Community in Dark Times

And the light of Christ, the True Light on the horizon

Times like ours call for us to become spiritually fit, so we can be beacons of light among those who have lost all hope. The challenges that face all of us during this pandemic are not for the faint of heart. The spiritually fit can triumph over anything, and we must continue trying to encourage this new generation of young people, to be prepared for whatever may be coming. We have before us many challenges, and hardships. Those who have developed a strong faith must be willing to share their faith-based strength with those who are on the edge.

A study of history can show us that we are not the only people who’ve faced pandemics and civil unrest, and we will not be the last. What is missing, it seems to me, is the sense of community, of a people who are united to find solutions, and not simply war with each other. The present political climate in the United States, with its polarization of good people, seriously interferes with the solutions we need to turn things around. What is needed is for people of faith to step forward and help those who have lost homes, jobs, and hope, offering help in whatever way we can. Walling ourselves off from those who’ve fallen through the cracks will not make things better.

During times like these we must refocus our attention on the things that build up community. Even though we find ourselves sequestered in our homes, forced to keep friends and family at bay, we can still reach out with telephone calls, letting those close to us know that we are thinking of them, and counting the days until we can all join together around the table, or in church. We can let those who can not join us for Thanksgiving know that we are thinking of them, and that we’ll make up for the separation as soon as we are able.

We can let the sick relative know they are in our prayers, and even perhaps use zoom to let them see us. We can facetime friends, passing on a kiss over the internet, and let them see our smile. We can let our friends and neighbors know that, even though we are separated by orders set down by our governors and city overlords, our friendships will endure.

It is important that we don’t let our separation from others lead to depression, for all of this will be but a fading memory, given time. Meanwhile, we smile through our masks, remembering that others can see a smile through our eyes. We can lift other peoples spirits by cracking a joke, or even complimenting them on the design of their mask. We can even remind them that we are praying for them, and that God loves them.

Whatever we can do to introduce the love of Christ to others in the midst of these dark times, will make a difference, and will most certainly make a difference in our own hearts. Remembering that these dark times will pass, we bring the light of Christ, the True Light on the horizon, into the midst of this darkness, and in doing so, we dispel all sadness and despair among those who encounter us.

With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Wednesday November 25, 2020 / November 12, 2020
25th Week after Pentecost. Tone seven.
Fast. Food with Oil
St. John the Merciful, patriarch of Alexandria (620).
Venerable Nilus the Faster of Sinai (451).
New Hieromartyr Alexander priest (1918).
New Hieromartyrs Constantine, Vladimir, Alexander, Matthew, Demetrius priests (1937).
New Hieromartyr Boris (1942).
Blessed John “the Hairy,” fool-for-Christ at Rostov (1580).
Prophet Ahijah (Achias) (960 B.C.).
St. Nilus the Myrrh-gusher of Mt. Athos (1651).
“The Merciful” Icon of the Mother of God.
New Martyr Sabbas Nigdelinus of Constantinople (1726) (Greek).
New Martyr Nicholas of Constantinople (1726).
St. Leontius, patriarch of Constantinople (1143).
Venerable Emilian of Vergegio in Iberia.
Venerable Lebuinus, missionary monk of the Netherlands (Netherlands).
St. Machar, bishop of Aberdeen (Scotland) (6th c.) (Celtic & British).
St. Sinell of Cleenish (6th c.) (Celtic & British).
St. Cadwaladr, king of the Welsh (664) (Celtic & British).
New Hieromartyr priest Theodore Gidaspov.
Synaxis of the Russian New Martyrs of Optina: Anatolius, Barnabas, Dositheus, Nectarius, Panteleimon and Vincent.

The Scripture Readings

2 Thessalonians 2:1-12

The Great Apostasy

2 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusions, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Luke 12:48-59

48 But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.

Christ Brings Division

49 “I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! 50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished! 51 Do you suppose that I came to give peace on earth? I tell you, not at all, but rather division. 52 For from now on five in one house will be divided: three against two, and two against three.53 Father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”

Discern the Time

54 Then He also said to the multitudes, “Whenever you see a cloud rising out of the west, immediately you say, ‘A shower is coming’; and so it is. 55 And when you see the south wind blow, you say, ‘There will be hot weather’; and there is. 56 Hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this time?

Make Peace with Your Adversary

57 “Yes, and why, even of yourselves, do you not judge what is right? 58 When you go with your adversary to the magistrate, make every effort along the way to settle with him, lest he drag you to the judge, the judge delivers you to the officer, and the officer throws you into prison. 59 I tell you, you shall not depart from there till you have paid the very last mite.”