Author: Abbot Tryphon

Being sensitive to other peoples crosses We humans are an odd species. We are capable of great sensitivity and compassion, yet we are also capable of terrible cruelty. Staring at people with facial deformities, or who may have peculiar, physically malformed bodies, may satisfy our innate curiosity, but the cruelty

Think about the good so as not to think about the bad Since the eyes and the ears are the doors of the soul, an Orthodox Christian must not leave the body without attention. Unlike the religion of Gnosticism, which teaches the separation of soul and body, with the physical

Kindness softens and opens up the heart As we examine how we live our lives as Christians, we look to those who leave an impression of goodness, kindness, and humility, as examples of the person we would like to become. That saintly person, by their every example, exudes the humbleness

Man’s ultimate sickness is unbelief Man’s ultimate sickness is that of unbelief. This life is for us as a great journey, one where we are preparing for the Kingdom that is to come. In this journey we are given the opportunity of finding the medicine for the cure of our

The Church’s Witness to the Problem of Poverty In many parts of the American countryside one can find the remnants of poorhouses (sometimes called workhouses), institutions run by local county or state governments as a means of dealing with the issue of the unemployed poor and homeless. These poorhouses were

How do we discover God in an unbelieving world? God is a merciful God, quick to forgive, quick to show mercy, quick to embrace us when we turn to Him. In all of eternity our God chose to create humankind in His image and likeness, offering His creatures the opportunity

True freedom brings about peace and harmony According to Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica, “Our starting point is always wrong. Instead of beginning with ourselves, we always want to change others first and ourselves last. If everyone were to begin first with themselves, then there would be peace all around!” When

Lest our virtue be as of nothing Since everyone, including non-Christians, is burdened with external crosses, it is imperative that Christians also endure those internal crosses that fall upon us, recognizing that there is no burden we can withstand, without the help of Christ, who is our Co-Suffering Saviour. It

Whom do we see when we look into the face of another? Our world is polarized in ways not seen in many generations. This polarization is bought closer to home because we now live in a nation that is far more cosmopolitan than in the past. Even small towns across our

And the corporate nature of salvation There is a certain emptiness in trying to live the Christian life outside the life of the Church. This is because it is impossible to truly live as a Christian without the Church. The reading of the scriptures, and our commitment to prayer, are