Author: Abbot Tryphon

Where the temporal and the eternal are connected We can be rich in liturgical correctness and wealthy in traditions, but if we do not have love and mercy, we are in reality bankrupt. Our Lord Himself made love and mercy the chief criterion whereby we will be judged on the

Holy Tradition supports the proper interpretation of the Bible Many evangelical protestants see Holy Tradition as standing in direct contrast to Scripture, as though Tradition is always relegated to “the traditions of men”. However, there are numerous references in Holy Scripture to Holy Tradition. For example: “Many have undertaken to

Let us be as angels to those in our midst Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares (Hebrews 13:2). There is not one of us who does not meet someone in a given week who is not in need of encouragement, love, and mercy.

Christ will ultimately triumph over evil Increasingly Christians have been talking about the coming of the Anti-Christ. Events around the world have created a sense of doom among many believers, seeing in the economic downswing, rise of Islam, extreme climate change, and breakdown of societal norms, as precursors to the

Spiritual work and physical work The compartmentalization of the work week can wreak havoc on the inner life. It is easier to keep your prayers, spiritual reading, and focus on Christ, reserved for the weekend. Like so many, you struggle to keep spiritually grounded while at work. So many jobs

Prayer is born of love If we find fault in others, our self-indulgent attitude keeps us from having a successful interaction with God. Prayer is born of love, while fault-finding, idle talk and self-indulgence are the death of prayer. Love and prayer are interconnected because both involve God, and if

Hell and hate One of my favorite authors as a young man, was Thomas Merton, the famous Trappist monk. In the introduction to his work New Seeds of Contemplation he wrote: “Hell was where no one has anything in common with anyone else except the fact that they all hate

The Orthodox Faith is nothing without transformation of life If your spiritual life is concentrated only on external practices and traditions, but does nothing to bring about real change, you will have gained nothing. Too many people think as long as they keep the fasting rules, do their prayers, and

The hope for an authentic Christian future Young people are filled with ideas, dreams, and goals, and their youthful exuberance is full of hope and vitality. It is this hope and innocence that young people will be bringing to the table, as they begin to replace the present generation as

When correcting others is like hitting them When focusing on the sins of others, we set for ourselves the mission of correcting them. We see ourselves as just the right person to help this poor, unfortunate person by pointing out their sins, and telling them how they can be a