The Nine Holy Martyrs of Cyzicus (313-24); the Venerable Memnon the Wonderworker
Acts 9:20-31; John 15:17-16:2.
Read John 15:17-16:2.
Christ is risen! Truly, He is risen!
One of the most famous Greek philosophers, Socrates was often referred to as “human gadfly,” since he did not hesitate to compel people to stay in truth and not to be afraid to examine themselves. Therefore, he was eventually killed by his contemporaries solely for calling attention to and for living in accordance with the higher standards than the standards of the world. To be a “saint” or “ἁγίος” in Greek means to be “set apart” or to “be different.” The world definitely suspects and even hates people who dare to be different, who wear different clothes, and who present different ideas or beliefs.
At the time of the Soviet persecution, all those who did not conform with the Communist system and who were firmly rooted in their national or religious identities were either executed or sent to Siberia as the greatest obstacles on the way of establishing of the society in which everyone was obliged to follow the same standards and to be no different from all the rest. Even now, in the majority of the post-Soviet countries the most common answer to the simple question “How are you,” would be: “I am normal.” But what is this normality all about? Is that such a positive self-perception of ourselves if all we want is just to stay normal?
Jesus does not call us to normality. He wants us to be “out of the box.” He sends his followers to the world, so they could be the “sheeps among the wolves” and the “white crows” living in accordance with the highest standards and principles even if they would come across lack of understanding or even persecution. Even in the face of violence it is important not to forget who we are as God’s children, and what we are called to do as Christ’s followers.
Once, I heard a true story from one of the underground Ukrainian Catholic priests who was arrested by the KGB. At the time of his interrogation one of the agents made an attempt to hit him, yet Fr. Gryhoriy cached the agent’s hand and kissed it. He was stoned to such an extent that right the next day he released the priest and disclosed the names of his betrayers. Evil can only be conquered by Good. Our response to brutality is unconditional “love to one another” and even to those who persecute us.