It Was I Who Was Lost But Have Been Found
If we allow ourselves to belittle anyone, either because of their appearance or because of their state in life, we dismiss the truth that God can, in His Divine Providence, transform anyone into a saint. The person who seems to have succumbed to a worldly life, appearing covered in tattoos, nose rings, and orange hair, could be in the process of coming into an awareness of God, and our judging them, or shunning them, could hamper this process. Human weakness can be changed by divine power. We must recognize this truth so that we never condemn another, or judge another.
We must always remember that it is God Who has shown mercy on us, and it is this same God Who wishes that all come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved. He is able to help all. “And if in His providence He does not deliver all men together from their passions, yet like a good and loving physician, He heals with individual treatment each of those who are trying to make progress (St. Maximos the Confessor).” If we judge others by their appearance, or by their lifestyle, we forget that we belong to Christ because He first loved us. It was I who was lost but have been found.
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Friday September 2, 2022 / August 20, 2022
12th Week after Pentecost. Tone two.
Fast. By Monastic Charter: Strict Fast (Bread, Vegetables, Fruits)
Prophet Samuel (6th c. B.C.).
New Hieromartyrs Alexander, Leo, and Vladimir priests (1918).
New Hieromartyr Nicholas priest (1919).
Uncovering of the relics of Hieromartyr Hermogenes (Germogen), bishop of Tobolsk (2005).
Hieromartyr Philip, bishop of Heraclea, and with him Martyrs Severus, Memnon, and 37 soldiers at Plovdiv in Thrace (304).
Martyr Lucius the Senator of Cyprus (ca. 310).
Martyrs Heliodorus and Dosa (Dausa) in Persia (380).
Putting in again the relics of St. John, bishop of Suzdal and St. Theodore, bishop of Rostov and Suzdal (1879).
Martyr Photina, at the Church of Blachernae (Greek).
St. Philibert of Jumieges (685) (Gaul).
St. Oswin, king and martyr of Northumbria (651) (Celtic & British).
The Scripture Readings
2 Corinthians 7:10-16
10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. 11 For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter. 12 Therefore, although I wrote to you, I did not do it for the sake of him who had done the wrong, nor for the sake of him who suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear to you.
The Joy of Titus
13 Therefore we have been comforted in your comfort. And we rejoiced exceedingly more for the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all. 14 For if in anything I have boasted to him about you, I am not ashamed. But as we spoke all things to you in truth, even so our boasting to Titus was found true. 15 And his affections are greater for you as he remembers the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling you received him. 16 Therefore I rejoice that I have confidence in you in everything.
Mark 2:18-22
Jesus Is Questioned About Fasting
18 The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were fasting. Then they came and said to Him, “Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?”
19 And Jesus said to them, “Can the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. 20 But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days. 21 No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; or else the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear is made worse. 22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.”