The Prologue from Ohrid: Lives of Saints by Saint Nikolai Velimirovič for Old Calendar date March 14, and New Calendar date March 27.
1. THE VENERABLE BENEDICT
Benedict was born in Nursia [Norcia] a province in Italy, in the year 480 A.D., of wealthy and distinguished parents. He did not remain long in school for he alone saw that because of lack of knowledge one can lose "the great understanding of his soul." He left school "an unlearned wise man and an understanding fool." He retreated to a monastery where he was tonsured by the monk Romanus after which he withdrew to a steep mountain where he remained in a cave for more than three years in a great struggle over his soul. Romanus brought him bread and lowered it down the steep mountain on a rope to the opening of the cave. When Benedict became known in the vicinity and in order to retreat from the glory of man, he withdrew from this cave. He was merciless toward himself. Once, when an unclean and raging passion of the flesh seized him, he removed all his clothes and rolled around naked in the thorns until he repelled every thought of a woman. God endowed him with many spiritual gifts: he discerned thoughts; he healed; he expelled evil spirits; he raised the dead; he appeared to some openly; and to others who were distant, he appeared in dreams. At one time, Benedict perceived that the glass of wine served to him was poisoned. When he made the sign of the cross over it, the glass burst. In the beginning he established twelve monasteries and in all of them, he placed twelve monks each. Later on, he founded the special order of the Benedictines which exists even today in the Roman Church. On the sixth day before his death, he ordered that his grave which had been prepared earlier be opened for the saint foresaw that his end was near. He assembled all the monks, counseled them and then gave up his soul to the Lord whom he had faithfully served in poverty and in purity. Scholastica, his sister by birth, lived in a convent and looking up to her brother, she greatly mortified herself and reached a high state of spiritual perfection. When St. Benedict gave up his soul, two monks, one traveling on the road and one at prayer in a far away cell, simultaneously saw the same vision. They saw a path extending from earth to heaven, covered with a precious woven fiber and illuminated on both sides by rows of men. At the head of the path, there stood a man of indescribable beauty and light who said to them that this path was prepared for Benedict, favored by God. As a result of this vision, these two brothers learned that their good abbot departed from this world. He died peacefully in the year 543 A.D. and entered into the eternal Kingdom of Christ the King.
2. SAINT EUSCHEMON, BISHOP OF LAMPSACUS
At the time of the Iconoclastic controversy Euschemon endured persecution and imprisonment. He died during the reign of Emperor Theophilus, the Iconoclast (829-842 A.D.).
3. SAINT THEOGNOSTUS
Theognostus was Metropolitan of Kiev. He was a Greek by origin and a successor to St. Peter of Kiev. He suffered much from the Mongol hordes, especially at the hands of Janibeg Khan. Theognostus was slandered by his own Russian people before the Mongolian emperor because he did not render the emperor any tribute for his episcopal rank. When the emperor summoned and questioned him concerning this, Theognostus replied: "Christ our God has redeemed this Church from paganism by His Precious Blood. For what and on what should I pay tribute to the pagans?" In the end he was released and returned home. He governed the Church for twenty-five years. He died to the Lord in the year 1353 A.D.
HYMN OF PRAISE
SAINT BENEDICT
Benedict, a mighty-miracle-worker, was he,
A tearful devout person and a companion dear.
Led by the Spirit of God, by faith was correct,
A loving leader, mighty, resolute and humble.
Placid was his novice young;
Once, rising early, to the water Placid, he went,
At that moment holy father [Benedict] prayed to God,
But at once, his spirit perceived in the distance:
Behold, the brook suddenly rose, tumbling stones;
Placid already in death, tosses in the torrent,
The brook seized him and with him was toying,
The saint heard a scream, his own name he heard.
There, faith is necessary, but also pursuit,
Quickly, the Elder, Maurus the monk he sent.
Maurus, with a hurried leap, in the water jumped,
On the water as on a road, to Placid he rushed
And Maurus unaware, that on the water he was walking,
[The] prayers of the saint upheld him on the surface.
When Maurus and Placid to the elder came,
Kissed the elder's hand and Placid sobbed:
I saw you, O elder, above my head,
When my heart was overly-filled with dread
By the hairs you grabbed me and above the water lifted me
Until, in that moment, Maurus to my assistance came!
Through the prayers of Holy Father Benedict,
God, also proclaimed Maurus as a miracle-worker.
REFLECTION
We can hardly find a better example as to how we should not become lazy and how we should not procrastinate in prayer and in work for tomorrow's day than by this example which is given to us by St. Ephrem the Syrian. "Once a brother was inspired by the devil to think: Give yourself rest today and tomorrow rise for vigil." But he answered the thought, "Who knows, perhaps, I will not even get up tomorrow, that is why I need to rise today." Before work, he was also inspired with this thought, "Give yourself rest today and complete your work tomorrow." And again he responded, "No, I will complete my work today and about tomorrow's day, the Lord will take care of it." St. Anthony teaches, " Before the closing of each day, arrange your life as though this is your last day on earth and you will protect yourself from sins."
CONTEMPLATION
To contemplate the Lord Jesus before Pilate:
1. How the Lord is silent before Pilate;
2. How Judas, at that time, threw the pieces of silver into the Temple and hanged himself;
3. And again, how Pilate questions and the Lord is silent.
HOMILY
About Christ's prophecy concerning His Glory
"From now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming on the clouds of heaven" (St. Matthew 26:64).
He who does not see God as the merciful Samaritan on earth will see Him as the Dreadful Judge in Heaven. So blinded were the leaders of the Jews that they were unable to see in Christ the Lord neither God, nor the Messiah, nor a Prophet, nor even a simple good man. They placed Him beneath ordinary good people. Not only that, they placed Him even lower than the thieves. They released Barabas and they condemned Christ! In general, they did not even consider Christ a man. They spit upon Him; they mocked Him; they made a masquerade of Him, as some cheap and unneeded thing. Exactly at that moment when the Jews maliciously played with Christ as some cheap and unneeded thing, the Lord suddenly opened His mouth and spoke, "From now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming on the clouds of Heaven." What a distance there is between what Christ is in truth and that which the Jews held Him to be!
The Son of Man, Who sits on the right hand of Power, is the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, Who was seen as such soon after that by the Holy Arch-Deacon Stephen and many many others. The Son of Man Who comes on the clouds with angels and countless numbers of powers and heavenly hosts is again that same Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, as He was seen in His Revelation, written by St. John, the Theologian and Evangelist.
O my brethren, do not be misled by deluding and illusionary tales of those men who speak, "When we see Christ in the Heavens as God, then we will believe in Him." That faith will be a little too late, and in vain will that vision be. With our faith we must see Christ as God in that humiliated, spat upon, beaten, bloodied, and ridiculed man; in that silent and condemned One in the court of Caiaphas Whom the Jews considered as something cheap and unneeded and Whom they turned into a masquerade. This is the Faith that is valued in the heavens. This is the Faith that is rewarded by resurrection and immortality. This is the Faith which, until now, nurtured and transplanted to heaven numerous armies of the holiest souls, of the strongest characters, the most forbearing heroes and the most illustrious minds. O humiliated Lord, raise us up to this Faith.
To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.
1. THE VENERABLE BENEDICT
Benedict was born in Nursia [Norcia] a province in Italy, in the year 480 A.D., of wealthy and distinguished parents. He did not remain long in school for he alone saw that because of lack of knowledge one can lose "the great understanding of his soul." He left school "an unlearned wise man and an understanding fool." He retreated to a monastery where he was tonsured by the monk Romanus after which he withdrew to a steep mountain where he remained in a cave for more than three years in a great struggle over his soul. Romanus brought him bread and lowered it down the steep mountain on a rope to the opening of the cave. When Benedict became known in the vicinity and in order to retreat from the glory of man, he withdrew from this cave. He was merciless toward himself. Once, when an unclean and raging passion of the flesh seized him, he removed all his clothes and rolled around naked in the thorns until he repelled every thought of a woman. God endowed him with many spiritual gifts: he discerned thoughts; he healed; he expelled evil spirits; he raised the dead; he appeared to some openly; and to others who were distant, he appeared in dreams. At one time, Benedict perceived that the glass of wine served to him was poisoned. When he made the sign of the cross over it, the glass burst. In the beginning he established twelve monasteries and in all of them, he placed twelve monks each. Later on, he founded the special order of the Benedictines which exists even today in the Roman Church. On the sixth day before his death, he ordered that his grave which had been prepared earlier be opened for the saint foresaw that his end was near. He assembled all the monks, counseled them and then gave up his soul to the Lord whom he had faithfully served in poverty and in purity. Scholastica, his sister by birth, lived in a convent and looking up to her brother, she greatly mortified herself and reached a high state of spiritual perfection. When St. Benedict gave up his soul, two monks, one traveling on the road and one at prayer in a far away cell, simultaneously saw the same vision. They saw a path extending from earth to heaven, covered with a precious woven fiber and illuminated on both sides by rows of men. At the head of the path, there stood a man of indescribable beauty and light who said to them that this path was prepared for Benedict, favored by God. As a result of this vision, these two brothers learned that their good abbot departed from this world. He died peacefully in the year 543 A.D. and entered into the eternal Kingdom of Christ the King.
2. SAINT EUSCHEMON, BISHOP OF LAMPSACUS
At the time of the Iconoclastic controversy Euschemon endured persecution and imprisonment. He died during the reign of Emperor Theophilus, the Iconoclast (829-842 A.D.).
3. SAINT THEOGNOSTUS
Theognostus was Metropolitan of Kiev. He was a Greek by origin and a successor to St. Peter of Kiev. He suffered much from the Mongol hordes, especially at the hands of Janibeg Khan. Theognostus was slandered by his own Russian people before the Mongolian emperor because he did not render the emperor any tribute for his episcopal rank. When the emperor summoned and questioned him concerning this, Theognostus replied: "Christ our God has redeemed this Church from paganism by His Precious Blood. For what and on what should I pay tribute to the pagans?" In the end he was released and returned home. He governed the Church for twenty-five years. He died to the Lord in the year 1353 A.D.
HYMN OF PRAISE
SAINT BENEDICT
Benedict, a mighty-miracle-worker, was he,
A tearful devout person and a companion dear.
Led by the Spirit of God, by faith was correct,
A loving leader, mighty, resolute and humble.
Placid was his novice young;
Once, rising early, to the water Placid, he went,
At that moment holy father [Benedict] prayed to God,
But at once, his spirit perceived in the distance:
Behold, the brook suddenly rose, tumbling stones;
Placid already in death, tosses in the torrent,
The brook seized him and with him was toying,
The saint heard a scream, his own name he heard.
There, faith is necessary, but also pursuit,
Quickly, the Elder, Maurus the monk he sent.
Maurus, with a hurried leap, in the water jumped,
On the water as on a road, to Placid he rushed
And Maurus unaware, that on the water he was walking,
[The] prayers of the saint upheld him on the surface.
When Maurus and Placid to the elder came,
Kissed the elder's hand and Placid sobbed:
I saw you, O elder, above my head,
When my heart was overly-filled with dread
By the hairs you grabbed me and above the water lifted me
Until, in that moment, Maurus to my assistance came!
Through the prayers of Holy Father Benedict,
God, also proclaimed Maurus as a miracle-worker.
REFLECTION
We can hardly find a better example as to how we should not become lazy and how we should not procrastinate in prayer and in work for tomorrow's day than by this example which is given to us by St. Ephrem the Syrian. "Once a brother was inspired by the devil to think: Give yourself rest today and tomorrow rise for vigil." But he answered the thought, "Who knows, perhaps, I will not even get up tomorrow, that is why I need to rise today." Before work, he was also inspired with this thought, "Give yourself rest today and complete your work tomorrow." And again he responded, "No, I will complete my work today and about tomorrow's day, the Lord will take care of it." St. Anthony teaches, " Before the closing of each day, arrange your life as though this is your last day on earth and you will protect yourself from sins."
CONTEMPLATION
To contemplate the Lord Jesus before Pilate:
1. How the Lord is silent before Pilate;
2. How Judas, at that time, threw the pieces of silver into the Temple and hanged himself;
3. And again, how Pilate questions and the Lord is silent.
HOMILY
About Christ's prophecy concerning His Glory
"From now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming on the clouds of heaven" (St. Matthew 26:64).
He who does not see God as the merciful Samaritan on earth will see Him as the Dreadful Judge in Heaven. So blinded were the leaders of the Jews that they were unable to see in Christ the Lord neither God, nor the Messiah, nor a Prophet, nor even a simple good man. They placed Him beneath ordinary good people. Not only that, they placed Him even lower than the thieves. They released Barabas and they condemned Christ! In general, they did not even consider Christ a man. They spit upon Him; they mocked Him; they made a masquerade of Him, as some cheap and unneeded thing. Exactly at that moment when the Jews maliciously played with Christ as some cheap and unneeded thing, the Lord suddenly opened His mouth and spoke, "From now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming on the clouds of Heaven." What a distance there is between what Christ is in truth and that which the Jews held Him to be!
The Son of Man, Who sits on the right hand of Power, is the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, Who was seen as such soon after that by the Holy Arch-Deacon Stephen and many many others. The Son of Man Who comes on the clouds with angels and countless numbers of powers and heavenly hosts is again that same Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, as He was seen in His Revelation, written by St. John, the Theologian and Evangelist.
O my brethren, do not be misled by deluding and illusionary tales of those men who speak, "When we see Christ in the Heavens as God, then we will believe in Him." That faith will be a little too late, and in vain will that vision be. With our faith we must see Christ as God in that humiliated, spat upon, beaten, bloodied, and ridiculed man; in that silent and condemned One in the court of Caiaphas Whom the Jews considered as something cheap and unneeded and Whom they turned into a masquerade. This is the Faith that is valued in the heavens. This is the Faith that is rewarded by resurrection and immortality. This is the Faith which, until now, nurtured and transplanted to heaven numerous armies of the holiest souls, of the strongest characters, the most forbearing heroes and the most illustrious minds. O humiliated Lord, raise us up to this Faith.
To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.
+ + +
Охридски пролог
Свети Николај Велимировић Жички.
Охридски пролог
Свети Николај Велимировић Жички.
14. МАРТ (стари) или 27. МАРТ (нови календар)
1. Преподобни Бенедикт. Рођен у Нурсијској области у Италији 480. године, од родитеља богатих и знаменитих. У школи се не задржа дуго, јер сам увиде да због књижног учења може изубити „велики разум душе своје.” И изиђе из школе „ненаучен мудрац и разуман незналац.” Побегне у неки манастир, где га инок Роман замонаши, после чега повуче се у једну врлетну гору, где у пећини оста преко 3 године на великом труду око своје душе. Роман му доношаше хлеба и спушташе са врлетне стене на канапу до пред пећину. Кад се прочу по околини, он, да би избегао славу од људи, удаљи се из те пећине. Беше према себи врло суров. Једном кад га нечисти бес телесне похоти спопаде, он се скиде наг и ваљаше по коприви и трњу, док не одстрани од себе и сваку помисао о жени. Обдари га Бог многим даровима духовним: прозираше, исцељиваше, изгоњаше зле духове, васкрсаваше мртве, јављаше се другима и на јави и на даљини у сну. Један пут прозре, да му је наслужена чаша вина с отровом. Он прекрсти чашу, и чаша прште. Основао 12 манастира, у свакоме у почетку по 12 монаха. Доцније се створио нарочити ред бенедиктинаца, који и данас постоји у римској цркви. На шест дана пред смрт он нареди да се отвори његов гроб, раније припремљени, јер светитељ прозре да му је крај близу. Сабра све монахе, посаветова их и предаде дух свој Господу, коме је верно послужио у сиромаштини и чистоти. Његова рођена сестра, Схоластика, живела је у једном женском манастиру, па угледајући се на брата свога и сама се много подвизавала и дошла до великог духовног савршенства. Када свети Бенедикт испусти душу своју, два монаха, један на путу а други опет у некој удаљеној ћелији на молитви, видеше истовремено исту визију: пут од земље до небеса застрт скупоценим тканинама и осветљен по странама редовима људи; на врху тога пута стајаше неки човек неописане красоте и светлости, који им рече, да је тај пут спремљен за Бенедикта, Богу омиљенога. По тој визији та два брата сазнадоше, да је њихов добри игуман отишао из овога света. Скончао мирно 543. године и преселио се у вечно царство Христа Цара.
2. Свети Евсхимон, епископ лампсакијски.У време иконоборачко трпео гоњење и тамновање. Упокојио се у време цара Теофила иконоборца (829–842. године).
3. Свети Теогност, митрополит кијевски. Грк по пореклу и прејемник светог Петра Кијевског. Страдао много у монголској хорди од Xинибека. Јер беше оклеветан код монголског цара од својих људи, Руса, како не плаћа цару никакав данак на свој чин. Кад га цар дозва и упита о том он рече: „Христос Бог наш искупио је цркву Своју од незнабожаца чесном крвљу Својом.” На што сад плаћати данак незнабошцима? Најзад се некако ослободи и поврати дома. Управљао црквом 25 година. Упокојио се у Господу 1353. године.
Бенедикт бејаше чудотворац силан,
Богомољац плачан и садрут умилан.
Духом Божјим вођен, вером правоверан
Вођ љубазан, крепак, одлучан и смеран.
Плакида му беше послушник млађани;
Па Плакида једном на воду урани.
Свети отац у том Богу се мољаше,
Но на једном дух му даљину смотраше:
Гле, поток надошо, камење котрља,
Плакида већ у смрт у бујицу срља,
Зграбио га поток, па се игра њиме,
Чује светац јаук, чује своје име.
Ту је нужна вера али и потера,
Брзо старац шаље Мавра калуђера.
Мавро хитним скоком у поток ускочи,
Водом као друмом Плакиди прискочи,
И не знаде Мавро да водом хођаше,
Свечева молитва врхом га држаше.
Кад стигоше старцу Мавро и Плакида
Љубе старцу руке а Плакид зарида
— Видех тебе, старче, изнад моје главе,
Кад ми срце беше препуњено страве,
За власи ме узе и над воду диже,
Докле у том Мавро у помоћ ми стиже! —
Молитвама светог Бенедикта оца
Бог и Мавра јави као чудотворца.
РАСУЂИВАЊЕ
Тешко можемо наћи бољу поуку о томе како не треба да се ленимо и да одлажемо молитву и посао за сутрашњи дан него што нам је даје свети Јефрем Сирин овим примером: „Једноме брату внушена је (од врага) помисао: данас дај себи одмор, а сутра устај на бдење!” Но он одговори помислу: „Ко зна, можда сутра не ћу ни устати, зато треба да устанем данас.” — Тако и при послу внушена му је помисао: дај себи одмора данас, па сутра поради! Он опет одговори: „Не, него ја ћу данас да порадим, а о сутрашњем дану брине се Господ.” А свети Антоније учи: „При расвитку свакога дана подешавај живот свој тако, као да ти је тај дан последњи на земљи, а сачуваћеш се од греха.”
СОЗЕРЦАЊЕ
Да созерцавам Господа Исуса пред Пилатом, и то:
1. како Господ ћути пред Пилатом;
2. како Јуда у то време баца сребрнике у цркви и веша самог себе;
3. и опет како Пилат пита, а Господ ћути.
БЕСЕДА
о Христовом пророчанству славе Своје
Одселе ћете видјети сина човечјега гдје сједи с десне стране силе и иде на облацима небескијем (По Матеју 26, 64).
Ко не ће да види Бога као милостивог Самарјанина на земљи, видеће Га као Страшног Судију на небу. Толико су заслепљени били главари јеврејски, да у Христу Господу нису могли видети не само Бога, нити Месију, нити Пророка, него ни обичног доброг човека. Они га стављаху испод обичних добрих људи. Па не само то: него га стављаху ниже и од разбојника. Они Вараву ослободише а Христа осудише! Они Христа у опште ни за човека не сматраху:они га пљуваху, исмеваху, правише са Њиме маскараду, као са неком ствари јевтином и непотребном. Но баш у часу кад се Јевреји злобно играху Христом као неком јевтином и непотребном ствари, заћутали Господ на један пут отвори уста и проговори: одселе ћете видјети сина човечјега гдје сједи с десне стране силе и иде на облацима небескијем! Колика раздаљина између онога што Христос у истини јесте и онога за што Га Јевреји држаху!
Син човечји који седи с десне стране силе јесте Син Божји Господ наш Исус Христос, као што Га је ускоро по том видео свети архиђакон Стефан и многи, многи други. Син човечји који иде на облацима од ангела и безбројних сила и војинстава небеских јесте опет тај исти Син Божји Господ наш Исус Христос, као што га је видео и у своме Откровењу описао свети Јован Богослов и Јеванђелист.
О браћо моја, не заводите се обмањивим причама оних људи који говоре:кад будемо видели Христа на небу као Бога, онда ћемо Га и веровати! Доцкан ће та вера бити, и узалудно то виђење. Ми треба вером нашом да видимо Христа као Бога у ономе пониженом и попљуваном и изубијаном и искрвављеном и исмејаном човеку у двору Кајафином; у ономе ћутљивом осуђенику, кога су Јевреји сматрали за ствар јевтину и непотребну и с којим су правили маскараде. То је вера, која се цени на небесима. То је вера која се награђује васкрсењем и бесмрћем. То је вера, која је до сада однеговала и на небо пресадила читаве војске најсветијих душа, најмоћнијих карактера, најиздржљивијих јунака и најсветлијих умова.
Господе понижени, узвиси нас до ове вере. Теби слава и хвала вавек. Амин.
Свети Николај ВелимировићSaint Nikolai Velimirovič
