Their conduct and words serve to steer the unrighteous away from sin and direct them toward virtue as their virtuous lives and spiritual counsel provide guidance. They are essential like guides for the blind, healers for the ailing, steadfast ships for those caught in storms, and radiant candles for those engulfed in darkness; they serve as celestial luminaries for all, including the righteous who struggle with sin, to whom the Apostle writes: “You shine like lights in the world” (Phil. 2:15). The Lord Himself states in the Gospel, “You are the light of the world” (Matt. 5:14). Through their witness, those in spiritual darkness receive light, and the lost find direction towards salvation; the souls afflicted by the burdens of sin can find healing and solace through their examples, provided they choose to heed their God-pleasing lives. Abba Dorotheus wisely comments in his teachings on Divine reverence: “A brother once inquired of an elder, 'What should I do, Father, if I wish to fear God?' The elder replied: 'Go and join yourself to a man who fears God, and he will instruct you in the ways of reverence’” (On the Fear of God, 4th word). This principle applies to all virtues: if someone desires to lead a chastened and holy life, they should associate with those who embody purity and emulate their ways. If they seek humility, gentleness, and kindness, they should surround themselves with the humble, gentle, and kind. Should one wish to gain spiritual wisdom, frequent conversations with the pious will impart every godly behavior, as David observes: “With the faithful, you will show yourself faithful” (Psalm 17:26). Mere association with the righteous can dramatically transform a wayward soul, provided the sinner is attentive to the virtuous. The Books of Kings recount how a dead man was cast into the tomb of the prophet Elisha; upon contact with Elisha’s bones, the corpse revived and stood (2 Kings 13:21). If the lifeless body could gain life through the touch of the righteous one's remains, how much more can living saints breathe spiritual life into souls deadened by sin, bringing them to repentance and renewal—unless they are hardened like stone, as was Judas among the apostles, or the inhabitants of Sodom in Lot’s time, who faced greater judgment. The righteous also serve through their intercessions, providing support to those around them by shielding them from trials and evils that arise as a consequence of God’s wrath upon sinners. In this capacity, the upright are as vital to cities, nations, and kingdoms as pillars are to temples or walls are to fortifications, as the holy fathers express. St. John Chrysostom referred to the righteous as the pillars of the homeland, and St. Ambrose described them as the city’s stone walls. Just as pillars uphold a structure and walls fortify a city, the presence of the righteous stabilizes and nourishes the land in which they dwell, appeasing God’s wrath and defending against looming calamities. When God considered annihilating the Israelites in the wilderness due to their numerous sins, it was the righteous Moses who, like a sustaining pillar, interceded before Him on their behalf. He pleaded for the people, holding back God’s just anger, as noted in the Psalms: “He would have destroyed them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath” (Psalms 106:23). During the time when Israel had settled in the promised land, they sought to eradicate the Philistine enemies. They gathered their forces at Mizpah, yet they were unarmed and unskilled, with no hope against their adversaries, especially since God’s displeasure was upon them. Despite this, the righteous Samuel stood among them, pleading fervently with God, forming a protective barrier that not only kept their foes at bay but also resulted in a supernatural victory without conflict, weapons, or archers. For as he prayed, the Lord caused a mighty thunder to echo against the Philistines, confounding them and leading them to defeat (1 Sam. 7:3-13). Similarly, Elisha, a righteous servant of the Lord, stood as an indomitable shield for the city of Dothan, which was besieged by the armies of Syria. Through his prayers, he safeguarded the city with divine, invisible protection, blinding those who threatened it and guiding them away to safety (2 Kings 6:8-20). Likewise, in the city of Nisibis, which faced a fierce siege by the Persians, the righteous James, impassioned in prayer atop the city’s wall, prompted God to unleash an invasion of biting insects and flies that drove the invading forces into disarray. The Persians, unable to endure the swarm, fled in disgrace without weapons or arrows. Truly, that righteous man served as a stone wall for his city. Blessed is any city or nation where even one just individual exists, for God, due to that one, extends mercy to many sinners, sparing them from destruction. This is echoed in the Gospel parable demonstrating that God protects sinners for the sake of the righteous (Matt. 13:24-30). A certain landowner sowed good seed in his field, but an enemy secretly added weeds among the wheat. As both began to grow, the servants asked the master whether they should uproot the tares, but he replied, “Let both grow together until the harvest.” In this parable, the wheat symbolizes the righteous and the tares the unrighteous. The weeds are not uprooted to preserve the integrity of the wheat; similarly, sinners are spared for the sake of the righteous, which ultimately leads to the restoration of the sinners. Alas, woe to the city and nation lacking even a single righteous soul, for devastation is imminent. Sodom serves as a dire example; when Lot departed, the entire region faced ruin. We observe the wars currently erupting, the devastation of cities, the torment of lands, and the strife among nations, all leading to bloodshed and endless troubles. What is the root cause? It is the scarcity of the righteous: “They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one” (Psalm 13:3). The populace has turned to ruin, inciting God’s anger, grieving His goodness, and provoking His patience. All commit iniquity without fear, thus provoking God's justice to execute judgment on them. This disparity occurs because the righteous, who could plead for mercy on behalf of others, have dwindled. Two holy prophets, David and Micah, grieved over this decline. David cried out, “Save me, O Lord, for the faithful have vanished; truth has vanished from the sons of men; everyone speaks falsehood in his heart; with flattering lips they speak” (Psalm 11:2-3). Micah mourned profoundly, “Alas for me! For I am like those gathering summer fruits, like those gleaning vintage, there is no cluster of grapes to eat, no early fig that I craved. The godly has perished from the earth, and there is no one upright among mankind” (Micah 7:1-2). Both prophets lament the absence of the righteous, knowing that calamities will surely follow. St. David, reflecting on the decline of the righteous and the rise of the wicked, underscores, “The Lord will cut off all flattering lips” (Psalm 11:4). Destruction will envelope the deceitful and the unjust. Thus we implore, “Save me, O Lord, lest I too be consumed alongside them!” Likewise, Micah, the saint, delivers a prophetic warning, proclaiming impending justice where the righteous are lacking: “Woe is me! For the day of inquisition is coming; time for weeping has arrived” (Micah 7:4). From the words of these prophets, it is clear: woe to the city and nation devoid of the righteous.
THEOSIS