Do not cast away your confidence
If we get caught up in what we want, or what we think we want, we can become despondent that things are not going the way we’d hoped. In our disappointment we start to wonder why God has failed to give us what we’ve sought after. That thing or situation that became the dominant theme of our prayers, has evaded us. As we’ve gotten caught up in trying to reach a goal, and failing, we forget that it may not have been God’s will for us from the very beginning. Relying on our own notion of what we need, we end up disappointed, or even disillusioned, and we blame God.
Much of what we think we need is born from our own immaturity. Having allowed ourselves to focus on what we think we need, we find ourselves failing to surrender to the will of God. We therefore fail to trust in the knowledge that God knows what we really need, and refuse to surrender to His will for us. Forgetting that God knows what we really need, and fail to consider the long term good.
When we stop struggling against the will of God, we will find the grace sufficient to prayerfully enduring our trials, for we’ll know that God gives us what we need for our salvation. Like a loving earthly father, our God allows us to endure that which will make us strong, and having been made strong we will have victory over our fallen nature.
This kind of faithful living leads us to know the truth of the words, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).” When we trust God, those moments of disappointment make sense, and the bigger picture is clearly set before us.
“Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise (Hebrews 10:35-36)”
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Photos: Two of the many visitors to the monastery this week.
Monday August 17, 2020 / August 4, 2020
11th Week after Pentecost. Tone one.
Dormition (Theotokos) Fast. By Monastic Charter: Strict Fast (Bread, Vegetables, Fruits)
Holy Seven Youths (the “Seven Sleepers”) of Ephesus: Maximilian, Jamblicus, Martinian, John, Dionysius, Exacustodian (Constantine) and Antoninus (250 & 5th c.).
New Hieromartyr Nicholas (Prozgrov) (1930).
New Hieromartyr Michael, Martyrs Simeon and Demetrius (1937).
Uncovering of the relics of St. Alexis, priest of Bortsumany, Nizhni-Novgorod (2000).
Martyr Eudocia of Persia (362).
Martyr Eleutherius of Constantinople (4th c.).
Uncovering of the relics of St. Arsenius of Elasson.
“Kazan-Penza” Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos.
New Hieromartyr Cosmas of Aitolia, Equal to the Apostles (1779) (Greek).
Martyr Ia and 9,000 with her in Persia (Greek).
Martyr Tathuil (Greek).
The Scripture Readings
2 Corinthians 2:3-15
Forgive the Offender
3 And I wrote this very thing to you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow over those from whom I ought to have joy, having confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all. 4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you.
5 But if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me, but all of you to some extent—not to be too severe. 6 This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, 7 so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. 8 Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. 9 For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things. 10 Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, 11 lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.
Triumph in Christ
12 Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord, 13 I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I departed for Macedonia.
14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.
Matthew 23:13-22
13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. 14 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.
15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.
16 “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.’ 17 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that sanctifies the gold? 18 And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gift that is on it, he is obliged to perform it.’ 19 Fools and blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? 20 Therefore he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by all things on it.21 He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it. 22 And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it.