Saint John of Damascus was born about the year 680 at Damascus, Syria into a Christian family. His father, Sergius Mansur, was a treasurer at the court of the Caliph. John had also a foster brother, the orphaned child Cosmas (October 14), whom Sergius had taken into his own home. When the children were growing up, Sergius saw that they received a good education. At the Damascus slave market he ransomed the learned monk Cosmas of Calabria from captivity and entrusted to him the teaching of his children. The boys displayed uncommon ability and readily mastered their courses of the secular and spiritual sciences. After the death of his father, John occupied ministerial posts at court and became the city prefect.
In Constantinople at that time, the heresy of Iconoclasm had arisen and quickly spread, supported by the emperor Leo III the Isaurian (717-741). Rising up in defense of the Orthodox veneration of icons [Iconodoulia], Saint John wrote three treatises entitled, “Against Those who Revile the Holy Icons.” The wise and God-inspired writings of Saint John enraged the emperor. But since the author was not a Byzantine subject, the emperor was unable to lock him up in prison, or to execute him. The emperor then resorted to slander. A forged letter to the emperor was produced, supposedly from John, in which the Damascus official was supposed to have offered his help to Leo in conquering the Syrian capital.
This letter and another hypocritically flattering note were sent to the Saracen Caliph by Leo the Isaurian. The Caliph immediately ordered that Saint John be removed from his post, that his right hand be cut off, and that he be led through the city in chains.
That same evening, they returned the severed hand to Saint John. The saint pressed it to his wrist and prayed to the Most Holy Theotokos to heal him so that he could defend the Orthodox Faith and write once again in praise of the Most Pure Virgin and Her Son. After a time, he fell asleep before the icon of the Mother of God. He heard Her voice telling him that he had been healed, and commanding him to toil unceasingly with his restored hand. Upon awakening, he found that his hand had been attached to his arm once more. Only a small red mark around his wrist remained as a sign of the miracle.
Later, in thanksgiving for being healed, Saint John had a silver model of his hand attached to the icon, which became known as “Of the Three Hands.” Some unlearned painters have given the Mother of God three hands instead of depicting the silver model of Saint John’s hand. The Icon “Of the Three Hands” is commemorated on June 28 and July 12.
When he learned of the miracle, which demonstrated John’s innocence, the Caliph asked his forgiveness and wanted to restore him to his former office, but the saint refused. He gave away his riches to the poor, and went to Jerusalem with his stepbrother and fellow-student, Cosmas. There he entered the monastery of Saint Savva the Sanctified as a simple novice.
It was not easy for him to find a spiritual guide, because all the monks were daunted by his great learning and by his former rank. Only one very experienced Elder, who had the skill to foster the spirit of obedience and humility in a student, would consent to do this. The Elder forbade John to do anything at all according to his own will. He also instructed him to offer to God all his labors and supplications as a perfect sacrifice, and to shed tears which would wash away the sins of his former life.
Once, he sent the novice to Damascus to sell baskets made at the monastery, and commanded him to sell them at a certain inflated price, far above their actual value. He undertook the long journey under the searing sun, dressed in rags. No one in the city recognized the former official of Damascus, for his appearance had been changed by prolonged fasting and ascetic labors. However, Saint John was recognized by his former house steward, who bought all the baskets at the asking price, showing compassion on him for his apparent poverty.
One of the monks happened to die, and his brother begged Saint John to compose something consoling for the burial service. Saint John refused for a long time, but out of pity he yielded to the petition of the grief-stricken monk, and wrote his renowned funeral troparia (“What earthly delight,” “All human vanity,” and others). For this disobedience the Elder banished him from his cell. John fell at his feet and asked to be forgiven, but the Elder remained unyielding. All the monks began to plead for him to allow John to return, but he refused. Then one of the monks asked the Elder to impose a penance on John, and to forgive him if he fulfilled it. The Elder said, “If John wishes to be forgiven, let him wash out all the chamber pots in the lavra, and clean the monastery latrines with his bare hands.”
John rejoiced and eagerly ran to accomplish his shameful task. After a certain while, the Elder was commanded in a vision by the All-Pure and Most Holy Theotokos to allow Saint John to write again. When the Patriarch of Jerusalem heard of Saint John, he ordained him priest and made him a preacher at his cathedral. But Saint John soon returned to the Lavra of Saint Savva, where he spent the rest of his life writing spiritual books and church hymns. He left the monastery only to denounce the iconoclasts at the Constantinople Council of 754. They subjected him to imprisonment and torture, but he endured everything, and through the mercy of God he remained alive. He died in about the year 780, more than 100 years old.
Saint John of Damascus was a theologian and a zealous defender of Orthodoxy. His most important book is the Fount of Knowledge. The third section of this work, “On the Orthodox Faith,” is a summary of Orthodox doctrine and a refutation of heresy. Since he was known as a hymnographer.
THE BREAD OF LIFE DEVOTIONAL
THANKS TO OUR LORD FOR SENDING HIS HOLY SPIRIT TO US.
“And I will pray to the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever.” (John 14:16).
Thankfully, we are not left alone in our struggle in this evil world. Jesus told His disciples that He will give us the Holy Spirit as our helper, teacher, and guide in all things. His presence in us will guide us in our daily lives, helps us to follow Christ authentically and gaining the power to resist the devil and his temptations. He helps us to be virtues toward others that are well beyond our natural human characteristics. And He helps us to demonstrate our love for God by obeying Him and following His commandments, which cultivates a healthy and robust harvest of precious spiritual fruit.
“When you sit down to eat, pray. When you eat bread, do so thanking Him for being so generous to you. When you dress, thank Him for His kindness in providing you with clothes. When you look at the sky and the beauty of the stars, throw yourself at God’s feet and adore Him who in His wisdom has arranged things in this way. Similarly, when the sun goes down and when it rises, when you are asleep or awake, give thanks to God, who created and arranged all things for your benefit, to have you know, love, and praise their Creator.”
WHAT EXACTLY ARE WE FREE FROM WHEN WE ARE IN CHRIST?
Jesus Christ came to our world having a flesh like ours to free us from the “law of sin and death.” St Paul in his epistle to the Romans chapter eight explained it clearly “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1-2). He also stated this law in chapter six, “For the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23). We are spiritually dead if we continue sinning. He made it so clear for us in Romans chapter eight so that we understand clearly why Jesus came to us. He came to set us free from the slavery of sin and death. So we must no longer have to fear death because we are now free from bondage to sin(1 Corinthians 15:55)!
Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin” (John 8:34). We must know that when we continue sinning and obeying the devil’s will in our life, he, the devil, will have a grip on our will and he will enslave us. Sin can become more powerful than our will to resist it. We will be slaves to him. St. Paul has pointed us to the solution to how to be free from the power of sin, “For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be rendered powerless, that we should no longer be slaves to sin, because anyone who has died has been freed from sin” (Romans 6:6-7). When we do not obey the will of the flesh, and obey the will of Jesus, our Lord and Savior, submitting and surrendering our life and our will to Him; we will have His power over sin and we will be set free.
Thanks to our God Father’s salvation plan to all mankind.
People have been convinced that the Old and New Testaments were one book from the Age of the Apostles. The truth is that they were first gathered into one book in the year 1455 in the Gothenburg press in Germany and named the Holy Bible. They are two different books and two different covenants that differ in their theology. The Old Testament is based on Moses’ law, the law of sin and death, while the New Testament is based on Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and His law of the Spirit of life, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death”(Romans 8:2.) The priesthood has been changed too from Aaron to Christ, “For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law.” (HEBREWS 7 :12). They only agree that God, the creator of the universe, is one and omnipotent, with the far big difference in understanding God’s image, nature, and even His commandments.
The comparison between the Two Testaments is obvious and evident in the New Testament. First, in the Gospel of John, chapter one, verse seventeen, we read,”For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” Second, in verse eighteen of the same chapter, we read,”No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.” Third, In chapter seven, verse thirty-nine, we read, “…for the Holy Spirit was not yet given (i.,e. to anyone), because Jesus was not yet glorified.” Fourth, in the Epistle to the Hebrews, chapter nine, verses eight, eleven and twelve, we read,”….. the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing……..”But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption,”(Hebrews 9:8,11,12.) These are simply the keys to the comparison between the Old Testament and Christ and His new covenant to humanity.
The New Testament offered to the whole world Christ’s salvation from the bondage of sin and death, the grace of adoption, and the gift of the new nature, which anyone can attain by accepting and uniting with Christ. Through Christ, we earn the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, the fullness of the truth, His eternal life, and the glorious liberty of the children of God,“ because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God,”(Romans 8:21).
St John Chrysostom Prayer for protection, (344-407 AD)
O Lord, accept me in penitence. O Lord, leave me not. O Lord, lead me not into temptation. O Lord, grant me good thoughts. O Lord, grant me the thought of confessing my sins. O Lord, grant me humility, chastity, and obedience. O Lord, grant me patience, courage, and meekness. O Lord, plant in me the root of all blessings, the fear of You in my heart. O Lord, grant me to love You with all my mind and soul, and always to do Your will. O Lord, protect me from certain people, and demons, and passions, and from every other harmful thing. O Lord, You know that You act as You will; may Your will be also in me, a sinner, for blessed art You forever. Amen.
We can perceive the word of God
only with the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit working in us
Glory to the Father, Son & the Holy Spirit
HEBREWS 2: 1-4
“Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?”
In this second chapter of the epistle to the Hebrews, St. Paul is drawing our attention that:
WE, before Christ our Savior has come to our world to save us,
DID BELIEVE in the words of the angels that had been said to us by the old prophets, which were proved true,
AND WE BELIEVED IN the old law of Moses which rewarded every transgression and disobedience with the right punishment
HOW MUCH MORE WE NEED TO
GIVE THE EARNEST HEED
WHY?
AND DO WHAT?
WHICH IS DONE FOR US
BY WHOM?
WHICH
BY
1- Those who heard Him
& BY
2- GOD HIMSELF bearing witness
BOTH WITH
1- Signs and wonders,
2- Various miracles,
3- Gifts of the Holy Spirit,
ALL
According to His own will.
