A Mass of Sinners

Committed to living as the presence of Christ

According to Saint Ephraim the Syrian (306 – 373), “The Church is not the assembly of saints, it is the mass of sinners who repent, who, sinners though they are, have turned towards God and are oriented towards Him.” As a people whose focus is on God, we are sinners who are committed to living as the presence of Christ in the world, and our holiness can not be separated from the holiness of God at work in this world.

Our sin is a pervading sickness or failure to achieve the goal of being truly human. We are called to fulfill our Divine design and function as the created image of God. Our sin, therefore, does not merely imply guilt for violating God’s commandments, but must be the impetus for become something other than what we are in our fallen state. Because each of us has an experience that is unique, conquering our personal sinful habits requires all our attention and correction.

The ultimate goal of this salvific process is to become deified, which is simply to reflect the Divine likeness. By becoming Christ-like in our behavior and in our thinking, we cooperate with God in this healing process, and are returned to God’s likeness.

It is from this perspective that we recognize our vocation as being Christ in the midst of this fallen world. For this world, just as are we, is called into the process of divinization, and we, as Saint Seraphim of Sarov tells us, can cause the salvation of a thousand around us, by acquiring inner peace. As we acquire a humble and contrite heart, we reveal Christ to the world, and promote the transformation of the whole of the Cosmos into the image and likeness of our Creator God.

With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

I’m flying out on Friday morning for Theotokos “Unexpected Joy” Parish in Ash Grove, Missouri.  With the blessing of Archbishop Kyrill, and at the invitation of Archpriest Moses Berry, I’ll be giving a retreat on Saturday. Please continue to pray for my health, and for my safe journey.

Photo: My monastic cell.

Friday January 17, 2020 / January 4, 2020
31st Week after Pentecost. Tone five.
Sviatki. Fast-free
Forefeast of the Theophany.
Synaxis of the Seventy Apostles: James the Brother of the Lo’rd, Mark the Evangelist, Luke the Evangelist, Cleopas the Brother of Joseph the Betrothed, Symeon the son of Cleopas, Barnabas, Justus, Thaddeus, Ananias, Stephen the Archdeacon; Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, and Parmenas of the seven deacons; Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Onesimus, Epaphras, Archippus, Silas, Silvanus, Crescens, Crispus, Epenetus, Andronicus, Stachys, Amplias, Urban, Narcissus, Apelles, Aristobulus, Herodion, Agabus, Rurus, Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobus, Hermas, Linus, Gaius, Philologus, Lucius, Jason, Sosipater, Olympas, Tertius, Erastus, Quartus, Euodias, Onesiphorus, Clement, Sosthenes, Apollos, Tychicus, Epaphroditus, Carpus, Quadratus, Mark called John, Zenas, Aristarchus, Pudens, Trophimus, Mark, Artemas, Aquila, Fortunatus, and Achaicus; Dionysius Areopagite and Simeon Niger.
Venerable Theoctistus, abbot at Cucomo in Sicily (800).
Repose of St. Eustathius I (Eustace), archbishop of Serbia (1285).
New Hieromartyrs Alexander, Spephen and Philippe priests (1933).
New Hieromartyr Nicholas priest (1939).
New Hieromartyr Paul priest (1941).
Venerable Aquila, deacon of the Kiev Caves (14th c.).
Martyr Zosimas the Hermit and Martyr Athanasius the Commentarisius (superintendent of prisoners), anchorites of Cilicia (3rd-4th c.).
Martyrs Chrysantha and Euphemia.
Venerable Euthymius the New of Thessalonica, monk.
St. Gregory of Langres (539-540) (Gaul).
Martyrs Abbot Euthymius and Twelve Monks of Vatopedi Monastery, Mt. Athos (1285) (Greek).
New Martyr Onuphrius Manassias of Gabrovo and Hilandar Monastery, Mt. Athos (1818) (Greek).
The Ethiopian Eunuch of Queen Candace.
Venerable Fathers Evagre, Ilia the Deacon, and the Disciples of the Thirteen Syrian Fathers (6th. c.) (Georgia).
St. Symeon, metropolitan of Smolensk (1699).

The Scripture Readings

Acts 13:25-33 Royal Hours: 1st Hour
Matthew 3:1-11 Royal Hours: 1st Hour
Acts 19:1-8 Royal Hours: 3rd Hour
Mark 1:1-8 Royal Hours: 3rd Hour
Romans 6:3-11 Royal Hours: 6th Hour
Mark 1:9-15 Royal Hours: 6th Hour
Titus 2:11-14; 3:4-7 Royal Hours: 9th Hour
Matthew 3:13-17 Royal Hours: 9th Hour