Author: Abbot Tryphon

When prayer becomes dry When we find ourselves struggling with prayer, and feel that it has become dry and lifeless, we are sometimes tempted to stop praying. When our prayer has become a struggle, it is good to remember that God knows our needs, and even knows what we want

Everything proceeds out of God’s love and mercy There is a common misconception concerning the word “mercy”, used throughout the liturgical services of the Church, as well as our private prayers, and the Jesus Prayer. It is a given that we are all sinners, but the asking for God’s mercy

Our thoughts determine our lives “Our life depends on the kind of thoughts we nurture. If our thoughts are peaceful, calm, meek, and kind, then that is what our life is like. If our attention is turned to the circumstances in which we live, we are drawn into a whirlpool

Kissing the hand of the priest is all about Christ The kissing of the hand of the priest is not about the man, but rather about Christ. It is much like the kissing of an icon, which is not about the veneration of paint and wood, but about the archetype

Acquiring a humble heart Our brotherhood’s beloved Father Spiridon (the Scotsman whose own humility inspired us, and who died a number of years ago), told us a wonderful story of humility in action. It concerned the Ever memorable Metropolitan Laurus, the saintly bishop who led the Russian Orthodox Church Outside

Abbot  Tryphon has not been posting on his blog because he has been asked by his Archbishop to cease his internet ministry for a while. We hope to resume soon. Father is physically fine. Please keep him in your prayers. Hieromonk Paul

Results in our inheritance of death The fact that we Orthodox do not accept the doctrine of original sin as espoused in the West, does in no way suggest that we do not need to be born again (born anew). We believe, as did the Early Church Fathers, that we

Acquire a peaceful spirit, and thousands around you will be saved “We have all sinned and fall short of the Glory of God (Romans 3:23).” We Orthodox often miss the mark in understanding and ministering to this world. We fail the words of Christ, “to love one another as God

If we desire mercy, we must be merciful Some people abandon themselves to sin in order to cover up their lack of self esteem. In their need for intimacy and acceptance, they seek out worldly pleasures, thinking these will fill the void that has kept them from happiness. In their

The litmus test for all human rights Freedom of religion has has always been the hallmark of our American way of life. Our Founding Fathers migrated to the shores of the New World primarily to seek religious freedom, fleeing as they where the religious persecution they suffered in England. The