Latest / Saints and Scripture / Saint Macarius the Roman and Apostle James, the Brother of the Lord
Transcript
- 0:00SPEAKER_00: Welcome to the Saints in Scripture Podcast.
- 0:02SPEAKER_00: Today is Friday, october twenty third, twenty twenty six.
- 0:06SPEAKER_00: Today we remember two saints, Saint Macarius the Roman of Mesopotamia and the Holy Apostle James, the brother of the Lord.
- 0:14SPEAKER_00: Saint Macarius lived as a holy ascetic in a cave.
- 0:18SPEAKER_00: One day three monks from the monastery of Saint Asclepius in Mesopotamia, Sergius, Hyginos, and Theophilos, found his cave.
- 0:28SPEAKER_00: They had left their monastery to wander and seek a sign from God for their salvation.
- 0:33SPEAKER_00: As they approached, they noticed a wonderful fragrance coming from the cave.
- 0:37SPEAKER_00: An old man appeared, covered only by his hair and a beard that reached his knees.
- 0:42SPEAKER_00: He fell to the ground and stayed there for several minutes, making sure the three monks were not demons.
- 0:48SPEAKER_00: When he was sure, he invited them into his cave.
- 0:52SPEAKER_00: Saint Macarius shared his story.
- 0:54SPEAKER_00: He was born in Rome, the son of a wealthy senator named John.
- 0:58SPEAKER_00: His parents arranged a marriage for him, but he did not want to marry.
- 1:03SPEAKER_00: After the wedding celebration, instead of going to the bridal chamber, he fled to a pious widow's home.
- 1:08SPEAKER_00: There he spent seven days secretly weeping and praying for help.
- 1:12SPEAKER_00: When he left he met a well dressed old man who told him to follow him.
- 1:16SPEAKER_00: Macarius followed this man for three years until they came to a cave.
- 1:20SPEAKER_00: Then the man vanished.
- 1:21SPEAKER_00: Later the man appeared to Macarius in a dream and said he was the archangel Raphael, who had guided Tobias in the scriptures.
- 1:30SPEAKER_00: The archangel told Macarius he was now under God's mercy.
- 1:34SPEAKER_00: Soon after moving into the cave, Macarius saw a beautiful young woman who said she had also fled an unwanted marriage in Rome.
- 1:42SPEAKER_00: Despite his caution, Macarius allowed her to stay the night.
- 1:46SPEAKER_00: He was tempted and sinned with her.
- 1:48SPEAKER_00: Then she disappeared, and the devil rejoiced because he had led Macarius into sin.
- 1:53SPEAKER_00: Realizing his fall, Macarius wept and decided to leave the cave to find another place for penance.
- 1:59SPEAKER_00: On the way, the archangel Raphael, appeared again and told him to return.
- 2:04SPEAKER_00: God would hear his prayers if he stayed.
- 2:07SPEAKER_00: So Macarius returned and lived in severe fasting, prayer, and self denial for many years to restore his soul's purity.
- 2:15SPEAKER_00: After telling his story, Macarius sent the three monks on their way.
- 2:19SPEAKER_00: Though his sin was great, his repentance was greater.
- 2:23SPEAKER_00: He died peacefully, surrounded by angels and saints.
- 2:26SPEAKER_00: His death likely happened at the end of the fourth century or the beginning of the fifth.
- 2:31SPEAKER_00: Now we turn to the holy apostle James, the brother of the Lord.
- 2:35SPEAKER_00: He was the son of the righteous Joseph before Joseph was betrothed to the most holy Theotokos.
- 2:41SPEAKER_00: Tradition says Joseph had other sons with his first wife, so James was called the Lord's brother.
- 2:47SPEAKER_00: James was a Nazarite, meaning he was consecrated to God for a time.
- 2:51SPEAKER_00: Nazarites avoided wine, did not cut their hair, and stayed away from corpses.
- 2:57SPEAKER_00: When Jesus began his ministry, James believed in him and became his apostle.
- 3:02SPEAKER_00: Later James was chosen as the first bishop of Jerusalem.
- 3:06SPEAKER_00: He led the council of Jerusalem where his word was decisive.
- 3:10SPEAKER_00: For about thirty years, James converted many Jews to Christianity.
- 3:15SPEAKER_00: This angered the Pharisees and scribes who plotted to kill him.
- 3:19SPEAKER_00: They brought James to the top of the Jerusalem temple and asked him what he thought of Jesus.
- 3:24SPEAKER_00: James boldly said, Christ is the Messiah.
- 3:27SPEAKER_00: The leaders were enraged and threw him off the roof, he did not die immediately.
- 3:32SPEAKER_00: While they stoned him, James prayed for his enemies.
- 3:36SPEAKER_00: He was martyred around sixty three AD.
- 3:39SPEAKER_00: Saint James also composed a divine liturgy that influenced the liturgies of Saints Basil and John Chrysostom.
- 3:47SPEAKER_00: The Church preserves his epistle in the New Testament.
- 3:50SPEAKER_00: In it he advises us to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger.
- 3:56SPEAKER_00: He also tells us to be doers of the word, not just hearers.
- 4:01SPEAKER_00: In eighteen fifty three, a portion of Saint James's relics was sent to Moscow by Patriarch Hierothios of Alexandria.
- 4:09SPEAKER_00: The Church distinguishes this Saint James from others with the same name, including James the son of Zebedee and James the son of Alphaeus.
- 4:18SPEAKER_00: We remember Saint James the Apostle also on the Sunday after the Nativity, along with the prophet King David and Saint Joseph the Betrothed.
- 4:27SPEAKER_00: May the examples of Saint Macarius and Apostle James inspire us to repentance, faith, and steadfastness in Christ.
- 4:34SPEAKER_00: Let us pray.
- 4:36SPEAKER_00: Lord help us to follow the example of Saint Macarius, who repented and sought your mercy.
- 4:41SPEAKER_00: Give us the courage of Apostle James to witness boldly to your truth.
- 4:46SPEAKER_00: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, one God.
- 4:51SPEAKER_00: Amen.
- 4:52SPEAKER_00: Lord help us to follow the example of Saint Macarius, who repented and sought your mercy.
- 4:58SPEAKER_00: Give us the courage of Apostle James to witness boldly to your truth.
- 5:03SPEAKER_00: In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, one God.
- 5:07SPEAKER_00: Amen.