The Ego Has Led To a State of Spiritual Bankruptcy
In our self-centered age we have come to believe we must feel good about ourselves and have rejected the idea of guilt and sin. Sin is seen as religion’s outdated instrument for keeping people in line, making them dependent on an institution that should be relegated to the Dark Ages. In an age where man is elevated to being his own god, religion is seen as a sort of enslavement. Up with self! Down with guilt!
Self as the new god is worshiped at the expense of community and enthroned in a position of the utmost importance. Worship of self has contributed to the downfall of families and societal stability, with careers, social and financial gain and self fulfillment reigning supreme.
Divine love does not tolerate this elevated status of self, for the ego is the enemy of our communion with God. In an age of financial collapse, mortgage foreclosures and high unemployment, worship of self dooms us to a life of total loss.
We were created for communion with God and the worship of the ego has led us into a state of spiritual bankruptcy. The total meltdown of the economy and the destruction of the environment is the direct result of the turning away from spiritual values. The foundation of economic and environmental collapse is to be found in our spiritual bankruptcy. We need to return to the worship of God, and reject the worship of self.
The denial of guilt and sin is the ultimate example of our having accepted the lie perpetrated by the devil, the great deceiver. True happiness and true wealth come only through the fulfillment of our destiny and that for which we were created, communion with God.
The destruction of the ego begins with repentance and the acquisition of a humble and a contrite heart.
Love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Photo: Vladimir, newly baptised here at the monastery this past Saturday, built these porch railings for me. I feel much safer now!
Thursday November 2, 2023 / October 20, 2023
22nd Week after Pentecost. Tone four.
Great-martyr Artemius at Antioch (362).
New Martyr Priest Nicholas (Liubomudrov) of Latskoye village, Yaroslavl (1918).
New Hieromartyrs Herman bishop of Alatyr, Zosima, John, John, John, Nicholas, Leonid, John and Alexander priests, Michael and Peter deacons and Martyr Paul (1937).
Venerable Gabriel of Samtavisi (1995) (Georgia).
St. Artemius of Verkola (1545).
Martyrs Aborsam ans Senoe, of Persia (341).
Martyrs Eboras and Eunous of Persia.
Venerable Matrona of Chios (1462).
Martyr Zebinas of Caesarea in Palestine.
Venerable Gerasimus the New, ascetic of Cephalonia (1579) (Greek).
St. Acca, bishop of Hexham (England) (ca. 740) (Celtic & British).
Translation of the relics of New Monk-martyr Ignatius of Mt. Athos (1814) (Greek).
The Scripture Readings
Colossians 4:2-9
Christian Graces
2 Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; 3 meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, 4 that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.
5 Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. 6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
Final Greetings
7 Tychicus, a beloved brother, faithful minister, and fellow servant in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me. 8 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that he may know your circumstances and comfort your hearts, 9 with Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will make known to you all things which are happening here.
Luke 9:49-56
Jesus Forbids Sectarianism
49 Now John answered and said, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us.”
50 But Jesus said to him, “Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side.”
A Samaritan Village Rejects the Savior
51 Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, 52 and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. 53 But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. 54 And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?”
55 But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. 56 For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And they went to another village.