Fifth Sunday of Lent; St Mary of Egypt

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

This Sunday we celebrate St. Mary of Egypt, and we also celebrate the Elder Zosimas, who was introduced to St. Mary and brought to repentance. This is the last Sunday where the Gospel is one of preparation. Next Sunday we have the Entrance into Jerusalem, or Palm Sunday, as we enter into the beautiful and somewhat demanding events of the crucifixion, burial, and resurrection of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ.

Let's begin here: the Elder Zosimas was born in 467, and at the age of two, he was weaned from his mother's breast and entered a monastery in Palestine. After 51 years of struggle, Father Zosimas, who was a priest-monk, had become a well-known spiritual father. At the age of 53, Father Zosimas fell into prelest, that is, delusion about himself, thinking that he was perfect in everything and needed no instruction from anyone.

The life of St. Mary of Egypt really shows the sin of pride on the one hand, into which the Elder Zosimas fell, and how it condemns us. And yet on the other hand, it shows the sin of a profligate life, where we live a life of the senses and sensuality, disregarding everything that God has given us.

The Elder Zosimas, as I said, became a popular spiritual father. At the age of 53, he fell into the delusion of prelest and began to think he was perfect in everything and needed no instruction from anyone, saying to himself mentally, "Is there a monk on earth who can be of use to me and show me a kind of asceticism that I have not accomplished? Is there a man to be found in the desert who has surpassed me?"

As he repeated and wallowed in this obviously very prideful question, an angel appeared to him and said, "Zosimas, valiantly you have struggled, as far as this is within the power of man, but there is no man who has attained perfection. Before you lie unknown struggles greater than those you have already accomplished. That you may know that there are many ways that lead to salvation, leave your native land like the renowned patriarch Abraham and go to the monastery on the River Jordan."

This was his instruction. And when he went there, the abbot greeted him and said, "Where do you come from, brother, and why have you come to us poor old men?" Zosimas replied, "I have come, father, seeking spiritual profit, for I have heard great things about your skill in leading souls to God." "Brother," the abbot said to him, "only God can heal the infirmity of the soul. May He teach you and us His divine ways and guide us."

The monastery he went to had a remarkable custom. At the beginning of Lent, they would celebrate Forgiveness Sunday, and after the Great Vespers, they would ask for forgiveness from one another, as we do to this day. Then they would take just a little bit of food and bread, leave the monastery, cross the River Jordan, and go into the desert. Each one would go in a different direction so they wouldn't encounter one another and be tempted to idle talk. In this way, they spent the whole of the fast and returned to the monastery on Palm Sunday.

Zosimas did the same as all, and he went far, far into the desert with a secret hope of finding some father living there who might be able to satisfy his thirst. I smile when I read this because the Elder Zosimas was a true zealot. He didn't just go into the desert; he went far, far into the desert. The fast was 40 days, so for 20 days, he walked deep, deep into the desert, hoping he would find a spiritual father. And yet he was very surprised.

When he met St. Mary in the desert, she knew Zosimas by his name, she knew that he was a priest, and she knew the monastery where he lived. When St. Mary prayed, she was elevated off the ground, and when she spoke, her words were the words of Holy Scripture. Imagine this woman who's obviously been in the desert for a very, very long time; when she prays, she rises up off the desert floor, she knows your name, and when she speaks, everything she says is from Holy Scripture.

She said, "I am ashamed, Abba, to speak to you of my disgraceful life. Forgive me for God's sake. But as you have already seen my naked body, I shall likewise lay bare before you my works, so that you may know with what shame and obscenity my soul is filled. I was not running away out of vanity, as you thought, for what have I to be proud of, I who was the chosen vessel of the devil? When I start my story, you will run from me as from a snake, for your ears will not be able to bear the vileness of my actions. But I shall tell you all, without hiding anything. I only implore you first of all to pray unceasingly for me, so that I may find mercy on the Day of Judgment."

St. Mary was born in Egypt in 445 and was baptized an Orthodox Christian. At the age of 12, she left her home, renounced the love of her parents, and went to the seaport city of Alexandria, where she spent 17 years living a life of sensual pleasure and debauchery. At the age of 29, Mary was brought by the Holy Spirit to Jerusalem for repentance. She began her confession to Zosimas:

"One summer I saw a large crowd of Libyans and Egyptians running towards the sea, and I asked one of them, 'Where are these men going?' He replied, 'They are all going to Jerusalem for the Exaltation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross, which takes place in a few days.' I said to him, 'Will they take me with them if I wish to go?' 'No one will hinder you if you have money to pay for the journey and for food.' I said to him, 'To tell you the truth, I have no money, neither have I food. But I shall go with them and get aboard, and they will feed me whether they want to or not. I have a body; they shall take it instead of payment for the journey.' I was suddenly filled with desire to go, Abba, to have more lovers who could satisfy my passion. I told you, Abba Zosimas, not to force me to tell you of my disgrace. God is my witness, I am afraid of defiling you and the very air with my words."

What's fascinating and incredibly important is the unlimited mercy and compassion of our God. What we see is that Mary went to Jerusalem, and she found repentance there. The mercy of our God allowed her to use the only thing she felt she had—her own body and her passions—and used this sinfulness to bring her to a place of repentance. For me, this is a window into the unbelievable mercy of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ.

"The day of the Holy Exaltation of the Cross came, and when the hour for the Holy Elevation approached, I was trying to make my way in where the life-giving tree of the Cross was being shown to the people. I was stopped by some force which prevented me from entering. I alone seemed to remain unaccepted by the church. It was as if there was a detachment of soldiers standing there to oppose my entrance. Having repeated my attempt three or four times, I began to understand the reason I was prevented from being admitted to see the life-giving Cross. The word of salvation gently touched the eyes of my heart and revealed to me that it was my unclean life which barred the entrance. I began to weep and lament, beating my breast and sighing from the depths of my heart.

"As I stood weeping, I saw above me the icon of the Most Holy Mother of God. Turning to her my bodily and spiritual eyes, I said, 'O Lady Mother of God who gave birth in the flesh to God the Word, I know, O how well I know, that it is no honor or praise to thee when one so impure and depraved as I looks upon thy icon, O ever-virgin Mary, who didst keep thy body and soul in purity. Rightly do I inspire hatred and disgust before thy virginal purity. I have heard that God who was born of thee became man on purpose to call sinners to repentance. Then help me, for I have no other help. Order the entrance of the church to be open to me. Allow me to venerate the tree on which He who was born of thee suffered in the flesh and on which He shed His holy blood for my redemption. And for me, unworthy as I am, be my faithful witness before thy Son that I will never again defile my body by the impurity of fornication. But as soon as I have seen the tree of the Cross, I will renounce the world and its temptations and will go wherever thou wilt lead me.'

"I went again and mingled with the crowd that was pushing its way into the temple. No one seemed to thwart me; no one hindered my entering. I was possessed with trembling and was almost in delirium. Having gotten as far as the doors which I could not reach before, as if the force which had hindered me now cleared the way, I entered without difficulty and found myself within the holy place. And so it was, I saw the life-giving Cross. I saw the mysteries of God and how the Lord accepts repentance. Throwing myself on the ground, I worshiped that holy earth and kissed it with trembling.

"Then I came out of the church and went to her who had promised to be my security. Bending my knees before the Virgin Mother of God, I addressed her, 'O loving lady, thou hast shown me thy great love for all men. Glory to God, who receives the repentance of sinners through thee. It is time for me, O lady, to fulfill my vow. Now lead me by the hand along the path of repentance.' At these words, I heard a voice from on high, 'If you cross the Jordan, you will find glorious rest.' Hearing this voice and having faith that it was for me, I cried to the Mother of God, 'O lady, do not forsake me.'"

Remember, this account is being given to Zosimas for his illumination and enlightenment, and he's receiving this in the middle of the desert.

"With these words, I left the porch of the church and set off. A stranger glanced at me and gave me three coins. Taking the money, I bought three loaves and took them with me. At sunset, I reached the church of St. John the Baptist on the Jordan and rinsed my face and hands in its holy waters. I partook of the Holy Mysteries in the church of the Forerunner and ate half of one of my loaves. After drinking some water from the Jordan, I lay down and passed the night on the ground. In the morning, I found a small boat and crossed to the opposite bank. I again prayed to Our Lady to lead me whither she wished. So then I found myself in this desert.

"Believe me, Abba, seventeen years I passed in this desert fighting the wild beasts of my mind, my mad desires and passions. When I was about to partake of food, I began to regret the meat and the fish of which I had so much in Egypt. I also regretted not having wine, which I loved so much. The mad desire for profligate songs also entered me and confused me greatly, egging me on to sing satanic songs. When such desires entered me, I struck myself on the breast and reminded myself of the vow I had made. In my thoughts, I returned to the icon of the Mother of God and to her I cried in prayer. I implored her to chase away the thoughts to which my miserable soul was succumbing. After weeping for a long time and beating my breast, I at last saw a light which seemed to shine on me from everywhere. After the violent storm, a lasting calm came upon me. Always I turned the eyes of my mind to my protectress, asking her to extend help.

"Thus I lived for seventeen years amid constant dangers. However, the temptations subsided, and from then until now, the Mother of God has helped me in everything and leads me, as it were, by the hand. After finishing the loaves I had, I have been fed and clothed by the all-powerful Word of God."

Mary's repentance is beyond words. She lived a life of debauchery for seventeen years, and here she found herself suffering for seventeen years, with the heat of the sun and the constant temptations of demons. What did she do? She always lifted up her eyes to the icon which she saw for only a short time but remembered in her mind. She ran out of food and says, "I am fed on the all-powerful Word of God." She received her bodily sustenance, not just spiritual sanctification, but bodily sustenance from the Word of God.

The Elder Zosimas, hearing that Mary quoted words of Scripture from Moses and Job, asked her, "And so you have read the Psalms and other books?" Mary answered, "Believe me, I have not seen a human face ever since I crossed the Jordan, except yours today. I never learned from books. I have never heard anyone who sang and read from them. But the Word of God, which is alive and active, by itself teaches a man knowledge."

This is a message to us. When we read the Holy Gospels, when we read the Word of God and hear the Psalms, we are receiving the knowledge of God's divinity, His mercies, His kindness, and the knowledge of salvation and resurrection.

At this point, the Elder Zosimas returned to the monastery. One year later, he went out into the desert. He was instructed to go to the bank of the River Jordan, and he brought communion to that place. She was on the other side of the river; she stepped on the water, walked across, and came to him and partook of the Holy Mysteries. Then she told him that the next year he was to stay at the monastery during Great Lent. Then, at the end of Lent, he was to come to her. When the next Lent came, Zosimas was sick and unable to leave the monastery. After Passion Week, he brought food and went to see Mary. He found her reposed on the desert floor. The indications were that she had received Holy Communion, gone back into the desert, and there reposed that same day.

Brothers and sisters in Christ our God, we have such an example of repentance. We certainly understand that we are not going to be able to imitate the Elder Zosimas, who received his healing from pride, nor are we going to be able to imitate the intense repentance of Mary of Egypt. But we can, by the grace of God, appeal to Him to lead our hearts and minds to cleanliness, purity, and true repentance, so that we turn away from the things of the world and turn toward the things of God. We are able to do this as we live the lives that we do—as husbands and wives, as families, as elderly folks who are alone. In our prayers and through the power and mercy of the Word of God that flows forth from the divine services, we can be purified and sanctified and enter into the Kingdom of God.

As we approach this great and holy week—next week is Entrance Sunday, or Palm Sunday—and then we have the divine services for the crucifixion, burial, and resurrection of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ, remember Mary of Egypt. Remember the Elder Zosimas. Pray for humility and pray for obedience to His Word. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.