The Holy Apostle Simon the Zealot.
Polyeleos Feast.
Acts 9:20-31; 1 Corinthians 4:9-16; John 15:17-16:2; Matthew 13:54-58.
Read John 15:17-16:2
The Christian life is a constant call to die to self through humility, love, and sacrifice. This daily dying is a form of spiritual martyrdom or white martyrdom, rooted not in dramatic gestures, but in quiet, faithful endurance. The path of Christ was marked by suffering and rejection, and so must be the path of His disciples. As St. Ignatius of Antioch wrote, “Let me be food for the wild beasts, through whom I can reach God. I am God’s wheat, and I am being ground by the teeth of wild beasts to make a pure loaf for Christ.” Though most believers are not called to physical martyrdom, we are all called to surrender our will to God each day.
St. John Chrysostom affirms this when he says, “You are not suffering persecution? Then imitate the martyrs in their patience, humility, and love of God.” The martyr’s spirit is one of total offering, a life no longer lived for self, but for the glory of Christ.
Jesus prepares His disciples for rejection, saying, “A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also.” (John 15:20). To follow Christ is to accept that the world may reject us. Yet in this rejection, there is joy, for in dying to self, we are united more deeply to Him who gave everything for our salvation.