Fighting Complacency

We must let Christ ignite our soul

If we be true to our calling as the children of God, we must live in imitation of Christ. We must imitate His meekness and humility. We must love others just as did He. We must be willing to be transformed, and made whole, that others can see in us, the Light of Christ. To do this, we must pray and fast, seeking the help that only Christ can give us. That which is impossible with us, is possible with the help of Christ. Only Christ can ignite our soul for love of God, but we must cooperate by making our hearts open to Him.

We must not allow ourselves to be complacent in our journey into the Heart of God. Our Christian faith demands that we take heaven violently, storming heaven as it were. Only when we are ruthless towards ourselves, and quick to condemn ourselves as the worst of sinners, will we truly be flooded with the grace needed to be transformed and made whole. Like the Holy Apostle Paul, we must see ourselves as the worst of sinners, and like Paul must see that any good we do, is Christ in us.

Just as we light lampadas and candles before holy icons, symbolizing the Light of Christ, so too must we struggle each and every day to let the Light of Christ shine forth in us. If we live our Christian faith with little effort, the Light will be dim, and neither the angels in heaven, or those who come in contact with us, will notice anything different from the unbeliever. We are, as Christians, called to be a holy people, living “not of this world”, but ever in the Kingdom that is to come.

Love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Photos: Six year old Matilda, daughter of Daniel and Monique, of Charlotte, NC, sent me a painting she did, because she was very sad I was “hurt and got a boo boo”. To Matilda, and all the countless people from around the world who’ve extended their love and prayers since I was attacked, I thank you.

Please, in your charity, continue to pray for me. I seem to be experiencing some delayed symptoms since my attack, and have been unable to serve any of the Holy Week services. My body is racked with pain right now, and my hearing is not getting any better. I’m praying I will be able to serve the Paschal Liturgy Saturday night.

As a footnote, the man who attacked me is presently in a secured mental facility, for evaluation. Please remember him in your prayers, that the City of Seattle authorities will get him the help he so desperately needs, and not simply put him out on the street, as has already been done on eight other occasions with this poor soul.

Friday April 26, 2019 / April 13, 2019
Passion Week: Great Friday, Passion of Jesus Christ.
Great Lent. By Monastic Charter – Full abstention from food
Hieromartyr Artemon, presbyter of Laodicea in Syria (303).
New Hieromartyr Stephen (Bekh) bishop of Izhevsk (1933).
Virgin-martyr Martha (1941).
Martyr Crescens of Myra in Lycia.
Martyr Thomais of Alexandria (476).
Martyr Demetrius of the Peloponnesus who suffered at Tripoli (1803).
Martyr Eleutherius of Persia (4th c.).
Martyr Zoilus of Rome (4th c.).
Venerable Martins, abbot, of Clermont (Gaul).
St. Martin the Confessor, pope of Rome (655) (Greek).
Martyrs Maximus (286), Dada and Quinctilian at Dorostolum in Moesia.
St. Martyrius, archbishop of Jerusalem (486).
St. Guinoch of Buchan.
Martyr Theodosius (Greek).

The Scripture Readings

John 13:31-18:1 (Matins, 1st Passion Gospel)
John 18:1-28 (Matins, 2nd Passion Gospel)
Matthew 26:57-75 (Matins, 3rd Passion Gospel)
John 18:28-19:16 (Matins, 4th Passion Gospel)
Matthew 27:3-32 (Matins, 5th Passion Gospel)
Mark 15:16-32 (Matins, 6th Passion Gospel)
Matthew 27:33-54 (Matins, 7th Passion Gospel)
Luke 23:32-49 (Matins, 8th Passion Gospel)
John 19:25-37 (Matins, 9th Passion Gospel)
Mark 15:43-47 (Matins, 10th Passion Gospel)
John 19:38-42 (Matins, 11th Passion Gospel)
Matthew 27:62-66 (Matins, 12th Passion Gospel)
Galatians 6:14-18 (Royal Hours – 1st Hour)
Matthew 27:1-56 (Royal Hours – 1st Hour)
Romans 5:6-11 (Royal Hours – 3rd Hour)
Mark 15:16-41 (Royal Hours – 3rd Hour)
Hebrews 2:11-18 (Royal Hours – 6th Hour)
Luke 23:32-49 (Royal Hours – 6th Hour)
Hebrews 10:19-31 (Royal Hours – 9th Hour)
John 18:28-19:37 (Royal Hours – 9th Hour)
1 Corinthians 1:18-2:2
Matthew 27:1-44
Luke 23:39-43
Matthew 27:45-54
John 19:31-37
Matthew 27:55-61