Author: Abbot Tryphon

Man’s participation in the uncreated energies of God Our Orthodox patristic tradition holds that it is through God’s own uncreated energies that we are able to participate in His own being, light, and glory. We can not know God through our own faculties, for God is beyond human comprehension. The

We should think upon our own death Saint Sisoes, the great ascetic, standing before the tomb of Alexander the Great, beheld the skeletal remains of one who was once covered in magnificent garments.  Astonished, the saint mourned for the vicissitudes of time and the transience of glory, and tearfully proclaimed,

The original men in black The monastic vocation is a special calling from God that is all about relationships. It is a relationship that involves community (the monastic brotherhood), but primarily revolves around the monk’s relationship with God. Monks are not holy men who are living lives set apart from

Chaplains are the ones who are the presence of God in the midst of tragedy I am grateful to God for all the friendships I’ve formed with other chaplains during these past fourteen years of service as a police and fire chaplain, and am privileged to count among my friends

We must not become detached from our original goal If we are radically obedient to the Gospel, we can face anything, even extreme fear, and stay connected to the heart. If we are to avoid becoming hardhearted, we must keep ourselves focused on the goal of union with God, for

For the Christian, ownership must not become possessiveness   If we view everything, be it a house, a car, a good income, a wonderful friendship, or a good education, as ours, we give in to the sin of possessiveness. If we are blessed with the joy and happiness that comes

The link between repentance and humility In an age when “self-focus” is the rule of the day, and where the ego seems to reign, it is hard for people to see the value of humility. Many people, from politicians to rock stars, seem to climb the ladder of success by

The incubator for a life of righteousness Prior to electricity and central heating, most families gathered in parlors, spending evenings with reading, sewing, and family conversations. The notion that everyone would retreat to bedrooms, kitchens, or dens, separating themselves from other family members, was unthinkable. The communal nature of the

How do we keep our youth in the Church? We are living in an age that has witnessed changes on a massive scale as never before. The way we communicate has changed with the coming of the internet, with information available that would have required a library and advanced degrees

Living behind the mask of our own invention We are all surrounded by fictional characters, persons who are the invention of filmmakers, promoters, and even self-inventors. The original meaning of the word “hypocrite” was “actor”, and it is ignorance of our true nature as children of God that keeps us