April 1

1. SAINT MARY OF EGYPT

The biography of this wonderful saint was written by St. Sophronius, the Patriarch of Jerusalem. Once, during Great Lent, a certain priest-monk (heiromonk), the Elder Zosimas, withdrew into the wilderness beyond the Jordan, a twenty-day trek. Suddenly, he caught sight of a human being with a withered and naked body, whose hair was as white as snow, and who fled from Zosimas's sight. The elder ran for a long while, until this person stopped at a brook and cried out: "Abba Zosimas, forgive me for the sake of the Lord. I cannot face you, for I am a naked woman." Zosimus then threw his outer garment to her, which she wrapped around herself, and then she showed herself to him. The elder was frightened upon hearing his name spoken from the mouth of this woman whom he did not know. Following his prolonged insistence, the woman related her life's story. She was born in Egypt, and at the age of twelve began to live a life of debauchery in Alexandria, where she spent seventeen years in this perverted way of life. Driven by the adulterous flame of the flesh, she one day boarded a boat which was sailing for Jerusalem. Arriving at the Holy City, she wanted to enter the church in order to venerate the Honorable Cross, but some invisible force restrained her, preventing her from entering the church. In great fear, she gazed upon the icon of the All-holy Mother of God in the narthex (vestibule) and prayed that she be allowed to enter the church to venerate the Honorable Cross, all the while confessing her sinfulness and uncleanness, and promising that she would go wherever the All-pure One would direct her. She was then permitted to enter the church. Having venerated the Cross, she went back to the narthex and, before the icon, gave thanks to the Mother of God. At that very moment she heard a voice saying: "If you cross over Jordan you will find true peace!" Immediately she purchased three loaves of bread and started out for the Jordan, arriving there that same evening. The next day she received Holy Communion in the Monastery of St. John and crossed over the Jordan River. She remained in the wilderness for forty-eight years in great torment and fear, struggling with passionate thoughts as though with wild beasts. She ate vegetation. After she finished her narrative, when she stood for prayer, Zosimas saw her levitate in the air. She begged him to bring her Holy Communion the following year on the shore of the Jordan, where she would then come to receive it. The following year Zosimas arrived with Holy Communion on the shore of the Jordan in the evening. He wondered how the saint would cross the Jordan. Then, in the light of the moon, he saw her approach the river, make the sign of the Cross over it and walk upon the water as though upon dry land. After Zosimas communed her, she begged him to come the following year to the same brook where they had first met. Zosimas came and discovered her lifeless body on that spot. Above her head in the sand was written: "Abba Zosimas, bury the body of the humble Mary on this site; render dust to dust. I died on April 1, the same night of the saving suffering of Christ, after having received Communion of the Divine Mysteries." From this inscription Zosimas first learned her name and the other and awesome miracle--that the previous year, when she received Holy Communion, she arrived that same night at this brook, which took him twenty days to reach. Thus, Zosimas buried the body of this wonderful saint, Mary of Egypt. When he returned to the monastery, Zosimas related the entire story of her life and the miracles which he had personally witnessed. Thus the Lord knows how to glorify penitent sinners. St. Mary is also commemorated on the Fifth Sunday of Great Lent. The Church holds her up as an example to the faithful during these days of the Fast as a model of repentance. She reposed in about the year 530 A.D.

2. SAINT MELETION, BISHOP OF SARDIS IN ASIA MINOR

Meletion was a celebrated shepherd of the second-century Church. Governing with great ability, he endeavored to gather all the books of Sacred Scripture into a single codex. By his meekness and piety, Meletion also labored to restore peace in the Church of Laodicea, which was troubled by a controversy regarding the celebration of Pascha (The Feast of the Resurrection). Besides this, he defended Christianity against the pagans. He traveled to Rome in about the year 170 A.D., to submit to Emperor Marcus Aurelius a written Apologia (Defense) of the Faith and of the Christian Church. St. Meletion--this learned, pious and zealous man--reposed peacefully in the Lord in the year 177 A.D.

3. THE VENERABLE PROCOPIUS THE CZECH

Procopius was born in Hotish in what is today the Czech Republic. He was ordained a priest, then retreated to a mountain to live according to the model of the Eastern hermits. Herzog Ulrich (the Duke) accidentally came upon Procopius and assisted him in establishing the Monastery of St. John the Forerunner by the Sazava River. This holy man died in the year 1053 A.D.

HYMN OF PRAISE

SAINT MARY THE EGYPTIAN

A wonderful penitent, self-tormentor,
Mary hid herself from the face of men.

Yes, O sinful me,
By passion darkened.

Passions are beasts which eat at our heart;
Like serpents they secretly weave in us a nest.

Yes, O sinful me,
By passion consumed!

In order to save sinners, Thou didst suffer, O Christ,
  Do Thou now not loathe me, the impure one!

Hearken to the cry of Mary,
The most-sinful of all!

The Lord showed compassion, He healed Mary;
Her darkened soul He whitened as snow.

Thanks be to Thee, O All-good One,
O Lord most dear!

Thou didst cleanse an impure vessel and gild it with gold;
Thou didst fill it to overflowing with Thy grace.

This is true mercy.
To Thee, O God, be glory!

And Mary became radiant with the Spirit,
Girded by strength as an angel of God,

By Thy power, O Christ,
By Thy mercy, Most-pure!

What is this fragrance in the awesome wilderness,
  Like beautiful incense in a temple coffer?

Mary breathes it,
She exudes sanctity!


REFLECTION

Why is it that much is said and written about the sufferings of holy men and holy women? Because the saints alone are considered victors. Can anyone be a victor without conflict, pain and suffering? In ordinary earthly combat, no one can be considered victorious or heroic who has not been in combat, endured much or suffered greatly. The more so in spiritual combat, where the truth is known, and where self-boasting not only does not help at all but, indeed, hinders it. He who does not engage in combat for the sake of Christ, either with the world, with the devil or with one's self, how can he be counted among the soldiers of Christ? How then is it with Christ's fellow victors? St. Mary spoke about her savage spiritual combat to Elder Zosimas: "For the first seventeen years in this wilderness, I struggled with my deranged lusts as though with fierce beasts. I desired to eat meat and fish, which I had in abundance in Egypt. I also desired to drink wine, and here I did not have even water to drink. I desired to hear lustful songs. I cried and beat my breast. I prayed to the All-pure Mother of God to banish such thoughts from me. When I had sufficiently wept and beat my breast, it was then that I saw a light encompassing me on all sides, and a certain miraculous peace filled me."

CONTEMPLATION

Contemplate the Lord Jesus in death:

1. How there lay in the grave the lifeless body of Him Who, while living, gave life to the dead;

2. How against Him, even in death, there raged the hatred of His enemies;

3. How His disciples locked themselves in a house for fear of the Jews (John 20:19).

HOMILY

on the fulfillment of the great prophecy

"Like a lamb led to the slaughter" (Isaiah 53:7).

Through many centuries of time, the discerning Prophet Isaiah foresaw the awesome sacrifice on Golgotha. From afar he saw the Lord Jesus Christ led to the slaughter as a lamb is led. A lamb permits itself to be led to the laughter as it is led to the pasture: defenseless, without fear, and without malice. Thus, our Lord Christ was led to the slaughter without defense, without fear, and without malice. He does not say, "Men, do not do this!" nor does He ask, "Why are you doing this to Me?" nor does He condemn anyone. Nor does He protest. Nor does He become angry. Nor does He think evilly of His judges. When, from the crown of thorns, His blood flowed, He was silent. When His face was soiled from being spat upon, He was silent. When His Cross became heavy along the way, He endured. When His pain became unbearable on the Cross, He complained not to men but to the Father. When He breathed His last, He directed His gaze and sighs toward heaven and not toward earth. For the source of His strength is heaven and not earth. The source of His consolation is in God and not in men. His true homeland is the Heavenly Kingdom and not the earthly kingdom.

Behold, the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world (John 1:29). This was the first exclamation of St. John the Baptist when he saw the Lord. And, behold, now on Golgotha that prophecy was fulfilled. Behold, under the weight of the sins of the entire world, the Lamb of God lay slaughtered and lifeless.

O brethren, this costly sacrifice was made for our sins as well. The blood of this sinless and meek Lamb was destined for all times and all generations, from the first to the last person on earth. Christ also felt the pains on the Cross for our sins, even those of the present day. He also wept in the Garden of Gethsemane for our wickedness, our weakness and our sinfulness. He also destined His blood for us. Brethren, let us not then despise the indescribable costly price by which we have been redeemed. Because of this sacrifice of Christ we, indeed, have some worth as people. Without this sacrifice, or if we disavow this sacrifice, our worth, by itself alone, is equal to nothing. It is equal to smoke without a flame or a cloud without light.

O Lord, unequaled in mercy, have mercy on us also!

To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.

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