Nicholas Cabasilas, A Model Orthodox Theologian

By Elder Vasilios Gontikakis, 

former Abbot of the Monastery of Iveron

Nicholas Cabasilas assures us that “the Church is expressed in the Mysteries.” And with Cabasilas himself – as a true and holy believer – the whole Church is expressed and revealed, because within the Church he has become Christ by grace and all his ethos, namely his speech and behavior, have the grace and character of the Divine Liturgy and the God-man Lord.

We can see this in the interpretation he makes of the Divine Liturgy and in the fourth discourse of “The Life in Christ,” which he dedicates to the mystery of the Divine Eucharist.

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He begins the presentation of the Divine Liturgy simply and humbly. He speaks of what the liturgist does and says in it. He mentions the formalities. He speaks of the Holy Prothesis. He shows it as symbolizing the cave of the Nativity. He speaks of the asterisk that is placed on top of the holy diskarion, covers the Lamb and symbolizes the star, which came and stood above where the Child was.

June: Day 20: Holy Hieromartyr Methodios of Patara

June: Day 20:
Holy Hieromartyr Methodios of Patara
 
(On Dissatisfaction With One's Condition)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Holy Hieromartyr Methodios, whose memory is celebrated today, lived at the end of the 3rd century and was a bishop in the city of Patara in Lycia. From his youth he was distinguished by his love for God and the Church, so he entered the Church clergy and became a priest, and then a bishop. He was a very learned man. 

In his time there were disputes about Origen's teaching on the pre-existence of souls and evil spirits, and many were carried away by this teaching. Saint Methodios, through his teachings and writings, exposed the error. He suffered many sorrows for this. Finally, he accepted a martyr's death for the faith of Christ. Saint Methodios left many works written very eloquently.

In his essay on free will, Methodios, in rebuking those who are dissatisfied with their participation, says: “To grumble about the lack of earthly blessings is not wise: a person should be above everything earthly; God created a person for activity, and not for pleasures that relax the soul and body. Perfect equality is impossible – diversity is an attribute of perfection; poverty is allowed either as a punishment for sins, or as a warning against sins.”

June: Day 19: Teaching 2: Venerable Paisios the Great

June: Day 19: Teaching 2:
Venerable Paisios the Great

(How Should Parental Love for Children Be Expressed?)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Venerable Paisios, whose memory is celebrated today, lived in the 5th century, was a native of Egypt, the son of rich and pious parents, who generously gave charity to all those in need. While still a youth, he lost his father and lived under the care of his mother, who of her seven sons especially loved Paisios, as the youngest. Paisios's mother often thought about what awaited her son in life. One night, an angel appeared to her in a dream and said: "God, the Father of orphans, has sent me to you. Why are you sad, caring for your children? It is not you alone who cares for them, but God too; leave your sadness and dedicate one of your sons to His service." "All my children belong to God," answered the mother, "and if any of my sons pleases Him, let Him take him." Then the angel, taking Paisios by the hand, said: "This one is pleasing to God." - "Better take one of the older sons, who is more intelligent," asked the mother. "Do you not know," replied the angel, "that the power of God is revealed even in weaknesses, and therefore God chose your younger son, as more capable of pleasing him." With these words, the angel became invisible. In the morning, Paisios' mother offered a fervent prayer to God, then she asked that Paisios be accepted into the Church clergy. Her request was fulfilled, and Paisios began to diligently fulfill the duties entrusted to him. Having reached his youth, Paisios became a monk and became famous for the holiness of his life and the gift of clairvoyance and miracles.

June: Day 19: Teaching 1: Holy Apostle Jude

June: Day 19: Teaching 1:
Holy Apostle Jude

(On Eternal Torment)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. About the Holy Apostle Jude, whose memory is celebrated today, the Church historian Nikephoros writes: “The divine Judas, not Iscariot, but another, who was also called Thaddeus and Lebbaeus, the son of Joseph, the brother of James, who was thrown from the roof of the Temple, cast the net of the holy gospel first in Judea, Galilee, Samaria, Idumea, then the cities of Arabia, Syria and Mesopotamia; finally he came to the city of Edessa, which belonged to King Abgar, and where another Thaddeus, one of the 70 Apostles, preached Christ even before him.”

According to tradition, it is also known that the Apostle Jude preached the gospel in Persia, from where he wrote a Catholic Epistle to believers, short but edifying, in which he protects against false teachers and threatens that as it was with Sodom and Gomorrah, “so it will be with these dreamers, speaking evil of what they know not, grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts (ungodly and lawlessly); whose mouth utters pompous words.” “These are stains in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.” The Holy Apostle Jude further writes in his epistle that the Lord, who did not spare even the angels, will punish every sinner who does not try to correct his life.

The Holy Apostle Jude died a martyr in Mesopotamia (around 80 A.D.); he was crucified on a cross. His burial place remains unknown.

June: Day 18: Teaching 2: Holy Martyr Leontios of Tripoli

June: Day 18: Teaching 2:
Holy Martyr Leontios of Tripoli

(The Conquering Power of Christian Kindness)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Holy Martyr Leontios, whose memory is celebrated today, was a Greek, served as a commander in the Roman army under Emperor Vespasian and lived in the city of Tripoli, near Mount Lebanon. He professed the Christian faith. This is how he was awarded the crown of martyrdom from the pagans together with two warriors, Christians, Hypatios and Theodoulos. Hadrian, a Roman dignitary, a zealot of paganism and an enemy of Christianity, went to Phoenicia to persecute Christians there. Having learned about Leontios, who himself rejected idols and turned others away from worshiping them, Hadrian sent the tribune Hypatios with soldiers after him. Near the city Leontios himself met them with his soldiers and, promising to show them whom they were looking for, invited them to his house for rest, offered them a meal, received them with the same cordiality with which we receive our dear friends, and after the meal announced that he himself was Leontios, a friend not of the pagan gods, but of the Christian. Then Hypatios and the soldier Theodoulos fell at his feet and said: "We too want to be Christians." Leontios prayed; suddenly a bright cloud overshadowed Hypatios and Theodoulos, and rain fell on them from the cloud. Saint Leontios called upon the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and thus baptized them.