Creating harmony out of chaos
The briefness of life has become more evident to me as I face health issues that have come with aging. It has not been a fearful experience for I believe with all my heart that God is there, especially when I am suffering through periods of trial and uncertainty. Death comes to all of us. This inevitability is what many refuse to think about, but an awareness of death is the very thing that should be at the forefront of our thoughts. A prayer life devoid of facing our eventual death is no prayer life at all.
When you live your life focused on enjoyment and lust, you enslave yourself, but freedom from this enslavement comes with love of God. This love creates perfection and faultlessness. When you think on your own death you become free to perform every task you do, for God.
Your heart, imprisoned by your fallen nature is liberated, becoming inflamed with the love of God. This love of God engenders a love that permeates your very essence, allowing you to love every person and every creature. Your heart burns with love. This love turns chaos into harmony and it is Divine Energy and divine strength that transforms you into the being God intended you to be. You are His child, deified and made whole.
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Photo: The world’s youngest and oldest hipsters!
Wednesday November 18, 2015 / November 5, 2015
25th Week after Pentecost. Tone seven.
Fast. Food with Oil
Martyrs Galacteon and his wife Episteme at Emesa (253).
Repose of St. Jonah, archbishop of Novgorod (1470).
St. Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus (Election 1917).
New Hieromartyr Gabriel priest (1937).
Apostles Patrobus, Hermas, Linus, Gaius, and Philologus of the Seventy (1st c.).
St. Gregory, archbishop of Alexandria (9th c.).
Martyrs Domninus, Timothy, Theophilus, Theotimus, Dorotheus, Eupsychius, Carterius, Pamphilius, Agathangelus, and Castorus of Palestine (307).
Hieromartyr Silvanus, bishop of Gaza.
St. Kea, bishop of Devon and Cornwall.
Venerable Odrada, virgin of Balen (8th c.) (Neth.).
St. Cybi, abbot in Cornwall and Wales (550) (Celtic & British).
St. Gregory of Cassano, Calabria (1002).
Scripture Readings
2 Thessalonians 2:1-12
The Great Apostasy
2 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He[e] is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Luke 11:42-46
42 “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. 43 Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. 44 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like graves which are not seen, and the men who walk over them are not aware of them.”
45 Then one of the lawyers answered and said to Him, “Teacher, by saying these things You reproach us also.”
46 And He said, “Woe to you also, lawyers! For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.
Dear Abbot Tryphon,
Would you explain this verse:
46. And He said, “Woe to you also, lawyers! For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.
What burdens was Jesus referring to? The Old Testament is full of laws regulating the lives of the Jews. Based on the revelation at the time it would seem that a Jew who wished to follow God would focus on conforming their conduct to the rules and prohibitions in the Old Testament.
David, If i may answer your questions
In this passage the Lord is telling all of us to tithe money and give offerings as from Mosaic law (which is 10% of coin (“Mint an rue”)) and to also make offerings of food and anything that we have that others need, also according to the Mosaic laws. But, He says that the “Lawyers” (scribes, Pharisees and so on) are quick to take the tithes and offerings, but don’t give any tithes or offerings from they themselves because they have been acting above the Laws, Which our Lord is saying that they are not above the law and that no one is, As even Abraham was not.
(Abbot if this is wrong just delete my post, sorry if I overstepped my bounds, just trying to help )
In Christ’s love;
John James
Thanks for taking on the task of articulating this phenomenal blessing of “death facing.” Changing the chaos from panic into peace certainly results in harmony – when I can remember to do it! Personally, I’d live it if you feel inspired to expand on these thoughts periodically. I’m so grateful for your faithful commentaries. Sorry to have missed you @ St Conrad’s. We were just a day or so apart. You have been & remain in my prayers, dearest Father.
Thank you so much.
Dear FR,
Thank God! I am learning that it’s not about the sin, rather it’s about repentance. It’s not about the situation, rather peace. And it’s not about the good work, rather it’s about the love that motivates my heart and soul ……
This writing is so profoundly beautiful and delightfully combined with the photo! It gets to the bone and marrow of true faith in Christ. It is good to be reminded of what our Hope really is all about. God Bless you richly as you bless others with your writings and warm hospitality.
Thank-you.