My Sins

I must accuse myself, blame myself, judge myself

I see people’s sins, but I don’t know whether they have made peace with God. I don’t know if the person who has sinned regrets it, but I am not called to judge them, but only to forgive them. As I become aware of my own sins, and begin to realize how much forgiveness and mercy I need, I am less likely to see the sins of others.

I must accuse myself, blame myself,  judge myself,  and get my focus off the other person. The only way I can overcome the sin of judging others, is to see only the sins of myself.  True repentance comes only when I work on my own fallen nature.
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With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Photos: The Salish Brotherhood of Saint John the Wonderworker gathered for a three day retreat. Although we had members come from Vancouver, B.C., Eastern Washington, and San Diego, a glitch in the mailing failed to inform the vast majority of the members about this retreat. We’re going to work on this, and make sure every member knows about the next retreat.

Monday July 15, 2019 / July 2, 2019
5th Week after Pentecost. Tone three.
The Placing of the Honorable Robe of the Most Holy Theotokos at Blachernae (5th c.).
St. Photius, metropolitan of Kiev (1431).
St. Juvenal, patriarch of Jerusalem (458).
“Pozai” (17th c.), “Theodotiev” (1487) and “Akhtyr” (1739) Icons of the Most Holy Theotokos.
St. Juvenal, protomartyr of America and Alaska (1796).
Right-believing King Stephen the Great of Moldavia (1504) (Romania).
St. Monegunde of Chartres (530) (Gaul).
New Martyr Lampros of Makri (1835) (Greek).
Uncovering of the relics (2003) of New Hieromartyr Priest Sergius Florinsky of Rakvere, Estonia (1918).
Feast of the Robe of the Most Holy Theotokos (Georgia).
St. Oudoceus, bishop of Llandaff.
St. Swithun, bishop of Winchester.

The Scripture Readings

Romans 12:4-5

4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.

Romans 12:15-21

15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.

17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 Therefore

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Matthew 12:9-13

Healing on the Sabbath

9 Now when He had departed from there, He went into their synagogue. 10 And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—that they might accuse Him.

11 Then He said to them, “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? 12 Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 13 Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other.