Replacing Doubt With Faith
In the Gospel narratives we read the Apostle Thomas told his fellow apostles he would not believe the Lord had risen from the dead unless he put his hand in the wounds of Christ. When He actually saw Jesus, he immediately said “My Lord and my God”, instantly believing without having touched his Lord.
Doubt, in order to be replaced by faith, starts with the desire to be a believer. We must choose to believe, for desire invites God’s grace to abound. We turn to God, saying, “Lord, I believe, help Thou my unbelief (Mark 9:24).” Our willingness to voice our desire to believe, is the beginning of faith. This faith is a gift from God, and our willingness to receive this gift is the beginning of a life that will be transformed by the Living God, the Father of Lights.
Anyone who wishes to play the piano, or be a good golfer, will not attain their desired goal, without effort. Faith, if it be something that sustains us, and gives us meaning in life, will remain dormant, if we refuse to put any effort into it. Faith comes to us when we make the effort to reach out to God, confess our doubt, and invite faith into our heart.
“When all is said and done, at the bottom line faith is a function of will – you must want to believe. The person who does not wish to – even if he sees God, he will not believe.” (Elder Pavlos of Saint Katherine’s Monastery in the Sinai).
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Monday October 23, 2023 / October 10, 2023
21st Week after Pentecost. Tone three.
Martyrs Eulampius and Eulampia at Nicomedia and 200 Martyrs with them (296).
St. Innocent, bishop of Penza (1819).
Venerable Ambrose of Optina (1891).
New Hieromartyr Theodore (Pozdeev) archbishop of Volokolamsk (1937).
Saint Amphylochius, Bishop of Vladimir-Volyn (1122).
Synaxis of the seven Saints of Volhynia: Sts. Stephen and Amphilocius (1122), bishops of Vladimir in Volhynia; St. Theodore (in monasticism Theodosius), prince of Ostrog (1483); St. Juliana Olshanskaya (1540); Venerable Job of Pochaev (1651); Hieromartyr Macarius, archimandrite of Kanev (1678); and St. Yaropolk-Peter, prince of Vladimir in Volhynia (1086).
Blessed Andrew of Totma, fool-for-Christ (1673).
Martyr Theotecnus of Antioch (4th c.).
Venerable Bassian of Constantinople (ca. 458).
Venerable Theophilus the Confessor of Bulgaria (716).
Martyrdom of the 26 Martyrs of Zographou Monastery on Mt. Athos by the Latins: Abbot Thomas, monks Barsanuphius, Cyril, Micah, Simon, Hilarion, Job, James, Cyprian, Sabbas, James, Martinian, Cosmas, Sergius, Paul, Menas, Ioasaph, Ioannicius, Anthony, Euthymius, Dometian, Parthenius, and four laymen (1284).
St. Paulinus, archbishop of York (644) (Celtic & British).
St. Pinytus, bishop of Knossos in Crete (2nd. c.).
Zographou Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Of the Akathist”.
Synaxis of the Saints of Optina: Leo (1841), Macarius (1894), Moses (1862), Anthony (1865), Hilarion (1873), Ambrose (1891), Anatolius (1894), Isaacius (1894), Joseph (1911), Barsanuphius (1913), Anatolius (1922), Nectarius (1928), Nicon (1931), and Isaacius (1936).
Martyrs of the Theban Legion along the Rhine: Sts. Cassius and Florentius at Bonn, Sts. Gereon and Companions at Cologne, and Sts. Victor and Companions at Xanten (Germany) (304).
The Scripture Readings
Matthew 11:27-30
27 All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. 28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
Philippians 4:10-23
Philippian Generosity
10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. 11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
14 Nevertheless you have done well that you shared in my distress. 15 Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only. 16 For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account. 18 Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. 19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. 20 Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Greeting and Blessing
21 Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren who are with me greet you. 22 All the saints greet you, but especially those who are of Caesar’s household.
23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Luke 7:36-50
A Sinful Woman Forgiven
36 Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. 37 And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, 38 and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.”
40 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”
So he said, “Teacher, say it.”
41 “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?”
43 Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.”
And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” 44 Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. 45 You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. 47 Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”
48 Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49 And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”
50 Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”
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Galatians 5:22-6:2
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
Bear and Share Burdens
6 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Luke 6:17-23
Jesus Heals a Great Multitude
17 And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear Him and be healed of their diseases, 18 as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they were healed. 19 And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out from Him and healed them all.
The Beatitudes
20 Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said:
“Blessed are you poor,
For yours is the kingdom of God.
21 Blessed are you who hunger now,
For you shall be filled.
Blessed are you who weep now,
For you shall laugh.
22 Blessed are you when men hate you,
And when they exclude you,
And revile you, and cast out your name as evil,
For the Son of Man’s sake.
23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy!
For indeed your reward is great in heaven,
For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.