February 15translatedThis page has been translated from Serbian to English. It may contain minor phrasing or syntactic issues.
The Lives of the Saints
1. HOLY APOSTLE ONESIMUS
Onesimus was one of the Seventy. He was a slave of Philemon, a wealthy and distinguished man in the city of Colossae in Phrygia, but he wronged his master in something and fled to Rome where he heard the Gospel from the Apostle Paul and was baptized. And since the Apostle Paul had earlier brought Philemon also to the true faith, he reconciled these two, Philemon and Onesimus, master and slave, having written a special epistle to Philemon, one of the most touching written compositions that exist at all in Holy Scripture. "I beseech thee," writes the Apostle to Philemon, "for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds... For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever; Not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved..." (Philemon 1:10 and 15-16). Moved by this letter, Philemon indeed received Onesimus as a brother, freeing him from slavery. Later Onesimus was appointed bishop by the Apostles themselves and received the see of Ephesus after the death of the Apostle Timothy. This is evident from the epistle of Ignatius the God-bearer. During Trajan's persecution Onesimus, already an old man, was arrested and brought to Rome. There he answered before Judge Tertullus, was imprisoned and finally beheaded. His body was taken by a certain wealthy woman, placed in a silver casket and honorably buried in the year 109.
2. VENERABLE EUSEBIUS
Eusebius was a syrian desert-dweller. First he struggled under the guidance of holy men, and later withdrew and isolated himself in the desert. He fed himself exclusively on plant food. He did not even taste fruit. All his time he spent in open space in prayer, enduring every inclement weather. He lived to the age of 95 years and peacefully reposed in the Lord in the year 440.
Hymn of Praise
Most glorious Onesimus began life as a slave, As Christ's apostle and martyr he ended. Lawless Tertullus asks him for his name. "Christian is my name, Onesimus my surname." "Are you a freeman, or someone's slave?" "I was Philemon's slave, now slave of Christ God." "For what price did Philemon sell you?" "His own blood for me the Lord Christ gave." "Tell me, do you honor the state gods?" "I see no gods but only statues" Of various animals, all dead statues: To an ox an ox, I see, you offer sacrifices, To a ram a ram likewise, birds to owls— Living animals to dead beasts. The living to the dead, the strong to the weak. No, I do not bow to such gods! But to the Living Lord, my Master And Creator, Tertullus, both mine and yours." Tertullus mocks God's man, Orders that his head be cut off by a sword! Authorities over the body beheaded him, But beheaded neither soul nor glory. The glorious name remained—Saint Onesimus— That both heaven and earth might glory in it.
Reflection
For every person, peace of soul is precious. In those who have acquired peace of soul, the body may be ceaselessly in motion, in labor, in torment, but their soul, cleaving to God, remains always in unshakable peace. Saint Seraphim of Sarov teaches: "One must strive by all means to maintain peace of soul. Not to be troubled by insults from people. Therefore it is necessary at any cost to restrain oneself from anger, and by means of watchfulness (over oneself) to guard the mind and heart from unseemly movements... For the preservation of peace of soul it is also necessary to avoid condemning others. By non-condemnation and silence peace of soul can be preserved. When a person is in such a state, he receives divine revelations. For a person to preserve himself from condemning others, he must keep watch over himself; he must not accept unspiritual thoughts from anyone, and must be dead to everything (worldly). We must tirelessly guard our heart from unseemly thoughts and impressions (Proverbs 4:23). From constant watchfulness over the heart, purity is born in the heart, in which the Lord is seen, according to the words of eternal truth: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God (Matthew 5:8)."
Contemplation
Contemplate the Lord Jesus as traveler, namely: 1. How traveling He grows weary, sweats, hungry and thirsty for the sake of my salvation, yours and all people's; 2. How even by night He labors for my salvation, yours and all people's; 3. How on all journeys He thinks, cares and desires salvation for me, for you and for all people.
Homily
on the faithful people and the faithless leaders
When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done? (John 7:31)
The Lord Christ performed wondrous deeds before all, and all saw, but not all believed. The people saw His miracles and believed in Him. The servants heard His words and believed in Him. But the leaders of the people and the leaders of the servants also saw His miracles, but did not believe in Him. And thus even in those days the words of the Savior came true: many that are first shall be last and the last first. Those who were first in honor and power, were last in faith in Him; and those who were last in honor and power, were first in faith in Him.
Why did the people and servants believe but the princes and scribes did not believe? Because the people and servants considered themselves small and insignificant, so they had neither personal pride, nor envy toward Christ. The people and servants without malice and prejudice beheld the divine miracles, and heard the divine words, and marveled and rejoiced. But the princes and scribes considered themselves the first among the people and in the world, so they were filled with pride and envy, and could not for an hour behold the wondrous deeds nor hear the divine words without malice and envy.
Do you see, brethren, how a person without humility and modesty cannot either know the truth, or rejoice in the truth? Do you see how the proud man and the envious man give no place even to God before themselves? Just as Satan once did!
Lord Jesus, eternal truth, cleanse our hearts from pride and envy. That we might be able to see Thee and rejoice in Thee. To Thee be glory and praise forever. Amen.