Companions on the Road to Damascus

Author: John (Shakhovsky), archbishop of San Francisco

Humanity knows its great figures and remembers the great criminals in its history. The lives of both are equally instructive and instructive. The story of the Acts of the Apostles provides precious material for spiritual knowledge – it tells of inconspicuous, unpromising people who lived alongside the apostles. This is their entire remarkableness and significance: they lived next to the apostles, walked with them on the road to Damascus and on other roads. We will call them by the common name: “The Companions on the Road to Damascus”. The images of these collaborators and witnesses of the first Christian century, students of the truth, acquire a deep meaning and are undoubtedly given to us for spiritual enlightenment.

Theophilus

Even if we knew nothing about him, except what is written in one of the gospels (by Luke) and in the history of all early Christianity (Acts of the Apostles), we would already know an infinite amount… Perhaps he was a Christian from among the pagans, most likely a Roman. The character of the gospel according to Luke speaks for this. He was probably one of those converted by the apostle Paul, but that is not the point.

All we have left of Theophilus’ soul is his name – “lover of God”. As a new Abraham, he was, of course, a friend of God, attracted by the true God. His thirst for truth sparked two world waves of the apostolic gospel: the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. There is no point in wondering whether these books would have been written without Theophilus, who wanted to learn more about Jesus. The important thing is that God’s providence, in its care for the salvation of all mankind, has passed through the life and human desire of this Theophilus, abundantly blessing his striving for the Truth. Man’s desire to know the truth is blessed by God. Providence seeks its collaborators – not only apostles, but also Theophiles, without whom there would be no apostles. Theophiles seek the truth – this is the work of their life. They want to be taught and call the apostles into the world. The sower is not needed where there is no land. Theophilus has become land that has yielded a harvest not a hundredfold, but billions of times greater than itself. We do not know how Theophilus’ earthly life passed. This is hidden from us, perhaps so that we may see more clearly that the main work of his life was his striving for the Truth. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness…” This blessedness of Theophilus and all its fruits have been revealed to us. The word of the apostles and their work are immeasurable. Every sincere attention to the apostles can also be called “equal-apostolic”. To this work, bearing blessed fruits, all theophiles of humanity are called.

Through the search for righteousness, even on the part of only one person, grace and Truth are poured out upon all people.

The little that is human is transformed into the immense that is God. This happens constantly in the world and through it it is saved. The “intentions of the human heart” are kissed and a treasure is created from them. From the insignificant feelings of our hearts, God creates the values ​​of the present and future ages. Truth loves even the smallest truth in people.

Providence thirsts to use even the smallest sigh of people for the Light. The water of good and disinterested human desires is transformed into the wine of grace. We do not know all the consequences of our search for the Truth. Did the humble Theophilus think that his simple question, addressed to his familiar physician Luke, would be a question of all humanity, to which God Himself would so like to answer?! Theophilus could not have foreseen the wave of grace that poured into the world through his simple human search for the Truth.

And if the least in the kingdom of God is greater than the greatest in the kingdom of this world, then even the most insignificant action of God in the present world is much more significant than the greatest human deeds. And the most silent participant in the New Testament, who only asks about the mysteries of the Spirit, is greater than the noisiest worldly figures.

The Servant Rhoda

“Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings? And not one of them is forgotten by God” (Luke 12:6). And Rhoda is not forgotten in the word of God. She did not convert cities to God, she did nothing for the Church of Christ. She was only a servant. A humble servant of poor people.

“When he knocked, a servant girl named Rhoda went to see who it was.” Rhoda heard the voice of the one knocking and recognized Peter. Everything that was happening in the apostolic community was like a part of her. Out of joy, she did not open the door to Peter, but rushed into the room where the disciples were gathered and with a beating heart announced that Peter was at the door. And they told her, “You are out of your mind.” But she insisted.

Then those gathered presented an amazing argument. It is worth paying attention: it did not occur to anyone that she was not telling the truth or that she was joking. Neither untruth nor lie could come out of her mouth. Here is the argument: “This is his angel.” Thus the apostles presented a teaching according to which our guardian angel may resemble us (or perhaps we resemble him).

While they were thus reasoning and talking, Peter, exhausted from prison, continued to knock… What an unusually human picture: “In the meantime Peter kept knocking…” They could no longer help but open it. They opened it and were amazed – it was indeed Peter.

We learn nothing more about the maid Rhoda. But we already know that her spirit – ardent, lively, pure, joyful and sociable – belongs to the family of the apostles, so dear to us.