March: Day 22: Hieromartyr Basil, Presbyter of Ancyra

March: Day 22:
Hieromartyr Basil, Presbyter of Ancyra
 
(What Can We Replace Martyrdom for the Faith With?)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Saint Basil, whose memory is now celebrated, was a zealous defender of the Christian faith and often exposed the errors of heretics and pagans. Under Julian the Apostate, he was subjected to severe torture for his fearless preaching of Christ. Seven straps were cut from his skin every day and, when all the skin was torn, he was pierced with red-hot spits, after which he died (in 363).

So faithful to Christ God was the Holy Hieromartyr Basil until death. He received a great reward from God, the reward that is promised to all martyrs for the faith of Christ, at the mere thought of which one must rejoice and be glad, for their reward is great in heaven.

II. Now, brethren, there are no more persecutors for the faith, and there are no persecutions or tortures for it. How can we fulfill this commandment? Must we really go to such countries where we can find death for Christ in order to attain such a high reward?

Once a monk asked the Venerable Pachomios the Great to pray for him, so that the Lord would grant him to be a martyr for the faith, and this is what the Venerable One answered him: “You are giving in to a vain thought, you are seeking temptation, when the Lord has commanded us to pray that we may not be led into temptation. You ought rather endure every ascetic feat chosen by you voluntarily, bear without complaint the labors imposed upon you, strive to please God with a blameless life, and you will be honored together with the martyrs in heaven.”

Therefore, brethren, it is possible to attain a high degree of blessedness without martyrdom for the faith, but by zealously fulfilling one’s Christian duties and exercising oneself in high feats of evangelical virtues, in constant struggle with the world, the flesh and the devil, who will replace for us the ancient persecutors.

a) Looking into our lives, do we see in ourselves and others much inclination to struggle with the world and its temptations? Do we have a desire for voluntary renunciation of the goods of this world? Are we patient with the deprivations and hardships of this life? Do we meekly endure its shortcomings, needs, sorrows, bitterness? Look at the passion that has taken hold of almost everyone for wealth, for acquisition, for the acquisition of the goods of this world, with what greed and indiscriminateness of means we tear them from each other, how we become arrogant when we get rich, how we despair when we get poor?

What does all this show if not our lack of faith? It shows that in our lives we rely not on God, our provider and nourisher, but on our riches, and that, acquiring these riches, we think that we will live with them without God, and, on the contrary, losing them, we think that we will not live a day without them. And with such lack of faith, can we be confessors of our faith, to show it in our lives and deeds, in the feats of bearing the cross of non-covetousness, voluntary poverty and renunciation of the goods of the world? This feat requires self-sacrifice and patience, and without faith there can be no patience.

b) Look then, how many of us are capable and disposed to struggle with the flesh so as to crucify it with its passions and lusts? How many of us live and labor not for the flesh, but for the sake of the kingdom of heaven? How many of us would renounce some of the comforts of this temporary life in order to be found worthy of a better life in heaven together with God? No, almost all our lives we live and labor only for our flesh, we only care about feeding and fattening our body, surrounding it with all the comforts and all the excesses of life. How many of us despise the pleasures and enjoyments of this flesh and world, and renounce them for the sake of the kingdom of God, and not out of necessity? Unfortunately, we do not think about eternal blessedness and do not strive for it with soul and heart, but very often for the pleasures and enjoyments of this temporary life, in which alone many of us place all our hopes and expectations. That is why we are incapable of any high virtuous deeds, even though we do not believe in these deeds, because we ourselves prefer the earthly to the heavenly.

c) If we finally look at how a Christian struggles against the last enemy of his salvation, the devil, we will also find very weak signs of struggle. What drives away and weakens the enemy of our salvation? Prayer to God and fasting, according to the teaching of Jesus Christ. But how few true pray-ers and true fasters there are in our time! How frequent and just are the complaints of pastors about the negligence of their flock towards public worship and the weakening of fasts!

III. Therefore, brethren, let us fight more and more zealously against the enemies of our salvation - the world, the flesh and the devil. Then we too will participate in the exploits of martyrdom and in the highest reward promised for martyrdom. Let us rely less on wealth, hope more in God and believe in Him. Love pleasures less, love God more; seek less enjoyment, strive more for heavenly blessings and ascend to God with all our soul and all our heart. Let us acquire patience not in the pursuit of earthly goods, but in the attainment of heavenly goods. Let us learn to suffer and be tormented not for earthly goods, but for Christ. "Blessed are you, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven." Amen. 

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