Agathon, our holy father among the saints, is commemorated by our
Church on January 8th. This righteous man who attained perfect love made
the following remarkable statement: “If it were possible for me to give my
body to someone with leprosy and for me to take his body, I would gladly
do so; because this is perfect love.”
One of his few possessions was a small gardening tool. One day,
another monk who was visiting the saint commented that the gardening
tool was very nice. Subsequently, abba Agathon insisted that the visitor
take it, and he did not permit him to leave until he accepted to take the
small gardening tool with him.
One time, this saint went to the city to sell certain items that he had
fabricated. In the city square, he saw a crippled man who was laying on the
ground, and who had no one to look after him. The elder took the man to
an inn and rented a room for him. He used part of the money he earned
from selling his handicrafts to pay for the room, and he spent the
remainder to purchase things needed for the sick man. He stayed with the
destitute man for four months until he became better, and then he left for
his hut with a peaceful conscience.
Another time, while on his way to the city to sell various small items,
abba Agathon came across a leper who was sitting at the side of the road.
The man asked him, “where are you headed?” “To the city to sell these
items,” replied abba Agathon. “Do me a favor,” said the man, “lift me up
and take me there.” So abba Agathon lifted him and carried him toward the
city. The poor man then told him, “set me down wherever you’re going to
sell your items.” Once again, abba Agathon did as he requested. In
following, when abba Agathon sold his first item, the man asked him: “How
much did you sell it for?” “This much,” the elder replied. “Buy me a small
pie,” requested the pauper. And he bought it for him. Each time he sold
something, the poor man would ask: “How much did you sell this for?” And
abba Agathon would respond, “this much.” And every time the man would
request, “buy me this thing,” the saint would buy it for him. Finally, after he
had sold all his handicrafts and was preparing to leave, the leper asked
him: “Are you leaving?” “Yes,” he replied. “Do me one more favor and take
me back to the place where you found me.” And so, he lifted him up on his
back and took him back to the same spot. After abba Agathon set him
down and turned to leave, he heard the man saying: “Blessed art thou, O
Agathon, by the Lord of the heaven and the earth.” And when the elder
looked back, he saw no one. It was an angel of the Lord who had come to
test him.
Through his holy prayers, may Christ our God grant us such love
also. Amen.