Death and Eternal Life
With both hips going out, together with heart issues, I am fully aware that my days are numbered. I don’t know the source of this description of death, but do want to share it with all of my readers.
“A ship sails, and I stand watching, til she fades on the horizon, and someone at my side says, “She is gone.” Gone where? Gone from my sight, that is all. She is just as large as when I saw her…..
The diminished size and total loss of sight is in me, not her, and just at the moment when someone at my side says “She is gone”, there are others who are watching her coming, and other voices take up the glad shout “Here she comes…..!” And that is dying. ”
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Photos: Some of Friday’s visitors to the monastery.
Saturday October 1, 2022 / September 18, 2022
16th Week after Pentecost. Tone six.
Saturday after the Universal Elevation of the Precious and Life-Creating Cross of the Lord
Venerable Eumenes, bishop of Gortyna (7th c.).
Glorification (1698) of Venerable Euphrosyne, nun, of Suzdal (1250).
Venerable Hilarion of Optina (1873).
New Hieromartyrs Alexis and Peter priests (1918).
New Hieromartyrs Amphilius bishop of Krasnoiarsk, John, Boris, Michael, Vladimir, Benjamin, Constantine priests and Martyr Sergius (1937).
Martyr Ariadne of Phrygia (2nd c.).
Martyrs Sophia and Irene of Egypt (3rd c.).
Martyr Castor of Alexandria.
Great-martyr Prince Bidzini and Martyrs Prince Elizbar and Prince Shalva of Ksani, Georgia (1661) (Georgia).
Synaxis of New Martyrs and Confessors of Vladimir region.
Molchensk (1405), named the “Healer” (18th C) and Starorussk (returned in 1888) Icons of the Mother of God.
St. Arcadius, bishop of Novgorod (1162).
The Scripture Readings
1 Corinthians 10:23-28
All to the Glory of God
23 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. 24 Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being.
25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake; 26 for “the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.”
27 If any of those who do not believe invites you to dinner, and you desire to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience’ sake. 28 But if anyone says to you, “This was offered to idols,” do not eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for conscience’ sake; for “the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.”
Matthew 24:34-44
34 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
No One Knows the Day or Hour
36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. 37 But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 38 For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. 42 Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
1 Corinthians 1:26-29
Glory Only in the Lord
26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the [c]base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.
John 8:21-30
Jesus Predicts His Departure
21 Then Jesus said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come.”
22 So the Jews said, “Will He kill Himself, because He says, ‘Where I go you cannot come’?”
23 And He said to them, “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins;for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
25 Then they said to Him, “Who are You?”
And Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning. 26 I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him.”
27 They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father.
28 Then Jesus said to them, “When you lift[a] up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. 29 And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone,for I always do those things that please Him.” 30 As He spoke these words, many believed in Him.