September: Day 21: Teaching 1:
Saint Dimitri of Rostov
(On Helping Those in Need of Food)
By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko
Saint Dimitri of Rostov
(On Helping Those in Need of Food)
By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko
I. Saint Dimitri, Metropolitan of Rostov, whose memory is celebrated today, was born in 1651 in the Kiev province of pious parents, the sotnik Savva and Maria, and was named Daniel at baptism. After home schooling, he was educated at the Kiev fraternal school. At the age of eighteen, he, at the inclination of his heart, took monastic vows, and six years later the Chernigov Archbishop Lazar Baranovich ordained him a hieromonk and appointed him a preacher at the cathedral. The strict ascetic life that Saint Dimitri led distinguished him from others, so that in his youth he was made abbot of a monastery in the Chernigov province. But burdened by the cares connected with this title, he soon gave up the abbotship and retired to the Kiev Caves Lavra, where he devoted himself to prayerful exploits and scholarly pursuits. Here he began to compile the "Lives of the Saints", under the name "Cheti-Minei", i.e. monthly readings, which later became the favorite and precious reading of the pious Russian people. In 1701, Saint Dimitri, for his virtues and labors, was consecrated to the rank of Metropolitan of Tobolsk and Siberia for the dissemination of the Christian faith among the numerous pagans living in this distant country. However, due to his poor health, he could not go there, as a result of which the following year he was appointed Metropolitan of Rostov.
Saint Dimitri, as a zealous pastor, eagerly cared for the salvation of his flock, tirelessly edifying them with words and the example of his holy life. He tried in every way to turn the schismatics living in his diocese to the right and saving path. By word and writing, he proved to these lost sheep of Christ's flock that their faith was wrong, their teaching was harmful to the soul, their deeds were reprehensible.
The cell life of Saint Dimitri was filled with high feats of abstinence, love for one’s neighbors, mercy, and Christian philanthropy. He ate simple food and in very small quantities, and during the first week of Lent and Holy Week he ate only once. At each strike of the bell, he advised everyone to remember the hour of death and to say the Lord’s Prayer and the Theotokos with the sign of the cross. Despite his high rank, he was accessible to everyone and lovingly received everyone who came to him for guidance. The Saint used all his wealth to help those in need, so that no one left him without material assistance. Widows and orphans, the poor and needy found food and clothing from him; he could not refuse anyone who asked, selflessly giving everything away, himself being content with only the bare necessities of life. The non-covetousness of Saint Dimitri and his self-sacrificing love for his neighbors are clearly seen from the spiritual letter, which he wrote two years before his death: “From the time of tonsure,” the Saint wrote about himself in this letter, “and until I approached the grave, I did not acquire property, did not collect gold or silver, did not have extra clothes or any things except the most necessary; everything received from benefactors and authorities I used for the needs of the monasteries, to help the poor.” For his pious life, Saint Dimitri was awarded the most peaceful death, which he foresaw in advance. He died on October 28, 1709, in the fifty-ninth year of his fruitful life. Forty-two years later, the relics of Saint Dimitri were found incorrupt and were glorified by gracious signs, revealing in him a Saint of God, an intercessor for the Russian land.
II. And from the many virtues that adorned the Saint of Rostov, Dimitri, whom we glorify, let us adopt at least one, namely, “mercy and compassion for our neighbor who needs our help.”
a) According to the word of the Savior, we always have the poor with us and therefore can always demonstrate in practice the God-loving virtue of mercy. We meet with many unfortunate, ill-fated people who require our care for them. How many poor people are there, covered in rags and without shelter or daily food? Here is a wretched widow, from whom her children wait in vain for bread, for she herself feeds only on tears; there are homeless old people, burdened with infirmities, suffering from incurable diseases, not having the strength to earn a piece of bread by labor. There are even starving villages and entire localities suffering from a lack of essential supplies.
b) Whose heart is not moved with pity or compassion for all such unfortunates? Are they not our brethren? Does not the Most High Provider bestow blessings on some so that they may give of their abundance to the poor and needy? Both our own hearts and the direct commands of God prompt us to alleviate the lot of the unfortunate. “Open your hands to your poor brother” (Deut. 15:11), said God in the ancient covenant; “Give to him that asks you” (Luke 6:30), commanded the Savior to us.
c) How guilty before the Lord are those who turn away from the needy, who do not want to spare even a piece of bread from their rich table for the poor! What great, terrible punishment awaits from the Rewarder those people who not only do not give aid to the hungry, but also, taking advantage of their difficult situation, make unjust profits from them? Saint Basil the Great says of such a hard-hearted person: “Is it not worthwhile to call him a murderer, in order to rank him among the fierce beasts? What punishments does he deserve who is hard-hearted to a hungry man?”
III. In abstaining from such shameful deeds for a Christian, let us, beloved, render all possible assistance to everyone who asks, expecting nothing in return. Let us feed the hungry, look after the suffering, and console their bitter lot as best we can. By our compassion for those suffering from hunger, we will best prove that it is not in vain that we are called Christians, that we remember and are ready to fulfill the holy commandments of our Savior, Jesus Christ, Who at His terrible judgment will say to compassionate and merciful Christians: “Come, blessed of My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”
Source: A Complete Annual Cycle of Short Teachings, Composed for Each Day of the Year. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
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