ST METHODIUS, BISHOP OF OLYMPUS - 18 SEPTEMBER

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN SEPTEMBER

Saints celebrated on the 18th of September

Prayer to the Angels and the Saints

Heavenly Father, in praising Your Angels and Saints we praise Your glory, for by honouring them we honour You, their Creator. Their splendour shows us Your greatness, which infinitely surpasses that of all creation.

In Your loving providence, You saw fit to send Your Angels to watch over us. Grant that we may always be under their protection and one day enjoy their company in heaven.

Heavenly Father, You are glorified in Your Saints, for their glory is the crowning of Your gifts. You provide an example for us by their lives on earth, You give us their friendship by our communion with them, You grant us strength and protection through their prayer for the Church, and You spur us on to victory over evil and the prize of eternal glory by this great company of witnesses.

Grant that we who aspire to take part in their joy may be filled with the Spirit that blessed their lives, so that, after sharing their faith on earth, we may also experience their peace in heaven. Amen.

ST METHODIUS, BISHOP OF OLYMPUS 

One of the saints remembered by the Church on September 18, is St Methodius of Olympus. He was born in the third century and became the Bishop of Olympus, present day Turkey. He is well known as a theologian who defended the Church teaching against heresies that were taking hold at that time. 

HE PARTICULARLY OPPOSED THE TEACHING OF ORIGEN

St Methodius particularly opposed the teaching of Origen which taught that: there is an inequality among the divine persons; that humans' souls existed before Adam; that Christ's soul thus pre-existed; that there will be nothing material about the body after the resurrection; that there is no eternal punishment. 

When opposing the teaching of Origen, which he did vigorously, he always treated Origen with respect and from a position of humility. 

PRESERVING BOTH TRUTH AND PEACE

St Methodius gives us a wonderful example of how we should deal with those we disagree with, giving them respect, giving honour to them in humility and thus preserving both truth and peace. St Methodius died around the year 311.

HE HAS LEFT US MANY WRITINGS

St Methodius left us many writings. Here are some of his words. They are from an early liturgical hymn. The story is of ten virgins escorting Christ, the Bridegroom, and His Queen, the Church, in a marriage procession:

'From on high, there has come, O virgins, 

the sound of the cry that wakes the dead, 

bidding us togo to meet 

the Bridegroom in the east with all speed 

in white robes and with our lamps. 

Awake, before the King enters within the gates. 

Flying from the riches of mortals 

that bring only wealth of sorrow, 

from love, from the delights 

and pleasures of this life, I desire 

to be sheltered in your life-giving arms 

and to gaze forever on your beauty, Blessed One.

Chanting the new strain, 

our virgin choir escorts you, 

our Queen, to heaven, bathed in light. 

And garlanded with white lily cups, 

we bear in our hands light-bearing flames.

O Blessed One, who dwells in heaven's pure seat 

from all eternity, 

and governs all with everlasting sway, 

behold, we have come! 

Receive us too, O Father, 

with your Servant, within the gates of life.' 

(Spiritual Thought From Father Chris, 9/2021 - 🎨 Martyrdom of Methodius, 17th-century fresco)