderful is the ark among the Jordan, but more wonderful are the saints among the waters. The law, the rod and the tablets are desired; Even more desirable in all respects are the bones of martyrs. Both the manna and the golden stamina are worthy; much more honorable is their holy blood. Just as the Levites took stones from the Jordan to show a miracle to future generations, so the sufferings of courageous ascetics were put into remembrance before Christ. Thus the New Testament was adorned with the honest blood of God’s chosen men; Thus the Church was erected with spiritual weapons and raised from earth to heaven! Thus, the vegetation of the martyred members nourished the souls of the faithful, and, sown on the watery plain of the lake, they became chosen wheat before God, holyly receiving on their bodies a collection of everything that was required for growth: ice, and muck, and cold, and cold, and then the warmth of the heavenly power, until the ear of their souls grew to the threshold of eternal life. Oh, dear imprints of Pavlov’s consent, how you have darkened the multi-faceted moon! Oh, true fruits of Peter’s work, how you struck the raging locusts with a curse! Oh, holy vines of Christ’s planting, how you have withstood all the invasions of aphids! They took root in the depths of love and thus withstood the swiftness of the winds, set up the fiery coals of jealousy and blocked the mouths of the locusts, hid the grain in the sheaths of the spirit and inflicted wounds on the serpent with a rod of reeds, and finally, all together, healthy and undefiled, were elevated to the dignity of ten lambs; they themselves brought to God the beautiful ears of the heavenly harvest and, drunk with the word of the Gospel, increased the fruit a hundredfold; therefore, grasped by the tormentor’s sickle, they laid down the handles of salvation on the ground. And from there, like cartloads of wheat, they were brought into the vast enclosure of the Church, so that those faithfully fattened by psalmody could daily give oil to those who ask. So, who has ever seen such wondrous hilts that bleed blood and crowns? Who has seen plants with such gifts, or bodies that provide healing to people? Who has seen the flax during the harvest, both reaped and processed by the reapers? When the pitiful tormentors saw one still breathing, they did not take him along with the others who were equal to him, and thus, showing their foolish reasoning, set out to kidnap one of the total number. But his village mother, lifting him up, brought him and attached him to the other handles, so that when everyone reaches the mental threshing floor and is placed in the stack of the highest calling, with the breath of the intelligent Spirit, he would quickly be transferred from earth to heaven, so that on earth he who understood the Son of light would be brought into the living city of Jerusalem and, together with the others, become holy bread at the unchangeable heavenly table. Thus reasoned the dear, faithful and holy mother, carrying her son; This is how she strengthened her neck and escorted her son to the Kingdom. So with faith she looked at the bloody burden, at her son washed by the waters. “If these treacherous workers,” she said, “have left my fruit and have not added it to the others, then I will not neglect what I have produced in illness, but I will bind it into a handle and bring it to Christ, so that he may receive it in incorruption when He who was crucified for them comes. Therefore, I will not be exhausted, bearing this burden, because I have renounced feminine compassion, dissolved the mountains of all burdens, abandoned feminine calculations, become courageous and with full strength adhere to the beautiful path of my beloved. She carried him in the womb for nine months so that, when he was born, he could see the breadth of the earth; I will still carry him for a short time on the shoulders, so that, when he ascends, he will see the heavenly merrymaking; she carried him bloody in the womb until she gave birth to a man; I will again hold the bloody one on my neck until the multitude of Angels rejoice. For the first time she brought him from the womb into the world, and he came into existence with a mortal and perishable body; another time I bring it on ramen to the Almighty and Immortal. However, he replaces everything for me. For behold, a great miracle embraces my mind! It’s as if I see my son before me: behold, he precedes me and blooms with youth. Prostrate on my neck, my contrite son lies, and at the same time raises his head straight to the sky. He is all covered in sores and scabs, but I see a glorious robe on him; He is silent with his lips and sings with his spirit; his feet are winged, and he touches the heavenly heights. A voice calls him along with others of equal honor, saying: go to the palace of light. Therefore I will rejoice in all this and say to my son: “Blessed are you, beloved son! What dignity have you suddenly given to your beauty! What an inheritance has your youth acquired, what a divine feast has your life acquired! Blessed are your hands, beloved son, because they have touched invisible wealth. Blessed are your feet, O all-loving one, because they were uprooted from material clay. How many times have I thought, talking to myself: how will I arrange a marriage for my son? I am a beggar and he is not noble. Who will accept us as his property? How can I find a wealthy or famous family who will be lenient towards our misery? So I thought and did not know that you had ineffably subordinated yourself to the Lord, I did not know that you had ascended with your mental eyes and united in spirit with the heavenly forces, I did not understand that you had quenched your bodily passions and acquired the dispassion of the disembodied. Therefore, beloved son, Rebecca’s bright betrothal has been performed on you. For her, Abraham sent his household, and for you, God sent His Only Begotten. She accepted the gifts at the source, and you received the most pure crowns at the lake; she received the gift of “useryazi” for water, and you acquired the grace of the Spirit for blood. The decorations of young women were not as appropriate then as the plagues for Christ are now for you; The gold did not adorn the maiden as much as the scourgings adorned you in this martyrdom; Isaac did not meet her in the field as the Son of God met you. You will not be resettled in the land of Canaan, but in the holy city of the firstborn; You are not going to see Abraham alone, but also God, your father Abraham. You hated not only your relatives and your home, but the whole world, “so that you may gain Christ.” He assigns gifts to you in heaven; He himself will enlighten your youth and place a crown on your head and solemnly give you the presidency in the rays of light. You knew, son, that I had been living for a long time in widowhood and in extreme poverty, and therefore I hastened to resort to the Father of orphans and the Judge of widows. That is why you desired to give up your soul pure and undefiled to the Lord of glory; Therefore, you are going to become the abode of the faithful in eternal life. I marvel at you and glorify the Lord, how did you rise to such a height? Behold, you have acquired for yourself incorruptible wealth, which your fathers did not lay up for you; Behold, you have acquired for yourself a lasting and inalienable dignity, which the earthly king did not give you. Behold, you have acquired for yourself all kinds of brothers, whom your poor mother did not bear for you. You have entered into a pleasant company, you are marching to Christ with faithful travelers; while still here I fell in love with a beautiful country, truly beautiful, and glorious, and very famous. Be clinging to them now and forever, stand with them at the right hand of the Father! Rest in your chariot for a little while to rule over the ten cities in heaven; Mix your blood with the venerable blood, so that your name may be written in the book of life. Let the wheel rotate under your remains, so that you may see the wheels at the Throne of the Most High. I lay down with them for a moment, so that together with them I could reach the heavenly abode. Go with them into the sensual fire, so that with them you may be clothed in the true light. Enter the furnace with them so that you can come out with them as purified gold. I know what storm you escaped from and what harbor you are heading to. I know that you have become partakers of the calling and are going to the Heavenly Father. I know that you are in a hurry to occupy the country from which sickness, sadness and sighing have fled, where there is no sorrow, no corruption of bodies, no gnawing envy, no malicious enemy, where there is no vice or darkness, where there is the light of truth and the radiance of splendor, where there is improvement and good deeds, where there is salvation and incorruptibility. Why didn’t the God-fighting tormentor hand me over to torture along with you? Why didn’t I, son, die this blessed death and become blessed? Why am I not included in this bright feast and cannot enjoy it? Is it really because I am naked, a sinner, or because I am worthy of tears and extreme regret? But it is not for this reason that I do not come with you (He who called you is poor-loving), but because you do not require replenishment, you have become for God one foreman, ten and ten are called to the Gospel feast, according to the number of four-faced animals you are appointed to carry the God-bearing chariot and always say: holy, holy, holy is the Lord, King of glory! So, son, since you are worthy of such glory, then pray for me to the Savior Christ when He says to you: “Come, inherit My Kingdom, which I have prepared for you.” Remember me, my son, together with those who are equal to you and ask me for a reward from the Father of lights, so that just as your flesh gave up its breath on me, so the bounties of Christ would breathe upon me from heaven, and just as your blood stained my rags, so the Lord’s mercy would water me from above, and just as I crossed this same field with you, so with you I reached the monastery of saints, so that I, along with these martyrs, sing and say: “he is holy, for the Lord” is ours (1 Samuel 2:2), and “for he has looked upon the lowliness of his servant” (Luke 1:48), lifted up the horn of all his servants, put to shame his enemies and saved the poor; To him be glory forever!” This is what a mysterious speech this slender-voiced and kind-voiced gusset uttered! These are the kind of treasure troves this wise bee has built in herself (I’ll say this) for storing honey! This is what uza (uza is a resinous substance with which bees coat all the wells in hives and from which they make cells for honey) Scripture collected from the flowers and covered it with honey everywhere. Therefore, the wasps with their sinful sting did not spoil the sweetness of her faith, and also could not open her vagina and taste the goodness of mental honey. Therefore, the mother, like the wise queen of bees, in order to bring her son to the Vine of life, keeping wax and honey making unharmed and sealing the pet with prayers, genuinely presented her work to the heavenly ones, sending a gift to the mystical supper that amuses the Angels with the sweetness of taste. How shall we reward this most excellent wife for this? What shall we say to this, beloved? She showed so much zeal and love for Christ, she sang songs about Him! And out of many things, we can only say a little in praise of the servant of God. But from this faithful retelling we know that she was faithful and very God-loving, she “philosophized on the mountain,” stretched her gaze to the treasuries of the Kingdom and acquired the rewards of incorruption. Recognizing the flow of blood and wounds on the body as undying wealth, she saw immortality in the death of her son, despising with her intelligent eyes. For she said: “Now you have come to life especially for me, beloved son; I can raise you better now than when I gave birth to you healthy from my womb.” But how is this possible, holy, faithful and blessed wife? You see that the brain is broken, you see that the apples of the eyes have jumped out; you see that the lips are cut and the sparks of words in them are extinguished; in short, the entire structure of the body has been reduced to ruins by heavy blows of the scourge, and you say that now your beloved son has come to life most of all for you? “Yes,” she asserts, “I can very well say that.” How is this, on what basis, what is your medicine? “I will tell you how, on what basis and by whose grace. Introducing Ezekiel; He preaches the good news to my son: The Lord said to you, young man: Behold, I will send spirit into your bones, and they will stand and live forever (Ezek. 37:6, 10). Then I imagine Paul, who certifies and says: And I tell you “by the word of the Lord” that the Lord Himself will “come down from heaven” and raise you to eternal life (1 Thess. 4:15–16). Then I imagine the Lord himself, Who says in His Divine voice: “Whoever loses his life for My sake will preserve it for eternal life” (Matthew 10:39; John 12:25). According to these three instructions, my dear son is not separated from me, and therefore I look at him not as someone who has died, but as someone who is alive, existing, and abiding forever. Therefore, I also had to make it known to the tormentor that I was the mother of this martyr. For my soul longed to see him drink this cup. And so he drank it valiantly and walks in glory, having his reward.” Great is your faith, wife, truly great and glorious! Great are the rewards for your valor and eternal rewards for your love of God. Holy is your root, holy is your branch, and holiness endures forever. You have lost the name dear to people, and have found eternal praise from the Angels. What the stench of the field is to the farmer, so is your fragrance to the Angels. Like fruitful trees when the air dissolves, so is your prayer before the Savior. You are blessed, like Sarah, sanctified, like Leah, glorified in beauty, like Rebecca and Rachel, guided your path by turning to the Lord, like Ruth, beloved by Christ, like Martha and Mary, heard in prayer, like Anna and Solomia; in the Book of Life is your name, and in the sons of light is the memory of your deed. For the Lord swore by His goodness: “Because you have done this work for Me, then with the host of saints I will receive you into My rest.” Therefore, I ask you, holy, faithful and blessed wife, intercede for me before the saints, saying to them: “Pray, victorious martyrs of Christ, for the least and poor Ephraim,” so that I may find mercy from Christ and be saved by His grace. Glory and power befit him forever and ever! Amen. You might be interested in: