In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Dear Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, today we reflect upon the powerful words of Our Lord Jesus in the Gospel of John and the remarkable life of Saint Demetrios, the Myrrh-streaming Martyr of Thessaloniki. Through this gospel reading and the life of Saint Demetrios, we are reminded of both the cost and the beauty of discipleship, the suffering we may endure for righteousness’ sake, and the promise of Christ’s abiding love, even in the most chaotic times.
Let us first recall the words of Our Lord Jesus in John 15:17-16:2: “This is My command: Love each other. If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated Me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you also… All this I have told you so that you will not fall away. They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God.”
These words are not easy to hear. Christ speaks plainly, forewarning His disciples — and us — that following Him will mean encountering hatred, rejection, and even persecution. And yet, He speaks of something deeper: the call to love, to live in a way that is not dictated by fear or anger but by the love that binds us to Him and to each other. To live as Christ commands, to love as Christ commands, is to walk a narrow road, one that may lead to suffering but ultimately leads to eternal life and union with God.
This call to faithful love, even amidst persecution, is beautifully embodied in the life of Saint Demetrios of Thessaloniki. Born in the third century, Demetrios was an esteemed Roman officer and a man of great faith. Despite the risks, he openly confessed Christ, even in a city dominated by the worship of the Roman gods. When he was commanded to renounce his faith, Demetrios chose instead to preach even more boldly. His decision led him to imprisonment and, ultimately, to a martyr’s death in 306 AD. Yet even in chains, he continued to comfort, instruct, and strengthen those around him, demonstrating Christ’s love even to the end.
The life of Saint Demetrios reveals that there is a cost to discipleship — a willingness to stand for truth and endure suffering, even when the world is against us. Like the early Christians, Demetrios lived in a society that despised the cross, that saw his faith as foolishness and a threat. Yet he knew that he was not “of this world” but chosen by Christ. Demetrios held fast to the truth of the Gospel, bearing witness even unto death. And even now, the myrrh that miraculously flows from his relics testifies to the living presence of God’s grace in him — a sweet fragrance that still inspires the faithful to stand firm, to be courageous, to persevere.
Beloved, we too are called to this kind of faith. Christ has chosen us out of this world, and yet we remain in it, navigating its evils, its injustices, its violence, and its despair. Like Demetrios, we are called to stand firm and to bear witness to a different way of being, one defined not by self-interest or survival but by self-sacrifice and love. To love in this way — to embrace the world with compassion even as we refuse to be molded by it — requires the strength and grace that only God can provide.
In our modern age, the pressures may be different, but the challenges are much the same. Society invites us to worship at the altar of power, of status, of wealth. It tempts us to divide, to hate, to view others as enemies or obstacles. Our Lord’s words remind us that these temptations are not new; they have always existed. The “world” hated Christ, not because He was harsh or condemning, but because He loved in a way that threatened its power and its pride. His love was a light that revealed darkness, and that is precisely the kind of love we are called to embody.
Saint Demetrios reminds us that the path of Christ is not about seeking comfort or compromise but about embracing the cross. Our own suffering and sacrifice — whether they come in large or small forms — become means of transforming this world when they are offered to God. When we choose to forgive instead of retaliate, to help instead of ignore, to love instead of judge, we participate in the same redemptive work that Christ began and that saints like Demetrios have continued.
But let us remember: we do not walk this path alone. The Lord Himself walks with us, strengthening us through the sacraments, through prayer, through the fellowship of believers. He does not call us to live as isolated individuals but as a body, united in purpose and strengthened by each other’s faith. Just as Demetrios comforted those around him in prison, so we are called to support one another, especially when the weight of this world feels too heavy.
In these times of turmoil and moral confusion, let us remember that the victory does not belong to those who wield power or force but to those who abide in love. It is this love that endures, that heals, that brings life out of death. Saint Demetrios knew this truth deeply. May his life inspire us to live fearlessly, to bear witness boldly, and to face whatever trials come our way with the peace that comes from knowing Christ has overcome the world.
In the days and years to come, may we strive to live as Saint Demetrios lived: courageous, unwavering, and filled with the fragrance of Christ’s love. May we not be discouraged by the hatred or rejection we may encounter but strengthened by the knowledge that we belong to Christ. And when our own strength falters, may we find our courage renewed in the presence of His saints, in the prayers of our fellow believers, and in the unending love of the One who has chosen us and called us His own.
Through the prayers of Saint Demetrios, may we find the courage to live as Christ has called us, and may His holy myrrh — a sign of God’s abiding grace — remind us that, even in a world filled with chaos and darkness, the love of Christ endures, fragrant and everlasting. Amen.
