Heavenly Worship Must Enter into the Heart
The beauty of Orthodox worship is meant to lift us up, connecting us to Heavenly Worship that is eternally celebrated before the Throne of God. The beatific vision granted Saint John, and revealed in the Book of Revelation, describes the connection between the Eucharistic service we celebrate here on earth, and the Heavenly Banquet that awaits us in Eternity. The beauty of our Orthodox Divine Liturgy is but a mere foretaste of what awaits us.
Every time we Orthodox stand in worship, we must take in the words of the service, and make them our own. Merely observing the service is not worship, as we must enter into Divine Worship with our heart, and give attention to the Word of God that permeates the whole of the services. We must breathe in the Word of God, and let the action of the Word take root in our heart. The Word of God is a Living Word, imparting God’s grace.
The Word, as heard in the readings of the Epistle and the Gospel, and prayed in the liturgical texts, is meant to transform us, as God is making us His holy people. This regeneration takes place when the Word has entered our heart.
Abbot Nazarius of Valaam, taught that we must strive as well as we can “to enter deeply with the heart into the church reading and singing and to imprint these on the tablets of the heart”. This is why it is so important for our spiritual progress to drive out distracting thoughts that confront us, while in worship.
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Friday October 13, 2023 / September 30, 2023
19th Week after Pentecost. Tone one.
Fast. Food with Oil
Hieromartyr Gregory, bishop of Greater Armenia (335).
Venerable Gregory, abbot of Pelshme, wonderworker of Vologda (1442).
St. Michael, first metropolitan of Kiev (992).
New Hieromartyr Prokopius priest (1918).
New Hieromartyrs Peter, Viacheslav, Peter, Symeon, Basil priests, Seraphim deacon, Virgin-martyr Alexandra, Martyrs Alexis and Matthew, Virgin Apollinaris (1937).
New Hieromartyr Leonidas priest (1938).
New Hiero-confessor Hieromonk Seraphim (Zagorovsky), of Kharkov (1943).
Martyrs Rhipsima and Gaiana and companions, of Armenia (4th c.).
St. Meletius, archbishop of Alexandria.
St. Honorius, archbishop of Canterbury (653) (Celtic & British).
St. Michael, great prince of Tver (1318).
St. Theodore Yaroslavich of Vladimir (1246).
Martyr-hermits Tancred, Torthred and Tova, of Thorney.
Martyr Stratonicus (Greek).
Martyr Mardonius (Greek).
The Scripture Readings
Philippians 1:27-2:4
Striving and Suffering for Christ
27 Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God. 29 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, 30 having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me.
Unity Through Humility
2 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
Luke 6:17-23
Jesus Heals a Great Multitude
17 And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases, 18 as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed. 19 And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.
The Beatitudes
20 Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said:
“Blessed are you poor,
For yours is the kingdom of God.
21 Blessed are you who hunger now,
For you shall be filled.
Blessed are you who weep now,
For you shall laugh.
22 Blessed are you when men hate you,
And when they exclude you,
And revile you, and cast out your name as evil,
For the Son of Man’s sake.
23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy!
For indeed your reward is great in heaven,
For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.