Feast of St George

St. George (martyred, 304 AD.)
Today is the feast of St George. There is every reason to believe that St. George was a real martyr who suffered at Diospolis ( i.e. Lydda) in Palestine, probably before the time of Constantine. George was a soldier in the army of the Roman Emperor Diocletian, and was a Christian. Diocletian was a pagan and an enemy of the Christians. It is said that George tore down posted edicts that ordered persecution of Christians and left the Roman army. For this, George was tortured and beheaded.
St. George was a Christian knight and that he was born in Cappadocia. It chanced, however, that he was riding one day in the province of Lybia, and there he came upon a city called Sylene, near which was a marshy swamp. In this lived a dragon " which envenomed all the country". The people had mustered together to attack and kill it, but its breath was so terrible that all had fled. To prevent its coming nearer they supplied it every day with two sheep, but when the sheep grew scarce, a human victim had to be substituted. This victim was selected by lot, and the lot just then had fallen on the king's own daughter. No one was willing to take her place and the maiden had gone forth dressed as a bride to meet her doom. Then St. George, coming upon the scene, attacked the dragon and transfixed it with his lance. Further , he borrowed the maiden's girdle, fastened it round the dragon's neck, and with this aid she led the monster captive into the city. "It followed her as if it had been a meek beast and debonair." The people in mortal terror were about to take to flight, but St. George told them to have no fear. If only they would believe and be baptized, he would slay the dragon. The king and all his subjects gladly assented. The dragon was killed and four ox-carts were needed to carry the carcass to a safe distance. "Then there well XV thousand men baptized without women and children." Before taking his leave the good knight left behind four behests: that the king should maintain churches, that he should honour priests, that he should himself diligently attend religious services, and that he should show compassion to the poor.
Have you read the Earthsea trilogy? It has something to say about violence, about monsters, and about humanity.
Young Arren said after a little while, “I see why you say that only humans do evil, I think. Even sharks are innocent; they kill because they must.”Ged, the Mage, replied, “That is why nothing else can resist us. Only one thing in the world can resist an evil-hearted man. And that is another man. In our shame is our glory. Only our spirit, which is capable of evil, is capable of overcoming it.”“But the dragons,” said Arren. “Do they not do great evil? Are they innocent?”“The dragons! The dragons are avaricious, insatiable, treacherous; without pity, without remorse. But are they evil? Who am I, to judge the acts of dragons? … They are wiser than we are. It is with them as with dreams, Arren. We dream dreams, we work magic, we do good, we do evil. The dragons do not dream. They are dreams. They do not work magic: it is their substance, their being. They do not do; they are.”
George crossed himself, rode to battle against the dragon, and killed it with one blow. The dragon stands for wickedness and our own personal demons. The maiden stands for God's holy truth. Saint George understood how much courage is needed to deal with evil in life. Let us ask today from him to help us to love God and to find the courage to conquer the dragons in our life and to be a soldier for Christ. The message is clear—if you want victory against monsters and need that little edge in your tactical use of violence—call on George, slayer of dragons.
In the nameof the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.