The Critic, Fearing He Will Fail, Does Nothing
It is easy to be critical of another person, finding fault with what we perceive they are doing, have done, or have not done. Yet the man who points out how another man has stumbled, finding fault in something he himself has not done, and in what he himself thinks he could have done better, is in reality the one at fault. It is the one who has done the work whom he criticizes.
The doer of the work may have stumbled, or perhaps could have done a better job, but he must receive credit for having tried. This man still deserves credit, for he is the one who put forth the effort, whereas the critic has done nothing, and, knowing he has done nothing, wishes to take the spotlight off himself, pointing, instead, to the doer.
The credit belongs to the man who has erred, and who perhaps comes up short again and again. He knows that without changing some error or failure, no deed will ever be done. This man takes up a worthy deed with great enthusiasm, even in spite of the fact he may fail. The critic, fearing he will fail, does nothing. The critic will never know either defeat or victory.
Love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Sunday November 20, 2022 / November 7, 2022
23rd Sunday after Pentecost. Tone six.
Holy 33 Martyrs of Melitene: Hieron, Hesychius, Nicander, Athanasius, Manias, Barachius, Callinicus, Theogenes, Nicon, Longinus, Theodore, Valerius, Xanthius, Theodulus, Callimachus, Eugene, Theodochus, Ostrychius, Epiphanius, Maximian, Ducitius, Claudian, Theophilus, Gigantius, Dorotheus, Theodotus, Castrychius, Anicletus, Theomelius, Eutychius, Hilarion, Diodotus, and Amonitus (290).
Venerable Lazarus the Wonderworker of Mt. Galesion near Ephesus (1054).
New Hieromartyrs Cyril (Smirnov) metropolitan of Kazan, Michael, Alexander, Aleksander, Michael, Aleksander, Nicholas, Alexis, Paul, Basil, Paulinus priests, John and Benjamin deacons, Martyr Nicholas, Virgin-martyr Elisabeth (1937).
New Hieromartyrs Sergius archbishop of Eletsk, Nicholas priest and Martyr Gregory (1937).
Finding of the relics of priest Constantine Golubev (1995).
New Hieromartyr Joseph (Petrovykh), metropolitan of Petrograd (1938).
Venerable Zosimas, abbot of Vorbozoma (1550).
Translation of the relics of St. Cyril, abbot of New Lake (Vologda) (1649).
Martyr Theodotus of Ancyra (303).
Martyrs Melasippus, Cassina, their son Antoninus, and forty children converted by their martyrdom, at Ancyra (363).
Martyrs Auctus, Taurion, and Thessalonica at Amphipolis in Macedonia.
“Leaping with Joy” (1795) Icon of the Mother of God.
St. Willibrord, archbishop of Utrecht, apostle of Frisia (739) (Neth.).
Martyr Athenodorus (Greek).
Martyr Alexander of Thessalonica (305) (Greek).
St. Gregory, brother of St. Gregory the Wonderworker (3rd c.) (Greek).
The Scripture Readings
Matthew 28:16-20
New King James Version
The Great Commission
16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go [a]therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I amwith you always, even to the end of the age.” [b]Amen.
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Footnotes
Matthew 28:19 M omits therefore
Matthew 28:20 NU omits Amen.
Ephesians 2:4-10
New King James Version
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
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Luke 8:41-56
New King James Version
41 And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus’ feet and begged Him to come to his house, 42 for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was dying.
But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him. 43 Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, 44 came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped.
45 And Jesus said, “Who touched Me?”
When all denied it, Peter [a]and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, [b]and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”
46 But Jesus said, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.” 47 Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately.
48 And He said to her, “Daughter, [c]be of good cheer; your faith has made you well.Go in peace.”
49 While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house, saying to him, “Your daughter is dead. Do not trouble the [d]Teacher.”
50 But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, “Do not be afraid; only believe, and she will be made well.” 51 When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go [e]in except [f]Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl. 52 Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.” 53 And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead.
54 But He [g]put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, “Little girl, arise.” 55 Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat. 56 And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened.