Homily: Sept 26 2016 - Sts. Cosmas and Damian - Suffering Servants

The next few days we will be hearing from the book of Job. We’ll hear how Job is afflicted with tremendous suffering; he loses everything precious to him: he bears the grief of seven dead sons and three dead daughters.  He becomes repulsive to his wife, loathsome to his brothers, he loses his land and property.  He’ll lay in unrelieved misery for months with open sores all over his body.  At first, he’ll bear these calamities with amazing trust in God and faith, but as his misery continues over many months his faith begins to waver. 

Perhaps some of us can relate. Extended periods of suffering, the loss of that which we hold dear, can really be a trial for our faith.

Today we honor two saints, who patiently endured their trial, and did so with tremendous grace, and an outpouring of Christian service.

Cosmas and Damien were twin brothers born at the end of the third century in Syria.  They were physicians and were known as “the moneyless ones”, because they didn’t charge their patients.  They were actually the first surgeons to successfully perform a limb transplant, and this was in the early fourth century. They could have become world famous and wealthy, but they chose faith over fame, and like Christ became sufferings servants of those in need.

Christians who openly professed their faith, in the early fourth century during the persecution of Diocletian, did so at great risk.  For openly practicing their faith, for living and seeking to pass on the Gospel of Christ, Cosmas and Damien were arrested, tortured and beheaded.

Cosmas and Damien are examples for us of what Christianity is all about: sacrificing ourselves for others., living generously for others, pouring ourselves out in service, witnessing to the love of God, and the truth of the Holy Gospel, even with our lives.

And though each of us are afflicted in our own way, like Job, we are still to look outside of ourselves, to look for opportunities to serve, to help, to uplift, even when this would bring upon us the scorn of the world.

May the grace of the Eucharist today bring about in us an increase of charity for those in need, fervor for the spread of the Gospel, and courage to face our trials for the glory of God and salvation of souls.