April 12

1. THE VENERABLE ISAAC THE SYRIAN II

(Isaac the Syrian I is commemorated on January 28.) St. Gregory the Dialogist writes about this Isaac. He came to Italy at the time of the Goths, and in the city of Spoleto he entered a church to pray. He asked the verger to allow him to remain locked in the church overnight. And so he spent the entire night in prayer, remaining in the same place. The same thing happened the next day and even the second night. The verger called him a hypocrite and struck him with his fist. Instantly, the verger went insane. Seeing that the verger was bitterly tormented, Isaac bent over him, and the evil spirit departed from him and the verger was restored to health. Upon hearing of this incident, the entire populace of the city thronged around this amazing foreigner. They offered him money and property, but he declined all, accepted nothing and withdrew into the forest, where he built a cell for himself, which was rapidly grew into a large monastery. Isaac was known for working miracles and especially for his discernment. On one occasion he ordered the brethren to carry all the hoes into the vineyard and to leave them there. The next day Isaac, along with the brethren, went out into the vineyard and brought along lunch. The brethren were puzzled. Who was this lunch for, since there were no laborers? Upon arriving at the vineyard, there were as many men digging as there were hoes. This is what happened: these men came as thieves to steal the hoes, but by the power of God, they were kept there and made to dig all night. On another occasion, two half-naked men came to Isaac and sought clothing from him. Isaac sent a monk to a hollow tree along the road to retrieve what he would find there. The monk departed, found some clothing and brought it to the monastery. The abbot took these clothes and gave them to the beggars. The beggars were extremely ashamed when they recognized their own clothes, which they had hidden in this tree. Once a man sent two beehives to the monastery. A monk hid one along the way, and he brought the other to the monastery and turned it over to the abbot. The saint said to him: "Be careful upon your return. For a poisonous snake has slithered into the beehive that you left along the way. Be careful, therefore, that it does not bite you."

2. SAINT BASIL THE CONFESSOR

During a time of iconoclasm, this devout man was bishop in the town of Parius in Asia Minor. He refused to sign an imperial document against the veneration of icons. For that, Basil was greatly persecuted and severely tortured. But he remained as firm as a diamond in His Orthodoxy. He reposed at the beginning of the eighth century and was translated to the Lord.

3. THE VENERABLE ACACIUS

Acacius was from the village of Gollitsa in Epirus. He was a great Athonite ascetic, spiritual father and clairvoyant. Acacius had many heavenly visions. He gave his blessing to several monks who chose the ascetic feat of martyrdom. Acacius reposed in his ninety-eighth year, in the year 1730 A.D.

4. THE VENERABLE ATHANASIA

Athanasia was born on the island of Aegina, of wealthy and benevolent parents. She distributed her wealth to the poor and retreated to a monastery [convent]. There she took upon herself increasingly difficult ascetic labors. Athanasia took food only once a day, and then only bread and water. During Great Lent she ate once every other day. She tasted oil and fish only on the Feasts of the Nativity and the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Even though she was the abbess of this convent, Athanasia was a servant to the other sisters and shied away from having anyone serve her. Athanasia was made worthy of the great gift of working miracles, both during her life and after death. She reposed in the Lord in the year 860 A.D.

HYMN OF PRAISE

SAINT ATHANASIA

Athanasia fulfilled good counsel;

She shone on earth like a bright star,

By the spirit she overcame bodily weakness;

While still young she came to love God.

Through fasting and vigils she withered her body,

Only to attain salvation for her soul.

Much property she distributed to the poor,

And gave herself fully to the will of God.

She saw a vision in the holy church:

A heavenly light penetrated the darkness,

And a voice came to her: "Athanasia,

Meekness and humility--this is pleasing to God.

Practice this above all else,

As long as your heart beats and your spirit breathes."

Athanasia, a wonderful soul,

Crushed all pride in herself,

She utterly sacrificed her will to God,

As obedient to God as the blazing sun.

THe Lord returned love with love,

And with grace He rewarded her labors.

And when her time on earth was over,

He granted her life, immortal and paradisal.

REFLECTION

The wicked Emperor Constantine Copronymus had a virtuous daughter, the maiden, Anthusa, "a beautiful branch on a wicked tree." Despite all the pressure her father put on her to marry, Anthusa remained adamant, for she was firmly attached, with a sincere love, to Christ the Lord. When her father died, Anthusa distributed her entire estate to the poor, entered a monastery [convent] and was tonsured a nun. As much a cause for astonishment as are the many noble men who have left the vanity of this world and followed the narrow path of Christ, the many women who have despised youth, riches and the transitory attractions of this world for the love of Christ are twice as much a cause for astonishment. The Lord Himself said that it is hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven (cf. Matthew 19:23). Difficult yes, but not impossible. For him who despises himself, it is easy to despise the riches of the whole world.

CONTEMPLATION

Contemplate the resurrected Lord Jesus:

1. How He entered among His disciples through closed doors and gave them peace;

2. How there were no material obstacles to His appearing in His glorified body wherever He wanted.

HOMILY

on the city which is being built

"For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come" (Hebrews 13:14).

Brethren, where are the great cities of Babylon and Nineveh? Today, only lizards lie in the dust of their towers. Memphis and Thebes, were they not the pride of the pharaohs and princes of mankind? Today, it is difficult to find the exact place where these two cities had been located.

However, let us leave these cities of stone and brick. Let us look at the cities of blood, flesh and bones. Men fashion the cities of their bodies more slowly and more painstakingly than they fashion fortresses and cathedrals. Men spend about eighty to a hundred years in fashioning the cities of their bodies and, in the end, see that their efforts are in vain. That which took them decades to fashion, with care and constant fear, collapses into the dust of the grave in the twinkling of an eye. Whose bodily city is not toppled over and turned into dust? No one's.

But let us leave the cities of the body. Let us look at the cities of happiness, which men have built from generation to generation. The materials from which these cities are built are merriment, pleasure, property, authority, honor and glory. Where are these cities? Like a cobweb they are woven around man in an instant, and like a cobweb they break and vanish, making the fortunate more unfortunate than the unfortunate.

Truly, we have no city here that will remain. That is why we seek the city that is to come. This is the city built of spirit, life and truth. This is the city whose one and only Architect is the Lord Jesus Christ. This city is called the Kingdom of Heaven, eternal life, the dwelling place of the angels, the haven of saints and the refuge of martyrs. In this city there is no dualism of good or evil, but everything is a harmony of good. Everything that is built in this city is built to last forever. Every brick in this city will remain and endure without end; these bricks are living angels and men. In this city the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ is enthroned and reigns.

O resurrected Lord, redeem us from beneath the ruins of time, and lead us mercifully into Thine eternal city of heaven.

To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.

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