A Peaceful Heart

By not reacting we bring about a peaceful heart

Each day brings on new challenges regarding the  health of our spiritual life. Those moments when a family member or coworker makes a remark that is meant to anger us, are those times we need to guard our heart. When those around us are gossiping about someone, that is the perfect opportunity for us to keep silent. The driver who has just cut us off on the freeway; the woman who pushes her way in front of us in the checkout line; the neighbor who treats us rudely; all are moments when we can take control of our passions, and grow spiritually.

Trials and temptations, when confronted with a peaceful heart, bring forth healing and make the heart that much stronger and healthier. Reacting does nothing but bring forth paralysis of the heart, binding us to our fallen nature. When we receive all these temptations with a peaceful heart, and do not react to outside negative stimulus, we are strengthen for the next round of trial and temptation. Then, little by little, we find that the Peace of Christ will fill our every waking moment, and bring forth a joyful spirit, and our heart will be at rest.

Love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Thursday December 1, 2016 / November 18, 2016
24th Week after Pentecost. Tone six.
Nativity (St. Philip’s Fast). Food with Oil

Martyr Platon of Ancyra (266).
Martyr Romanus the Deacon of Caesarea and child-martyr Barulas of Antioch (303).
St. Nicholas confessor, priest (1948).
Martyrs Zacchaeus the Deacon and Alphaeus, of Caesarea in Palestine (303).
Synaxis of All Saints of Estonia.
St. Mawes, bishop in Cornwall and Brittany (5th c.) (Celtic & British).
St. Mabyn, nun of Cornwall (Celtic & British).
New Martyrs Anastasius of Epirus and Daniel (1750) (Greek).
Martyr Romanus, who suffered under Maximian (305).
St. Odo of Cluny (942) (Gaul).

Scripture Readings

1 Thessalonians 5:1-8

The Day of the Lord

5 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. 2 For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. 8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.

Luke 16:1-9

The Parable of the Unjust Steward

16 He also said to His disciples: “There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. 2 So he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.’

3 “Then the steward said within himself, ‘What shall I do? For my master is taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg. 4 I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.’

5 “So he called every one of his master’s debtors to him, and said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 And he said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ So he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ 7 Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ So he said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ 8 So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.

9 “And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home.