Author: Abbot Tryphon

When despondency seizes us The renowned 19th century Russian saint, Seraphim of Sarov (1759-1833), said of himself, “I don’t know anything”. These words were remarkable coming from a hermit who was the most sought after spiritual adviser of his age, with even the Tsar seeking out his counsel. Yet Saint

Political ideologies, and our life in the Church I was asked, just recently, which political party I thought was the best fit for an Orthodox Christian. My response was that this is an issue, as a priest of Christ’s Church, I did not think I should answer. Within the Orthodox

Joyful living according to the Will of God If we focus only on the things that haven’t been done and ignore the little things that bring joy to our lives, we will find ourselves in a rut, constantly thinking of where we’d rather be living, or the job we’d rather

Closed Communion in the Orthodox Church When a stranger approaches the Holy Gifts during the celebration of the Divine Liturgy it is the norm in the Orthodox Church for the priest to ask the person to “kiss the chalice”. Not knowing if the person is Orthodox, or whether they are

The good pastor does not demand conformity before healing has taken place It deeply troubles me when I encounter clergy who want to push their parishioners into total conformity and compliance with the teachings of the Orthodox Church, without first helping them seek the healing that takes place within the

But how can we possibly love everyone? We are instructed by Christ to love our neighbors as ourselves, and even to love our enemies. But there are always individuals who come into our lives that we find difficult to like, let alone love. Given this, how do we follow the

God is with us in the intimacy of grief There are those moments that bring together whole communities in need of mourning together. During such times like these, we need to mourn. One of the most tremendously rewarding and challenging aspects of the priesthood is comforting people in their darkest

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

The distraction of conspiracy theories It is spiritually destructive if we allow ourselves to be distracted by the delusions created by conspiracy theories. When we allow the thrall of conspiracy theories to fill us with fear, anxiety, and mental turmoil, we become distracted, and the peace of mind and heart

Pride, and the monks struggle for humility Struggling with his pride, the monk focuses on bringing his own will into conformity with the will of God, through monastic obedience. This obedience is not limited to obeying the directives of his abbot, but taking up a standard of humility that takes