Seeking Out the “Good Part”
Seeking out knowledge of the truth must be for us the goal of every day and hour. We must free ourselves of all vain concerns and drive out anything that causes us to forget the goal, remembering that Jesus said to Martha, “you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her (Luke 10:41-44).”
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Photos: We were delighted to have so many visitors on Sunday. As well, an increasing number of people, both catechumens and baptized Orthodox Christians, are attending Father Nicodemus’ class on Orthodoxy that takes place in our library following the Sunday trapeza meal.
Monday November 14, 2022 / November 1, 2022
23rd Week after Pentecost. Tone five.
Holy Wonderworkers and Unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian of Mesopotamia, and their mother St. Theodota (3rd c.).
New Hieromartyrs Alexander and Theodore priests (1918).
New Hieromartyrs Sergius archbishop of Eletsk, Alexander and Demetrius priests, Virgin-martyr Elizabeth (1937).
Martyr Peter (1941).
Hieromartyrs John the Bishop and James the Presbyter, of Persia (345).
Martyrs Cyrenia and Juliana in Cilicia (305).
Martyr Hermeningilda the Goth of Spain (586).
Martyrs Caesarius, Dacius, Sabbas, Sabinian, Agrippa, Adrian, and Thomas at Damascus (7th c.).
St. Cosmas of Verkhoturye (1704).
Martyrs James of Mt. Athos and his two disciples James and Dionysius (1520) (Greek).
Venerable David of Euboea (1589) (Greek).
Martyrs Cyprian and Juliana (Greek).
St. Cadfan, abbot of Bardsey Island.
New Virgin-martyr Helen of Sinope (18th c.).
The Scripture Readings
1 Thessalonians 1:1-5
Greeting
1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,
To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Their Good Example
2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, 3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, 4 knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God. 5 For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.
Luke 11:29-33
Seeking a Sign
29 And while the crowds were thickly gathered together, He began to say, “This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet. 30 For as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so also the Son of Man will be to this generation. 31 The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.
The Lamp of the Body
33 “No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light.
1 Corinthians 12:27-13:8
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. 28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.
The Greatest Gift
13 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.
Matthew 10:1
The Twelve Apostles
10 And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.
Matthew 10:5-8
Sending Out the Twelve
5 These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.