Homily 37

Acts 17: 1 -15

Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews.

Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

Homily 36

Acts 16:25 – 40

But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.

Of the Blessed Woman Melania the Younger

The granddaughter of Melania the Great was forced by her parents into marriage at a very young age.  At age twenty, after the early death of her two sons, she told her husband Pinianus that she would no longer have relations with him.  If he wished to live chastely alongside her he could do so, and if he wished to remarry she would not prevent him, “For if God desired me to lead the life of this world He would never have taken away the children to whom I gave birth.” (161)

Homily 35

Acts 16:13 – 24

And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there.

Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us.  She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God.  The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul.

The Ninth Act: of the Wife of Charisius

A woman named Mygdonia, wife to Charisius who was second to the king Misdaeus, was curious about the apostle Thomas and so had her slaves carry her to visit him.  Her servants beat through the crowds to bring her close, and he chastised them saying

Of the Holy Woman Melania the Great

Melania grew up in Rome, the daughter of a Spanish consul.  She was widowed at age twenty-two and, after having ensured that the emperor Valens would care for her son, she left for Alexandria to visit with the Desert Fathers.  She would bring food to the bishops and monastics who had been exiled by the Alexandrian ruler Augustus.  When the governor of Palestine discovered this he arrested her, not knowing she was a noblewoman.  Upon discovering her rank he apologized and allowed her to serve the holy men “without hindrance.” (157)

Of the Virgin and of Magistranus who fought with Wild Beasts for her Sake

Palladius speaks of a story which he read in a book ascribed to Hippolytus, about a beautiful Christian virgin of Corinth.  Because of her beauty, she was slandered to the pagan king, who ordered that she be punished by being made a prostitute.  Her first night in the brothel, she apologized to the men who came to her saying that they should wait a few days until an infectious sore healed.  During these days of respite, she prayed for deliverance.

A young man named Magistrianus came to her aid by paying for the night with her, then dressing her in his own clothes so that she could sneak out.  When the fraud was discovered in the morning, he was delivered to be devoured by wild beasts.

The Eighth Act: of the wild asses

Thomas departed the city in a chariot accompanied by the believing captain.  In humility the captain sat not with the apostle but with the driver, until Thomas insisted that he leave the driver in peace.

The horses that pulled their chariot soon grew tired, and the captain offered to run ahead and find other horses.  The apostle told him to instead approach a nearby herd of asses and tell them, “Judas Thomas the apostle of Christ the new God saith unto you: Let four of you come, of whom we have need.” (8.69)

Of the Virgin and the Martyr Colluthus

Palladius writes of an elderly nun who, though she dwelt near him, he had never seen outdoors.  As she neared the end of her life, the martyr Colluthus appeared to her and advised her to make ready.  So she brought food, went to the martyrium, and waited until she was alone.  She then asked Saint Colluthus to bless the food for her travel, and with his prayers to accompany her journey.  After eating and praying, the virgin returned to the monastery and gave her abbess the Book of Clement and a commentary of Amos the prophet.  She asked that these books be delivered to the exiled Bishop of Alexandria, and that his prayer be entreated.  Having done this, the old virgin died peacefully in her sleep.

 

Tags: desert fathers, palladius of galatia, lausiac history, martyr colluthus, alexandria, prayer, book of clement, death, amos, monasticism

Homily 34

Acts 15:35 – 16:12

Paul and Barnabas also remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.

Then after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us now go back and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they are doing.”