Tuesday in the Third Week of Advent – Commemoration of St. Eusebius, Bishop and Martyr
Readings:
- 2 Corinthians 1:3–7: “As the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so also by Christ doth our comfort abound.”
- Matthew 16:24–27: “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”
In these sacred days of Advent—marked by expectation, penance, and watchful hope—the Church places before us the image of the Cross. It is no contradiction that the penitential season preparing for Christ’s Nativity should also remind us of His Passion. For as the Fathers teach us, He was born to suffer, and His crib is not far from His Cross.
Today, the Church remembers St. Eusebius, Bishop and Martyr, a man who bore the weight of that Cross in both office and blood. His life echoes the themes of our readings: comfort in affliction, and the call to radical discipleship. Eusebius, like all faithful shepherds, took up his cross—not in theory, but in flesh and blood—and walked after the Lord who first bore the Cross for him.
1. The Fellowship of Suffering
St. Paul begins with a paradox: God is the “Father of mercies and the God of all comfort,” yet the comfort comes through sufferings, not apart from them. “As the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so also by Christ doth our comfort abound.” (2 Cor 1:5)
St. John Chrysostom comments on this verse:
“Do not say, ‘Why do the righteous suffer?’ Rather, understand that even in suffering, God is present. For suffering is not the absence of God’s mercy, but the means by which He shows it.” (Homilies on 2 Corinthians)
St. Paul is not offering comfort as mere sentiment. He speaks of true participation in the Passion of Christ, the kind that sanctifies affliction. When we suffer for righteousness’ sake, or endure trials for the sake of the Gospel, we are not alone. We are with Christ. We are in Him.
So was Eusebius. A bishop during a time of intense persecution and heresy, he defended the integrity of the faith even when it cost him exile and hardship. He bore witness to Christ not only in word, but in suffering.
2. The Call to the Cross
“If any man will come after Me,” says Our Lord in St. Matthew’s Gospel, “let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Mt 16:24)
The call is universal—any man. Not merely the apostles, not only bishops like Eusebius, but every disciple. The pattern is clear: self-denial, the cross, following Christ.
St. Augustine, preaching on this passage, says:
“Do you wish to follow Christ? Then take up His burden. He carried the Cross for you; do not shrink from carrying it after Him. This is the road of love. This is the school of humility.” (Sermon 96)
In a world that despises suffering and idolizes self, the Gospel offers a way that seems foolish. Yet it is the only way to eternal life. “Whosoever will save his life shall lose it, and whosoever shall lose his life for My sake shall find it.” (Mt 16:25)
Again, Eusebius is our example. As a shepherd, he did not guard his life jealously. He spent it—poured it out for Christ and His flock. In doing so, he found it again, gloriously, in the ranks of the saints.
3. Advent and Martyrdom: Waiting in Hope
It may seem curious to reflect on martyrdom in Advent. But is this not precisely the lesson the Church teaches us? That to prepare for the coming of Christ, we must take seriously the call to suffer with Him? The saints, especially the martyrs, are not simply holy examples; they are prophets who cry out: This world is passing. Live for the world to come.
In the words of St. Cyprian:
“The time of persecution is the testing of faith. Let none be afraid, for he who loses his life in this world gains Christ Himself. And what is better than to be crowned by the Lord whom we love?” (On the Lapsed)
As we continue our Advent pilgrimage, we are asked not simply to prepare to receive Christ, but to be conformed to Him—even in suffering. Let us take heart, then, from St. Paul, from the words of Our Lord, and from the glorious witness of St. Eusebius.
Let us deny ourselves. Let us embrace the cross. And let us do so with the confidence that “our comfort also aboundeth by Christ.” (2 Cor 1:5)
✠ Prayer:
O God, who dost gladden us by the annual feast of Thy blessed Martyr and Bishop Eusebius: mercifully grant that, as we celebrate his heavenly birthday, we may also follow the constancy of his faith. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
May his prayers strengthen us as we await the Lord who comes in glory—born to die, and risen to reign.