December: Day 11: Venerable Daniel the Stylite

December: Day 11:
Venerable Daniel the Stylite
 
(The Path To True Greatness and Glory Does Not Consist in High Rank and Title,
Not in Sholarship, Not in Wealth, But Only in Christian Virtue)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. The Venerable Daniel, whose memory is celebrated today, was born in the year 409 in the village of Maratha, near the city of Samosata, in Mesopotamia, by the ardent prayer to God of his mother, who had suffered many sorrows and reproaches from her husband, and vilificactions and insults from her relatives because she had no children. He was granted to her as a miraculous testimony of God’s response to prayer accompanied by faith - a kind of recompense for her, not just a "hundredfold", but a Divine, boundless "hundredfold" for her patience and uncomplainingness in suffering, for her firm faith in God's mercy, which was not exhausted and did not waver in the midst of a long and difficult trial.

And into her child, along with nourishment from her breast, Daniel's mother, as it were, poured out her love and faith in God, which from childhood elevated him among his peers and grew in him to the greatness of an arbitrary feat, for which he became famous among his contemporaries and left a striking memory of himself for all time.

Informed even before the birth of her son by a vision in a dream of lamps spreading an extraordinary radiance, about his future glory, Daniel's mother bore in her soul the desire to dedicate him to the service of God, and this desire was also mysteriously transmitted to him and drew him from childhood to the monastic path: at the age of 12 he voluntarily left the world and took refuge in one of the monasteries of his native land. Here he felt himself as in a real native home, where from the very beginning he devoted himself with such zeal and love to the fulfillment of all monastic obediences, as if these very labors were the most natural food for his nature, the most desired satisfaction.

After several years of strict life in the monastery, Daniel made a journey to Antioch, where the abbot took him with him. On the way they visited the Venerable Symeon the Stylite, who blessed Daniel and prophetically said to him: "Be brave, my child, may your heart be strengthened. You will have to endure many labors for the sake of Christ, but He will be your Helper in everything."

Returning to the monastery after meeting the extraordinary ascetic, Daniel began to think about imitating him, but for the time being he postponed the fulfillment of the intention that had arisen in his soul. In the meantime, the abbot of the monastery in which he was located died, and the brethren asked Daniel to take over their leadership; but he declined this and even left the monastery altogether, having now decided, according to a special vision that he had, to undertake the feat of pillar-dwelling. Near Constantinople he built a pillar and ascended it to stand in prayer; for 33 years he invariably endured this voluntary, unusually difficult trial. More than once during storms the pillar wavered and threatened to fall, but nothing could shake the patience of the ascetic: he continued to stand motionless.

But, fulfilling with such firmness the vow he had taken upon himself, Daniel, however, immediately and without hesitation once left his pillar, when the Patriarch of Constantinople (Akakios) sent to ask him to come to the capital to help the Church, troubled by heretics, patronized by Emperor Basiliscus. By this he expressed that he considered spiritual help to his neighbors more important than the greatest feat. Daniel himself could not walk, because from long standing his legs were swollen and covered with wounds, and therefore he was carried into the city on a stretcher. Having exposed the heretics, and having predicted Basiliscus's loss of the throne, which he had unjustly seized, he returned to his pillar, on which he endured his stay to the end.

Glorified by God with the gift of miracles, the God-pleasing Daniel attracted many people from everywhere to his pillar: “those near and far came to him, Greeks, Romans, barbarians, commoners, and the emperors Leo and Zeno; they came to him as to an angel of God, and, moving away from him, called upon him in prayers for help. Emperor Leo so loved and respected the great pillar-dweller, who adorned his reign, that he resorted to him many times, asking for his prayers, blessing, and consolation. Patriarch Gennadios himself climbed his pillar and ordained him a priest. Having reached the age of 80, the ascetic, having commanded his disciples humility, obedience, hospitality, fasting, vigil, poverty and most of all – love, died the death of a righteous man in 489. His miraculous relics were placed at the pillar on which he had labored, and at which, through the zeal of the emperor, a church was subsequently built in the name of Saint Symeon the Stylite.”

II. We have seen that the Venerable Daniel attained great and true glory not only with God, who glorified him with the gift of miracles, but also with people, who showed him great respect and love. How did he acquire such glory? By a pious and virtuous life; for God there is nothing dearer and higher than virtue. By it we too can acquire honor and glory for ourselves not only from people, but also from God Himself.

God's judgment is far from being the same as human judgment; with God the first shall be last, and the last first. People place greatness and glory either in high rank, or in extensive education of the mind, or in abundant wealth and other worldly virtues. But all these qualities and valor without virtue will never bring true greatness and glory to anyone

All personal virtues and advantages are only worthy of respect when those who bear them are adorned with inner virtues of the heart, conscientious fulfillment of their duties and good deeds.

a) But what honor is there in bearing a high rank if there is no greatness in the soul and righteousness in actions? What good will the splendor of ranks and distinctions do if it is eclipsed by disorderly behavior and shameful deeds? Will an honorable place bring honor and glory if it is dishonored by the dishonesty of the person who occupies it? No, it is not rank and title that elevate a person, but a person who ennobles his rank and title. It happens that not good people, but those in high positions are shown respect; but what kind of respect is this? It is done either out of decency or fear; but in their hearts they feel not only coldness towards them, but often contempt; in absentia they express the real, often very unflattering truth about them.

b) There have been and are many learned people, gifted by nature. But how far did they go with their elemental wisdom? Why did many of them not leave behind a good memory? Because they lived only with their minds, and not with their hearts; because they showed their apparent wisdom and learning in words alone, and not in good deeds; and arrogance and cunning without good deeds are the same as a flowering tree without fruit. The whole essence of Christian prudence consists “not in the persuasive words of human wisdom, but in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power” (1 Cor. 2:4). “Show your wisdom by your works!” And great minds often darkened the brilliance of their great gifts with great vices. What good is a mind after this, even if bright, but not sanctified by the lamp of faith and piety? What is the use of modern sciences if they do not teach the main science - to live as we should as Christians? What good will the ability to speak eloquently and boldly serve if we do not know how to understand, as much as possible, the wisdom of God? The Apostle Paul rightly said that "bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come" (1 Tim. 4:8).

c) Even more mistaken are those people who believe that greatness and glory are in wealth. It is true that the rich are honored and respected, and even paid a tribute of servile humiliation; but the fact is that all this imaginary honor is not given to them personally, but to the wealth they possess - not to a person, but to an inanimate thing. If they were deprived of their wealth, all their glory would immediately disappear like smoke. No one, of course, will argue that through wealth one can acquire everything: honor, and glory, and respect, and love not only from people, but also from God Himself, but only then can we acquire all this when we use it for godly deeds, for philanthropy to the poor and suffering. So honor is not in wealth, but in its use for good deeds; glory is not in gold, but in virtue. “Glory and honor belong only to those who do good,” says the word of God (Rom. 2:10).

III. After this, it remains for us, Christians, to be convinced that the true and direct path to greatness and glory is in virtue alone. Whether we are rich or poor, great or small in our civil position, learned or not, it makes no difference to God, so long as we are honest and virtuous; this is for Him above all worldly virtues. Proof of this can be found in Venerable Daniel the Stylite and all the holy saints of God, who were honored by all reasonable and good people during their life for their holy life, and even more so after their death the Holy Church honors and glorifies them. Centuries and millennia pass, and their glory not only does not diminish, but grows even more. Thus the world itself recognizes the greatness of virtue, which we, with God's help, will strive to follow.

Source: A Complete Annual Cycle of Short Teachings, Composed for Each Day of the Year. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.