Encounters of the Saints
On the occasion of the Fast of the Virgin, I would like us to contemplate together a spiritual lesson we learn from her life.
Among the important events in the life of the Virgin is her visit to Elizabeth.
We want to take from this wondrous encounter between the holy Virgin and Saint Elizabeth a lesson about the encounters of the saints.
Encounters of the Saints
Lessons from the Virgin’s meeting with Elizabeth:
1– The first thing that distinguishes this encounter is the spirit of service that appeared in it:
As soon as the Virgin heard that Elizabeth was pregnant in her old age, she hurried to serve her, because she felt that this elderly saint needed someone to stand by her. Thus she remained with her until she gave birth. The Virgin offered what she could to serve her, and stayed by her side for three months.
2– We also see in this encounter the spirit of humility from both sides:
Humility from the Mother of the Savior, whose heart did not become proud because of the angel’s appearance to her, or the announcement of the birth of Christ from her, or the rank she reached—greater than any woman could bear—yet with all this she went to serve… without her heart being exalted.
For this Elizabeth also said in humility: “Why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?!”
3– This encounter was also filled with the work of the Holy Spirit.
The Scripture says: “And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit” (Lk 1:41).
Just the word of greeting that Elizabeth heard from Mary made her filled with the Holy Spirit…
How wondrous is this spiritual effect in the encounters of the saints. We often hear about it in Scripture: Peter enters the house of Cornelius and speaks, and all are filled with the Holy Spirit…
And here not only Elizabeth was filled with the Spirit, but also her unborn child…
There were two encounters: one between Mary and Elizabeth, and the other between John the unborn child and Christ the unborn child.
And just as Elizabeth was filled with the Spirit, so it was said about her unborn child: “He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb” (Lk 1:15). Thus by the Spirit he recognized the Lord, and leaped with joy in his mother’s womb to meet his Lord, for whose sake he would be born to prepare the way before Him…
The meeting of Mary with Elizabeth: it carried the spirit of service, the spirit of humility, and the work of the Holy Spirit… And what else did it have?
4– It was an encounter characterized by words of blessing and beatitude:
Elizabeth cried out with a loud voice and said to Mary: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb… Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord…”
5– And it was also a meeting with the spirit of prophecy, revelation, and divine disclosure.
How did Elizabeth know that the Virgin had become the Mother of the Lord, to say to her: “Why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?!”
And how did she know that something was spoken to her from the Lord and that she believed what was spoken?
Surely it was a kind of divine revelation and knowledge of hidden things. It was the spirit of prophecy enjoyed by her who was filled with the Holy Spirit.
6– In this encounter also we see the spirit of praise and the spirit of prayer:
Mary stood praising the Lord with her famous hymn and prayed a long prayer saying:
“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior, for He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name.”
7– It is a spiritual meeting between two holy women that gives us an idea of what the gatherings of women and their conversations should be like.
A woman meets another woman in the fullness of the Holy Spirit, in an encounter filled with the spirit of service, humility, prophecy, blessing, beatitude, prayer, and praise.
So are the encounters of the saints…
Encounters of the Saints and their qualities:
Two sinful people may gather, and each drags the other downward, filling his hearing, thought, and heart with what does not benefit…
One of the saints said: “If you walk with a holy person from your cell to the church, he advances you in the spiritual life ten years; and if you walk with a corrupt person, he sets you back fifty years.”
Thus we must choose well the people we meet…
We choose the type of person, the type of gathering, and the type of conversation, so that our spirits are not dragged down by the counsel of the wicked and the seat of the scornful (Ps 1).
We read in the Paradise of the Fathers that many endured travel, crossing seas, deserts, and wastelands, just to hear a word of benefit from a monk.
For in the encounters of the saints there are words of benefit and also the spiritual appearance.
Some met Saint Anthony the Great and asked him questions. Another person did not ask anything; he only said to the saint: “It is enough for me just to look at your face, my father.”
Just looking at the faces of the saints brought spiritual benefit.
Thus saints would meet, sit silently, and be spiritually edified…
An example: the meeting between Pope Theophilus and Saint Paphnutius.
Saint Paphnutius said: “If he does not benefit from my silence, he will not benefit from my words.”
For the one who desires to benefit can benefit even from silence.
The encounters of the saints are filled with spiritual profit: they contain words of benefit, the good example, the good spirit absorbed from the other, and also blessing. It is enough to meet a saint just to receive a blessing…
Encounters of the Saints in Scripture
Among these historical encounters is the meeting of Abraham the patriarch with Melchizedek (Gen 14).
Melchizedek, king of Salem, king of righteousness, and priest of God Most High.
Abraham offered him tithes, and Melchizedek offered bread and wine.
Wondrously, it was a meeting carrying spiritual symbols and prophecies…
Among the historical encounters also is Abraham’s meeting with his three visitors (Gen 18).
An encounter in which appeared the spirit of simplicity, as Abraham ran to meet them though he was an old man; and the spirit of humility, as he bowed to the ground and said: “My Lord, if I have found favor in Your sight, do not pass by Your servant” (Gen 18:3).
And the spirit of service and generosity, as he washed their feet, slaughtered for them, and prepared much food.
Also in this encounter appeared God’s promises and Abraham’s love and intercession for the people of Sodom.
Surely he did not know that his visitors were the Lord and two angels with Him, otherwise he would not have slaughtered for them and offered butter, milk, and bread…
Among the well-known encounters of love in Scripture is the meeting of David and Jonathan.
It is a meeting of love, loyalty, and covenant.
Jonathan stood against his father out of love for David, the Lord’s anointed.
He stood against the king, endured harm, and sacrificed himself to save his friend.
They both wept, and David long remembered Jonathan’s love.
He said after his death: “I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; you have been very pleasant to me. Your love to me was wonderful, surpassing the love of women” (2 Sam 1:26).
When David became king, he continued asking whether anyone remained of the house of Saul to whom he might show kindness for Jonathan’s sake…
There are also encounters of the saints related to service, such as Paul’s meeting with Timothy, and the gathering of the apostles in the Council of Jerusalem.
He said to him: “Be diligent to come to me quickly… Take Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry” (2 Tim 4:9–11).
The three met for the sake of ministry.
There are other encounters of reconciliation, like the meeting of Joseph the Righteous with his brothers.
He wept, and they wept, and he forgave them, and they reconciled, and he gave them of his love, and gave them land and provision and pardon, comforted their hearts, and wiped their tears…
Perhaps the greatest encounter in history is the meeting of the Lord Christ with the Baptist.
For a long time John desired this encounter…
It was a meeting in which the wondrous humility of the Lord appeared, and in which the Holy Spirit appeared as a dove, and in which the voice of the Father was heard.
It is the Day of Theophany…
Among the beautiful encounters also is the meeting of Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration with the Lord in their midst…
Also the meeting of Philip with the Ethiopian eunuch, where he explained to him the Book of Isaiah and led him to faith and also to baptism.
He spoke to him about the matters concerning the Kingdom, as Christ spoke to His disciples and as He explained to the disciples of Emmaus…
Beautiful in the encounters of the saints is their gathering around the Word of God…
Encounters of the Saints in history
Among the most famous of these encounters is the meeting of Saint Anthony with Saint Paul the First Hermit.
Through this encounter we learned the life of Saint Paul and learned about anchoritic monasticism, and the two saints sat speaking about the mighty works of God and His work in the Church…
In this meeting Anthony the Great felt his own smallness and that there was one greater than he in the monastic life.
Just as Saint Anthony learned a lesson in humility from his meeting with Saint Paul, so Saint Macarius humbled himself when he met the anchorites…
Macarius the Great, the spiritual father of the wilderness of Scetis, returned and said to his disciples: “I am not a monk, but I have seen monks…”
Among the well-known encounters also is the meeting of Saint Anthony with Saint Macarius, and his saying about him: “A strange power goes forth from these two hands…”
The encounters of the saints are wondrous encounters, a life in a spiritual atmosphere, a meeting of people with God, a meeting that draws upward, filled with blessing, example, benefit, and depth.
A meeting around the Word of God or around prayer.
Among these encounters of prayer is the meeting of Saint Galion the anchorite with the three anchorites who had become monks in the monastery of Saint Shenouda…
He saw them from afar as they chanted the Psalms, so he began praying them with their tune.
They approached while praying, and he prayed with them.
They stood with him completing the chanting of the Psalms, and he prayed with them.
Thus they met in the Lord.
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