They are as essential as guides for the lost, healers for the sick, anchors for those in storms, candles for those in darkness, and heavenly lights for all—the Apostle notes: ‘You appear as lights in the world’ (Phil. 2:15). The Lord also declares: ‘You are the light of the world’ (Matt. 5:14). Through their presence, those who dwell in spiritual blindness gain sight, and the wayward are directed toward salvation. The righteous aid those troubled by a sinful conscience and lead those overwhelmed by worldly vanity toward God's refuge, especially if they take note of the lives of the God-fearing and strive to emulate them. Abba Dorotheus aptly explained in his writings on divine reverence: ‘A brother asked an elder, “What should I do, Father, if I fear God?” The elder replied: “Attach yourself to a man who fears God, and he will teach you to revere Him through his own example’ (On the Fear of God, 4th word). The same principle applies to any virtue: to cultivate it, seek the company of those who embody it. If one desires to lead a chaste and pure life, befriend those who are chaste and pure, and follow their lead. For humility, meekness, and kindness, associate with the humble, meek, and kind. If you seek spiritual wisdom, engage with those who possess it, and you will learn godly behavior, as David states: ‘With the reverent, you will be reverent’ (Psalm 17:26). Being in close company with the righteous can significantly transform a sinful person, as a sinner begins to heed the example of the righteous. In the Books of Kings, it is recounted how a lifeless body was thrown into Elisha’s tomb; upon touching Elisha's bones, the deceased revived and stood up (4 Kings 13:21). If such revival can occur from the bones of the righteous, how much more can souls numbed by sin be awakened to repentance through the presence of the living righteous? Unless hardened like stone, as was Judas among the holy apostles or the Sodomites during Lot’s time, they too can rise to correction. The righteous also benefit others through their prayers, interceding with God and shielding those around them from calamities that result from divine wrath against sinners. In this way, the righteous serve as pillars for cities and walls for nations, as noted by the holy fathers. St. John Chrysostom referred to the righteous as pillars of the homeland, while St. Ambrose described them as stone walls. Just as pillars support buildings and stone walls protect cities, so too do the righteous uphold and safeguard their communities, appeasing God's wrath and guarding against impending disasters. Although God considered eradicating the Israelites in the wilderness due to their many transgressions, the righteous Moses stood before Him, interceding on their behalf; thus he upheld the tribe of Israel, as documented in the Psalms: ‘Thou shalt consume them if Moses, His chosen, had not stood before Him’ (Psalms 105:23). During their time in the promised land, when the Israelites sought to annihilate the Philistines, they found themselves unarmed and outnumbered. Yet Samuel, the righteous, through his fervent prayers, surrounded them like a protective wall, miraculously assuring victory without engaging in battle, as the Lord thundered against their enemies, causing confusion among the Philistines who fled in disgrace (1 Sam. 7:3-13). The prophet Elisha also served as a protective barrier for the city of Dothaim against the Syrian invasion, safeguarding it through divine intervention (4 Kings 6:8-20). Similarly, the city of Nisibis was defended by a righteous man named James when besieged by the Persians; his prayers summoned swarms of mosquitoes to drive away the invaders (Comm. 13 January). Truly, blessed is the land that has even one righteous person, for by their presence, God spares many who are sinful, not destroying them for the sake of that one intercessor. The Gospel parable further illustrates this, as God postpones judgment upon sinners due to the righteous amongst them (Matthew 13:24-30). A certain landowner sowed good seed, but an enemy planted tares among the wheat. When the harvest was near, the servants suggested uprooting the tares, but the owner commanded patience, saying: ‘Let both grow together until the harvest.’ Within this parable, the wheat represents the righteous, while the tares symbolize the unrighteous; the latter are spared to protect the integrity of the former, reiterating the redemptive role of the righteous. However, woe to the cities and nations lacking even a single virtuous soul, as their ruin draws near. Sodom serves as a sobering example. Upon Lot's departure, Sodom met its end. We witness the conflicts and devastation around us, which stem from the absence of the righteous, as the Psalmist laments: ‘All have turned aside; they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one’ (Psalm 13:3). Society's moral decay angers God, prompting judgment. The decline of the righteous prompts lamentations from holy prophets like David and Micah. David cries out: ‘Help, O Lord, for the godly man ceases! For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men’ (Psalm 11:1). Micah, too, mourns: ‘The godly man has perished from the earth, and there is no one upright among men’ (Micah 7:2). Both prophets cry out in despair because the absence of the righteous invites calamity. David and Micah proclaim that destruction will follow the scarcity of virtuous people, emphasizing that woe awaits those places devoid of righteousness.
THEOSIS