This War Could Easily Have Been Avoided
As we witness negotiations failing and a fratricidal conflict manifesting in the current military actions in Ukraine, it presents us faithful Orthodox Christians with confusion and frustration. It’s tempting to despair and to judge one side or the other and allow this to infect our relationships with others holding the opposite view. Rather than allow these days to activate our passions, we must humble ourselves and realize there’s nothing much we can do other than to pray and hope in God’s Providence and Mercy.
Things are not as they seem and very seldom as they are presented to us in the media. All the actors in this situation are going to follow their scripts and play their parts in the drama of politics and domination.
Let us sincerely pray that there will be no interference in the current conflict from other countries, including our own. Such meddling can cause an escalation such as we have seen in the events (real and orchestrated) preceding the previous world wars.
The people of Ukraine, and all the nations looking on need to see that they are only pawns in a bigger attempt to control world events and the goals of the globalist agenda. There are plenty of similar things going on in our own country and in Canada as well. All the drama in the news has distracted us for the moment from the battles right here on our continent for national sovereignty and freedom.
This war and all the suffering that is taking place among the Ukrainian citizens could easily have been avoided if our Administration and NATO had simply acknowledged Russia’s legitimate security concerns regarding Ukraine’s becoming a member of NATO, and if they had conducted themselves with honesty and not broken so many promises.
It is helpful to understand that American and European officials led the Russians to believe that no expansion would be undertaken by NATO, but the alliance has nevertheless doubled in size. This makes us look like long term aggressors in the area—or at best, preparing to be in a very good position for aggression. After all, the reason NATO was created was to control and contain an ever-expanding Soviet empire in the aftermath of World War II.
Instead of just focussing on Russia’s current aggression against its neighbor, we might look at how we have provoked it with our own plotting and aggressive moves. It is important for us Americans to know that Russia is surrounded by NATO forces. How would we feel if Canada and Mexico were allies of China, and had invited the Chinese military to assemble on our borders?
In these dangerous times, we Christians must pray that the Mother of God places her Protective Veil over us, and that God, seeing our repentant hearts, will bring peace to a world that could well be on the brink of another world war. We must also pray for Orthodox Russia, and for President Putin, who in spite of whatever faults he may have, is certainly resisting the moral decay to which our country, from top to bottom, has given itself over in a slavish servitude to “wokism.”
We must pray for our Orthodox brothers and sisters in Ukraine, that the bond between Orthodox believers will grow stronger during this tumultuous time. Especially pray that the schism in that country which affects all of Orthodoxy may be healed.
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Saturday February 26, 2022 / February 13, 2022
The Saturday of the Dead. Tone two.
Venerable Martinian, monk, of Caesarea in Palestine (422).
New Hieromartyrs Basil and Gabriel priests (1919).
New Hieromartyr Silvester (Olshevsky) bishop of Omsk and Pavlodar (1920).
New Hieromartyrs Zosimas, Nicholas, Basil, John, Leontius, Vladimir, Parthenius, John, John, Michael priests and Eugene deacon, and Martyr Paul, Virgin-martyrs Anna, Vera and Irina (1938).
Blessed Archbishop Seraphim (Sobolev) of Bogucharsk (1950).
The holy woman Zoe of Bethlehem and Virgin Photina (5th c.).
Venerable Eulogius, archbishop of Alexandria (607-608).
Venerable Symeon the Myrrh-gusher, prince of Serbia (1200).
Synaxis of All Saints of Omsk Metropolia.
St. Martin the Merciful.
St. Modomnoc, bishop of Ossory (6th c.) (Celtic & British).
Apostle and Martyr Aquila, and Priscilla (Greek).
St. Timothy, patriarch of Alexandria (385).
St. Joseph of Volokolamsk (1515).
St. Castor of Karden, hieromonk and missionary (Germany)
St. Ermenhilda, abbess of Ely.
St. Huna, priest-monk of Huneya.
Translation of the relics of St. Edward the Martyr, King of England.
The Scripture Readings
1 Corinthians 10:23-28
All to the Glory of God
23 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. 24 Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being.
25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake; 26 for “the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.”
27 If any of those who do not believe invites you to dinner, and you desire to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience’ sake. 28 But if anyone says to you, “This was offered to idols,” do not eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for conscience’ sake; for “the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.”
1 Thessalonians 4:13-17
13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
Luke 21:8-9
8 And He said: “Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time has drawn near.’ Therefore do not go after them.9 But when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately.”
Luke 21:25-27
The Coming of the Son of Man
25 “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; 26 men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
Luke 21:33-36
33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
The Importance of Watching
34 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
John 5:24-30
Life and Judgment Are Through the Son
24 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. 25 Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, 27 and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. 28 Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice 29 and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. 30 I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.