Love greater than martyrdom; why the devil cut out Romanus's tongue

A man caught up to the third heaven and carried away into paradise, who shared in secret mysteries and enjoyed such boldness before God, did not receive strong perception of those good things unless he also saw his brothers being saved along with him. For Paul knows—Paul knows clearly—that of love nothing is either greater or equal, not even martyrdom itself, which is the chief point of all good things. And how is this so? Listen. Love, even without martyrdom, makes disciples of Christ, but martyrdom without love would not be able to accomplish this. From where is this clear? From the very words of Christ. For he said to his disciples, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35). See, love without martyrdom makes disciples. And that martyrdom without love not only does not make disciples but does not even benefit the one enduring it, listen to Paul saying, “If I hand over my body to be burned, but do not have love, I gain nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:3).

For this reason I especially love this holy man who has gathered us here today, the blessed Romanus, because along with martyrdom he displayed great love, and for this reason his holy tongue was cut out. And indeed this too is worth examining: why ever did the devil not lead him to tortures and punishments and torments, but cut off his tongue? For he did not do this without purpose, but with great wickedness. For the beast is crafty, and he works and moves everything against our salvation. Come then, let us examine why ever he proceeded to the cutting out of the tongue, bringing the account a little further back. For in this way we will know both the love of God toward humanity, and the endurance of the martyr, and the wickedness of the devil. And when we learn the love of God toward humanity, we will give thanks to the Master; when we know the endurance of the martyr, we will imitate our fellow servant; and when we understand the wickedness of the devil, we will turn away from the enemy. For this reason God has given us to know his schemes, so that by hating him more we may overcome him more easily. And that it is possible to know his thoughts, listen to what Paul says about the man who had committed sexual immorality. For writing to the Corinthians he says something like this: “Reaffirm your love for him, so that we may not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs” (2 Corinthians 2:8, 11).

What then is the reason for which he cut out the tongue? Bear with me a little while I narrate from earlier. A harsh war was once stirred up against the Churches—not with barbarians attacking the cities, nor with any foreigners, but with those who seemed to rule over our world, who treated their subjects more savagely and more cruelly than all barbarians and enemies and tyrants. For the danger then was not for freedom and homeland and possessions and the present life, but for the kingdom of heaven and the good things stored up, for immortal life, for confession of faith in Christ. And a new kind of captivity was devised. For they did not cast people out of the city here below, but they attempted to deprive them of the Jerusalem above, the free one, and they forced each person to slaughter his own soul upon the altars, to renounce his own Master, to bow down to the tyranny of demons, and to serve the destroyers and enemies of our salvation—the demons. This was more grievous and more unbearable to Christ-loving souls than ten thousand deaths and all Gehenna.