Похвала святой великомученице Дросиде, и о памятовании смерти *6

A visit to a suburban church is a walk outside the city. The sight of the tombs reminds us of death, the fragility of everything earthly, the need to prepare here for eternity. The memory of the martyrs humbles one’s high opinion of oneself and protects one from despair. The death of the martyrs is proof of the resurrection of Christ, a denunciation of the powerlessness of demons, a condemnation of their ingratitude towards the Creator. The memory of the exploits of the martyrs motivates people to virtue. Contrasting the death of the martyrs with the fall of Eve. The circumstances of the death of St. Drosida and her glorification. An admonition not to worry about your burial place. Joseph, with his testament about the transfer of bones, prevented the Egyptians from deifying him and affirmed the Jews' faith in the promises of God. An admonition not to worry about a luxurious burial. The rich funeral of the sinner, his afterlife fate and the bad reputation of him on earth. The death of the righteous poor man, his burial by angels, glorification by God and grateful memory of him on earth. 1. The hardworking shepherds, seeing a ray of light and a warmer day during the long winter, lead the sheep out of the barn and take them to ordinary pastures; imitating them, our good shepherd led this sacred flock and the spiritual flock of Christ to these spiritual pastures of the saints. Although the sheep are fed while standing at the manger, but when they go beyond the fences, then they receive great benefit from the fields, bending down with great pleasure and tearing the grass with their teeth, breathing clean air, looking at the clear and brilliant rays of the sun, jumping near lakes, springs and rivers; and the very earth, everywhere decorated with flowers, brings them some pleasure. And not only for them, but also for us, there is great benefit in this, since although inside we were offered a meal full of spiritual dishes, going out to these saints also has some spiritual pleasure and benefit no less than pleasure, not because we breathe clean air, but because we look at the high deeds of these valiant persons, admiring not the rivers of water, but the rivers of grace-filled gifts, without bending down and cutting off the grass teeth, but talking about the virtues of the martyrs, not seeing the earth decorated with flowers, but looking at bodies filled with spiritual gifts. And although each of the martyr’s churches brings no small benefit to those who gather, this one is the greatest: as soon as someone enters the vestibule, immediately a multitude of coffins from all sides catches the eye and, wherever he looks, everywhere he sees tombs and monuments and shrines of the departed. And this contemplation of coffins helps us a lot in the matter of philosophy. From this contemplation the soul, if it is careless, quickly becomes concentrated, and if it is zealous and alert, it becomes more zealous; and the one who mourns his poverty immediately receives consolation from this spectacle, and the one who exalts himself with wealth is humbled and contrite. A look at the tombs forces each of those looking at them to involuntarily philosophize about their own death, and convinces them not to consider anything real as reliable - neither sorrowful nor pleasant; and whoever is convinced of this is not easily caught in the net of sin. Therefore, one wise man offers the admonition: “Remember your last words in all your words, and you will never sin” (Sir. 7:39): and another, in agreement with him, expresses the following advice: “Prepare for the outcome of your deeds, and be prepared” for the path (Prov. 24:27), speaking not about the sensory path, but about departing from here. If we constantly and every day look at the uncertainty of death, then we will not soon fall into sins: neither the joys of life will be able to puff us up, nor sorrows will overthrow and confuse us, since the end of both is unknown. Often the person living today does not live to see the evening. Thus, it is not very convenient for those spending time inside the city to think about this and philosophize; and those who went beyond its walls, came to these tombs and saw a multitude of those who had departed, of necessity, willy-nilly, receive such thoughts from this sight, and having received them, they become more elevated, and are freed from addiction to everyday objects. And not only will we receive such thoughts, but we will also have sufficient motivation to hurry and prepare for our eternal fatherland and arrange everything in our power to depart there, knowing that if we leave anything of ours here, what we leave will bring us harm. Just as a traveler who makes a long journey and hastens to his homeland certainly spends and loses everything that he leaves at the hotel, so we also lose everything that we leave here from ours when we leave here. Therefore, you need to send one thing there with yourself, and the other before you. Real life is a journey, and there is nothing permanent in it, but we pass by both its sorrows and joys. That is precisely why I love this area more than all others, because not only during meetings, but also without meetings, often coming here, I constantly remembered these words, while my eyes quietly, in great silence, look at the tombs and transfer my soul to the departed and their state there. 2. That is why I am surprised at this valiant father 6 that he, taking advantage of a quiet day, brought us here, under the leadership and guidance of blessed Drosida, to whom we commemorate. Indeed, in addition to the above, you can also get other great benefits from this place. When we, having passed by other tombs, come to the shrines of the martyrs, our mind becomes loftier, our soul more active, our zeal stronger, our faith more fervent. So, when we think about the works, exploits, rewards, rewards and crowns of these saints, we find another greater incentive to humility. And even if someone has accomplished great deeds, he will consider himself to have done nothing great, comparing his virtue with their exploits; and the one who has not done anything great and good will not despair of his salvation, having received from their courage an incentive to engage in the acquisition of virtue and thinking to himself that it may happen to him someday, if he is worthy of God’s love for mankind, to make the same leaps, suddenly ascend to heaven and be worthy of that greatest boldness; and thinking about this and other, much more important things, they can leave here. The death of martyrs is the encouragement of the faithful, the boldness of the church, the establishment of Christianity, the destruction of death, the proof of the resurrection, the ridicule of demons, the condemnation of the devil, the teaching of wisdom, the instillation of contempt for present goods and the path of striving for future ones, consolation in the disasters that befall us, an incentive to patience, a guide to courage, the root and source and mother of all goods; and if you want, we will prove each of these expressions and say how it is an encouragement to the faithful, a boldness for the churches, a proof of the resurrection, and everything else that I have now said. So, when we begin to argue with the pagans and fight about dogmas and they begin to slander our faith, then, along with other things, we will present to them this, that is, the death of the martyrs, and we will say: who convinced them to despise real life? If Christ died and was not resurrected, then who performed these supernatural works? Regarding the fact that human power cannot for such a long time convince so many thousands of not only husbands, but also wives and celibate virgins and small children, so that they despise this present life, boldly go against wild animals, laugh at fire, trample on all kinds of punishments and torments, and strive for the future life, (our opponents) will not even need our arguments, but will ask themselves and receive sufficient proof of what has been said. From the time Christ came, there were unfaithful kings, there were also faithful ones, but most of the unfaithful cast believers into abysses, into bonfires, into abysses, into the seas, subjected them to the rage of wild animals and various punishments and torments, in every way tearing faith out of their souls, but they achieved nothing, but went away disgraced, and although the believers were tormented in all ways, their faith grew even more. And not a single pious king ever decided to punish and torment any of the unbelievers, forcing him to give up error - and yet error passes and disappears by itself, so that you can be convinced of the power of truth and the weakness of lies, when the latter disappears by itself and without any oppression, and the first, through the very obstacles, grows and rises to indescribable heights: the reason is that in the souls of the martyrs Christ lives and acts. So, when they say that He was not resurrected, we ask them: who did these things? Dead, tell me? But there were so many dead, and not one did it. Was he a wizard and a spellcaster? But there were many wizards, and spellcasters, and deceivers, and they all fell silent, and their remnants are nowhere to be found, but along with their lives, their works of magic faded away; and the works of Christ increase every day, and quite naturally, because these works were accomplished not by magic, but by divine power, which is why they are not destroyed. But I would rather present as proof of power not only that they increase, but also that they (increase) for the good and salvation of our lives. After His coming, the inhabitants of the earth became people from beasts, or - better - all who truly listened to Him became angels from people. But, they will say, the martyrs were deceived and deceived, and therefore despised real life. Then the first did not dissuade the second, the second did not dissuade the third, but the longer the persecution continued, the more this feat increased, and no one realized the error for such a long time. But where is the point in this? If they were deceived, then why are demons afraid of their ashes? Why do people run away from tombs? Of course, demons do not act as if they are afraid of the dead. Behold, there are thousands of dead throughout the whole earth, and yet demons are near them, and many demoniacs can be seen living in deserts and tombs; and where the bones of the martyrs are buried, from there they flee as if from some kind of fire and unbearable torment, proclaiming in a loud voice the inner strength scourging them. 3. This proves that the death of martyrs is a revelation of the powerlessness of demons; and that it serves as an accusation of their insensitivity is clear from the following. When they, that is, the martyrs, being subordinate to the body and natural needs, surrounded by a great multitude of sorrows and sufferings, leading a corruptible life and living on earth, find themselves so despising real life out of love for the God who created them; and those, being free from the flesh and all this sorrow and suffering, turn out to be so arrogant and ungrateful to the Benefactor - then what justification will they have, what forgiveness? Never, because the virtue of the martyrs with great power condemns their malice. Not only do people condemn people, the more zealous the more careless, but their jealousy condemns the demons themselves. Paul also expressed this when he said: “Do you not know that we will judge angels, much less the works of this life,” meaning the angels of the devil, the apostates (1 Cor. 6:3)? But how do you say we judge them? Not sitting - of course - and demanding an account from them, but with our jealousy condemning their carelessness. And he expressed this very thing by saying: “If the world is judged by you” (1 Cor. 6:2); did not say: before you, but: through you. Likewise, when (Christ) says: “The men of Nineveh will arise and condemn this generation” (Luke 11:32), it does not mean that the Ninevites will demand an account from the Jews who then disbelieved, but that the faith of those will condemn the unbelief of these. A lot can be used from the martyrs both for virtue and for the contempt of real goods. When you see that they despised their whole life, then, even if you were more insensitive and careless than everyone else, you will receive the most sublime thoughts, you will laugh at luxury, despise money, and you will wish for the life there; whether you are sick, you will receive the greatest encouragement to be patient in the suffering of the martyrs; Whether you are oppressed by poverty or some other grave evil, you, looking at the greatness of the torment caused by it, will receive sufficient consolation in all the disasters that have befallen you. Therefore, I especially love the days of remembrance of martyrs, I love and greet everything, but especially when women meet as ascetics. The weaker the vessel, the greater the grace, the more brilliant the trophy, the more glorious the victory, not because of the weakness of the nature of the ascetics, but also because the enemy, by winning the victory, is now himself caught. Through a virgin, the devil once killed Adam; Through the Virgin, Christ subsequently overcame the devil, and the sword that he used against us cut off the head of the dragon, just as happened under David. Just as then this righteous man, running up, cut off Goliath’s head with this foreigner’s own sword, so it is now: the devil conquered by his wife, and was defeated by his wife. She was a weapon for him before, but now she has become an instrument of his murder, an invincible vessel. The first wife sinned and died, this one died so as not to sin; that one, having become proud then with hope from an empty promise, trampled on the laws of God, this one despised real life, so as not to renounce faith in the Benefactor. After this, what excuse can there be for pampered husbands, what forgiveness, when wives act so courageously, when they so boldly perform deeds of piety? Truly, neither gender, nor age, nor anything else can hinder when there is zeal, zeal and ardent faith; with all this we will also acquire the grace of God for ourselves, as was the case with this blessed one (Drosida). She had a weak body, defenseless sex, imperfect age, but descending grace covered the weakness of all this, because it found courageous zeal, unfeigned faith, and a soul ready for danger. 4. No, there is nothing stronger than the one who with great zeal keeps the fear of God rooted in himself; but, even if he was threatened by fire, or iron, or animals, or anything else, he despises everything with great ease, like this blessed Drosida. When the tyrant lit a fire - he did not throw her into the abyss and did not cut off her head, so that the brevity of the torment would not make her feat easier, but wanting to amaze her mind and overcome her unenslaved soul by the sight of the fire, he threw her into the middle of it - so, when he lit the fire, and the stove flared up and the flame rose very high, then the blessed martyr, looking at this, herself was inflamed with jealousy and she was seething with the fire of the love of Christ, remembering the three youths and thinking to herself that she was participating in their exploits and placing on herself the same crowns as them. Just as those who have gone into a frenzy do not see anything visible as it is, but even if they saw a sophisticated sword, they rush headlong at it, and even if they saw a fire, or an abyss, or an abyss, or the sea, or whatever else, they fearlessly rush at everything - so, too, she, being overwhelmed by a frenzy not like this - let it not be - but another, honorable more than any prudence, and immersed in love Christ, did not see anything visible, but, having moved to heaven and moving her soul there, she laughed at all disasters and considered fire not fire, but dew. Therefore, I call this fire the purest source of water, and some wondrous dyehouse, and a crucible. Truly, like gold in a furnace, so the soul of this blessed one became purest through this fire. Her flesh melted away, her bones dried up, her veins burned, and bodily juice flowed from all sides; but the faith of the soul became firmer and brighter. The enemies, looking at this, considered her dead, but she purified herself more; and just as an ignorant person, standing and seeing gold melted, flowing and mixing with ashes, considers it to be lost and spoiled, but an artist who is quite experienced in this knows that in this way it becomes purer, and after heating he extracts and collects it completely bright - so in relation to her, the infidels, seeing her flesh melting and spreading, thought that it was becoming ashes and dust, and the faithful knew very well that it was melting puts aside all impurity and ascends as the brightest, having received immortality. Even at the fire itself, before the resurrection, she won no small victory over the opposing forces, since her flesh, destroyed by fire and making a crackling sound, put them to flight with great superiority. And just as a courageous warrior, having clothed himself with a copper weapon, defeats the more fearful of his opponents with the very noise of his weapon, so in the same way blessed Drosida, with the crack of her skin, put those forces to flight, and not only in this one way, but also in another, no less than this. As soon as she entered the fire, like smoke, rising to a height and spreading in the air, strangled all the demons flying in the air, drove away the devil, and purified the nature of the air itself. After the air was polluted by the smoke of idols, another smoke rose, which cleansed the impurity that had adhered to it from them. And comparison with the source can be applied to this fire. As if having taken off her clothes at a source and washed her body in it, she folded her flesh in this flame, lighter than any clothing and illuminating her soul, and hurried to the Groom, accompanied by the priests. If the angels took that Lazarus covered with sores into the bosom of Abraham, then all the more they accompanied her like bodyguards, taking her from the flames, as if from some sacred refuge and bridal chamber, and leading her to the highest Bridegroom. Why did I call this fire also more beautiful? Because she, as if in some wondrous dyehouse, having become a royal scarlet, went to the highest King and with great boldness entered the vaults of heaven, while Christ himself with an invisible hand supported the holy head of the martyr and baptized her with fire, as if with water. Oh, wonderful fire! What a treasure it contained—this dust and ashes, dearer than all gold, more fragrant than all aromas, more precious than all stones! And in fact, what wealth and gold cannot do, the remains of martyrs can. Gold never healed illness or drove away death, but the bones of martyrs did both, one with our ancestors, the other with us. It is not only us, but also the righteous who lived before the coming of Christ who were able to understand quite accurately; So, when everyone was leaving Egypt, and some were taking away gold, others silver, then Moses, instead of all wealth, took and carried the bones of Joseph, taking home with him the greatest treasure and filled with countless blessings. 5. But perhaps someone will say: why did he transfer them from Egypt to Palestine? On the day of remembrance of the martyrs, this is especially worth exploring. Many, being very concerned about their burial, bequeathed to their relatives that if they happened to die in another place, they would take them home for burial; then, reproached for this by us for cowardice, they covered themselves from us with this story, and when we said that there was no difference whether someone would receive burial at home or in a foreign land, they said: if there is no difference, then why did Moses, taking the bones of Joseph, transfer them from Egypt to Palestine? And I will say even more that not only Moses took them, but also that Joseph, when dying, bequeathed them. And this is really more important. “God will visit you,” he said, “and lift up my bones” (Gen. 50:24–25). Why did this one bequeath, and why did he obey? What has been said is worthy of research. What are you saying? The patriarch, who despised real life and disdained everything that the world was not worthy of, a wanderer and a stranger, who thought daily about heavenly things, looked at the highest Jerusalem, this, while he lived, through the fear of God, lost both his fatherland and freedom, lived in prison and was not drawn into the machinations there; and when he was preparing to die, he became so petty that he cared so much about the transfer of his bones and ordered his remains to be carried out for so long? Who can say it? What profit was there, or what benefit did the deceased have from the transfer of his bones? Why did he bequeath this? Not caring at all about his bones, but we can say that he was afraid of the wickedness of the Egyptians. Since he did many great good deeds, was both their nourisher and patron, found the greatest relief from hunger, and what was unknown to no one, he was the first and alone to open and announce to everyone, and, having interpreted dreams, not only predicted famine, but also offered sufficient medicine against it, so filling the Egyptian granaries that no one felt the onset of famine - so that for the greatness of the benefit he would not be recognized after death for God, - after all, barbarians easily make gods out of people,” he, taking away any reason for wickedness, ordered the bones to be transferred home. This is one reason; another can be said to be certain, because it can be proven by the Scriptures. Which one exactly? He knew, heard from his father, and he learned from his grandfather the word that had descended to him, that the Egyptians would enslave and oppress the Jews for many years. “Your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and they will enslave them, and they will oppress them for four hundred years,” God said to Abraham (Gen. 15:13). Therefore, so that they, exhausted by the length of time and not enduring disaster, would not despair of their return and would not lose heart, he, giving them the greatest guarantee of hope, predicted the return of their bones, so that they, thinking within themselves that if the righteous were not firmly and completely convinced that we would all return, he would not have bequeathed his bones, they would have undoubted proof and firm hope of returning to their fatherland. And that this is true and that therefore he predicted about his bones, not worrying about burial, but taking measures against their unbelief, listen to what Paul says: “By faith Joseph, at the end of his death, reminded of the exodus of the children of Israel and testified about his bones” (Heb. 11:22). What does it mean: faith? It’s like the following: he foresaw what was going to happen after a long time, and that his descendants would certainly reoccupy their homeland. And so, to point this out, he predicted both; and it was wonderful and wondrous to see how his bones were carried at the exodus. The same Joseph who brought the Jews to Egypt again preceded them upon their return, strengthening their patience and hope for the future. Seeing these remains before their eyes, then remembering this whole story and reflecting to themselves how he was subjected to the intrigues of his brothers, was thrown into a ditch, was exposed to extreme danger, lived in prison, and about everything else that happened to him, then imagining how after all this he became king and the first in Egypt, and the trustee and patron of so many, they had sufficient hopes of deliverance from the disasters that constantly befell them, learning from the bones of the righteous, that none of those who believed in God and expected help from Him was ever abandoned by Him. And truly, even if something unfortunate and unexpected happens between the promises and their fulfillment, it can never deprive those who hope of the desired end, but what is predicted by the highest judgment will certainly happen, and will make those who wait with patience for everything predicted by God the most glorious. That is why Joseph commanded about his bones. 6. So, let us not worry so much about burying the house, and let us begin to tremble not before death, but before sin. It was not death that gave birth to sin, but sin that gave birth to death for us, and death became the medicine for sin. And that you need to fear not death, but sin, listen to what the prophet says: “honorable before the Lord is the death of His saints” (Ps. 116:6); and in another place: “the death of sinners is cruel” (Ps. 33:22). Do you see that those who are attentive to themselves can receive even the greatest benefit from death, while the careless and careless accept it as a punishment? It’s not just that I’m talking about this subject; but since many, I hear, often talk about the birth of death, and some of them, who are not really shameful, are ashamed, and others, worthy of the greatest condemnation, are not blamed, then for this reason I want to explore this subject today. On the day of martyrs, this kind of wisdom is also timely. I heard many people say: so-and-so died worse than a dog in a foreign country, none of his relatives were with him or buried him, but just a few of the neighbors called each other together, somehow they put clothes on him, and thus he was buried. Therefore, so that this does not upset us, it is necessary to correct this opinion. This, O man, does not mean to die worse than a dog; to die worse than a dog means to die in sin, and not to end one’s life in a foreign country. Don’t tell me about the one who is carried on a gilded bed, accompanied by the whole city, who is praised by the people, on whom silk and gold clothes are thrown in great abundance: this means nothing more than offering the most abundant meal to the worms. Do not point him out to me, but show me this very man, accompanied with such honor, on the day when Christ sits on the high throne, when he is brought in, called upon, demanded to account for what he said, what he did, what he thought. Then none of this multitude of people will protect him, will not deliver him from punishment and torment, these exclamations and praises will not help him, but with a bowed head, with fear, with shame from accusations for his deeds, he will be led away, drawn by evil forces into endless torment with the cruelest gnashing of teeth, finally sobbing uselessly and tormented by unbearable suffering. That’s what’s there, but what’s here, right, is also unbearable. After the praises pronounced in front of everyone for money, or out of some kind of fear, everyone, you will hear, will reproach him in the streets, and in the marketplace, and at home, and in hotels, and in workshops, and on the way, and in villages, and everywhere, each of those passing by with great fear will tell his neighbor and say what kind of torment he will receive, what kind of punishments he will meet, what kind of suffering now awaits him. What benefit did real life have to him? What acquisition did he make from covetousness? He departed, leaving wealth to others, and he himself was buried, taking his sins with him, and many on all sides who accused him, compassionate for the offended, although they had not experienced anything bad. Just as in the event of blessings, those who have not received anything rejoice at those who received them and praise the benefactor, so in the event of insults, even those who have not suffered any harm, sympathize with the victims and blame the one who caused the insult. That is why the prophet says: the death of sinners is cruel, both because of the censures here and because of the punishments there. So, this one dies worse than a dog, and this does not happen to the righteous, but even if he ends his life in the desert, even if no one dresses him, even if no one is present, he departs, receiving sufficient funeral clothing - boldness before God, has a wondrous takeaway from the angels who are present and guide his soul, as I previously showed this at Lazarus, and leaves countless praisers of his life; and even if he left the children, all the inhabitants of the city will be their patrons and trustees, rewarding them according to their father’s favor. And the one who died in sins and greed, if he departs, leaving his children, then leaves them as heirs of enmity towards him and leaves them among the enemies; If he ends his life childless, then he leaves immortal condemnation for himself in the buildings and other possessions that he acquired through theft and covetousness. It’s not at all the same - a righteous man; but even after his departure he acquires the greatest benefits, benefiting all living through the remembrance of his virtue and making them better, while the vicious one is punished in this regard, because those who leave traces of their covetousness everywhere harm many not only during life, but also after death. So, knowing this, let us consider as unfortunate not those who die in a foreign country, but those who die in sins, and we will please not those who die at home and in bed, but those who depart with virtue; and we ourselves will take care of virtue and avoid vice, because the former brings benefit to both the living and the departed, while the latter harms on both sides, subjecting them to shame and leading them to eternal punishment. God, who has deigned this blessed one, who has gathered us today, to undertake and accomplish the feat, to win and to be crowned, may he deign us all in general to have the opportunity, having accomplished real life in accordance with His commandments and commandments, to enter on that day into the monastery of this saint and enjoy the immortal blessings of which may we all be worthy, by the grace and love of mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom be glory to the Father, with the Holy Spirit, in eyelids. Amen. This word was pronounced in a village near Antioch, where Bishop Flavian gathered the people, taking advantage of a good clear day. Memory of St. Drosida probably took place on December 14th. You might be interested in: