September: Day 7: Teaching 2:
Saint John, Archbishop of Novgorod
(How Should We Treat Slander and Slanderers?)
By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko
(How Should We Treat Slander and Slanderers?)
By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko
I. Today we celebrate the memory of Saint John, Archbishop of Novgorod. John's parents were noble and pious Novgorod citizens. From an early age, John loved prayer, abstinence, the temple of God, and upon reaching adulthood he chose the clergy. Bishop Arkady of Novgorod ordained him to the priesthood for the Church of Saint Blaise on the Sophia side. But John did not serve at this church for long; seeking complete silence, he took monastic vows in one of the Novgorod monasteries with the name of Elijah, led a strictly ascetic life, and lived in fasting, prayer, and solitude. Word of his holy life spread throughout the Novgorod land and earned the ascetic universal respect. In 1163, Bishop Arkady of Novgorod died, and the Novgorodians unanimously elected Hieromonk Elijah to replace the deceased Arkady. In 1165 he was consecrated, and then the first of the Novgorod saints received the rank of archbishop. During his episcopacy, Novgorod was saved from the destruction that threatened it by the miraculous intercession of the Mother of God.
Despite the general respect that Elijah had enjoyed until then, there were people who did not hesitate to slander him. Envious people began to spread rumors that he was living immorally. The people became agitated, gathered at the archbishop’s house and decided to destroy him. Elijah was taken out of his chambers to the bridge over the Volkhov River, where he was lowered onto a raft without oars and left to float with the current. But here a miraculous phenomenon occurred: the raft did not go with the current of the river, but against the current, to the Yuryev Monastery. The monks of the monastery greeted the archbishop with honor. The people were afraid; a crowd gathered at the Church of Saint Sophia, asking the clergy to take icons and crosses and intercede with Elijah for the forgiveness of the guilty. The good-natured Elijah forgave them and returned to the cathedra. Shortly before his death, he refused to govern the Novgorod flock, took the schema with the name John and died on September 7, 1186.
II. a) We have heard, beloved brethren in Christ, how meekly and kindly Saint John treated the envious people who slandered him. But how do we, brethren, behave in relation to those who bring some kind of slander against us? Even when it is not slander, but the real truth that is said about us, only the truth is unpleasant for us, do we not then usually burst out against those people with the most terrible anger and abuse? Instead of explaining the matter simply and meekly, do we not mostly try to settle accounts with our offender in such a way as not to remain in his debt in any way? And what dishonest words will some of us not utter in this case? What curses will he not smash the offender with? What threats will he not utter to him? And then before those before whom we have been slandered, how do most of us defend ourselves? What oaths, what swearing are not put into practice here, and what do we not say ourselves about the one who has slandered us? We describe his whole life, we list all his shortcomings, and often not only his shortcomings, but also those of all his relatives and friends. And there is even an opinion that in order to remove this or that reproach from oneself, this is exactly how one should always act with slanderers. What a gross error to think - to conquer evil with evil! My friends! Evil is not conquered by evil: "If your enemy hungers, feed him; and if he thirsts, give him drink. For in doing this you heap coals of fire upon his head" (Rom. 12:20). This is how evil is conquered. But this is beyond one's strength, you say? It happens. In that case, submit the matter to the judgment of God, as the same apostle writes (ibid. 19): do not avenge yourselves, but give place to the wrath of God. For it is written: "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord."
b) I cannot, brethren, fail to draw your attention to this: Saint John was respected by all for his highly virtuous life. Meanwhile - what do we see? He was slandered and called immoral by envious people. Here is an example of human inconstancy: whoever is loved, listened to and respected today, tomorrow - behold - because of someone's slander, they forget all the merits of this person, all his good, and are ready to defame and ridicule their benefactor. For those who have to suffer from slander and human envy, let this example serve as a consolation and encouragement. For if holy men suffered from slander, then should we grumble at slanderers? Let us ask ourselves in conscience: how are we always fair to our neighbors? Are we not ourselves often guilty of this sin, which so upsets us in our neighbors? Are we not ourselves inclined to slander? So, if someone has heard something unkind about another, what does he usually do in such a case? Is it only that he tells about it to another and a third, as he himself heard? Does it not happen most often, if not always, that in such retellings we add a word or two of our own for embellishment? And what is this, if not slander on our part against those about whom we spread such exaggerated rumors? But even if any of us is patient in tongue and does not have the unfortunate habit of slandering others, do not such persons sometimes sin in that they nevertheless believe bad rumors, accept them, and on the basis of these rumors form a bad opinion of this or that person? As you like, but on our part it is extremely unfair to think ill of a person on the basis of rumors; and consequently – it is a sin. "The one who secretly slanders his neighbor, I cast him out," says the psalmist about himself (Psalm 5). This is how we should act with those who secretly slander others: we must drive them away from us, as the lowest, most dangerous and bad people. For such they really are: the slanderer is like the devil, or rather he himself is the devil. For the word devil actually means slanderer.
III. Yes, my friends, be afraid not only of slandering others yourselves, but also of listening to slander; and if it happens that someone becomes a victim of slander, try to look upon it as God’s punishment for our own inclination to slander, and therefore humble yourself before the Lord and console yourself with this reasoning: let people raise all sorts of fables against me, if only God does not condemn me and my conscience is clear. Amen.
Source: A Complete Annual Cycle of Short Teachings, Composed for Each Day of the Year. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
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