Don’t react, be at peace.
Each day brings on new challenges regarding the health of your soul. Those moments when a family member or coworker makes a remark that are meant to anger you, are those times you need to guard your heart. When those around you are gossiping about someone, that is an opportunity for you to keep silent. The driver who’s just cut you off on the freeway; the woman who pushes her way in front of you in the check out line; the rude neighbor; all are moments in time when you can take control and grow stronger spiritually.
Trials and temptations, when confronted with a peaceful heart, bring forth healing and make the soul that much stronger and healthier. Reacting does nothing but bring forth paralysis of the soul, binding us to our fallen nature. Receiving all these temptations with a peaceful heart and not reacting to outside negative stimulus, helps strengthen you for the next round of trial and temptation. Little by little, you will find that the Peace of Christ fills your every waking moment, bring on a joyful spirit and a peaceful heart.
Love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Friday February 8, 2013
36th Week after Pentecost. Tone two.
Fast. Fish Allowed
St. Xenophon and his wife, St. Mary, and their two sons, Sts. Arcadius and John, of Constantinople (6th c.).
New Martyr Matushka Maria of Gatchina (1930).
New Hieromartyr Cyril, metropolitan of Kazan (1937).
New Hieromartyr Arcadius (1938).
Martyr John (1938).
Venerable Xenophon, abbot of Robeika (Novgorod) (1262).
Martyrs Ananias presbyter, Peter, and seven soldiers, in Phoenicia (295).
Venerable Symeon “the Ancient” of Mt. Sinai (ca. 390).
Translation of the relics of Venerable Theodore, abbot of the Studion (845).
St. Joseph, bishop of Thessalonica, brother of St. Theodore of the Studion (830).
St. Davit IV the Builder, king of Georgia and Abkhazeti (1125) (Georgia).
St. Ammon, of Egypt, disciple of St. Anthony the Great (350), and St. Gabriel, abbot at Jerusalem (490).
St. Conon, bishop and monastic founder on the Isle of Man (648) (Celtic & British).
Two Martyrs of Phrygia (Greek).
Venerable Clement of Mt. Sagmation (12tK c.) (Greek).
St. Paula of Palestine (404). You can read the life of the saint in green, by click on the name.
THANK YOU, to all of you who have been able to contribute towards the support of the monastery. These difficult times of economic hardship have impacted the monastery, and those of you who have been able to donate, have been our lifeline. May God bless you for your generosity, and kindness.With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Ephesians 4:17-25
The New Man
17This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20But you have not so learned Christ, 21if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
Do Not Grieve the Spirit
25Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another.
Mark 12:1-12
The Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers
12 Then He began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. 2Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vinedressers. 3And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 4Again he sent them another servant, and at him they threw stones, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated. 5And again he sent another, and him they killed; and many others, beating some and killing some. 6Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to them last, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 7But those vinedressers said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8So they took him and killed him and cast him out of the vineyard.
9“Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others. 10Have you not even read this Scripture:
‘The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
11This was the Lord’s doing,
And it is marvelous in our eyes’?”
12And they sought to lay hands on Him, but feared the multitude, for they knew He had spoken the parable against them. So they left Him and went away.