Focus For Peace

Focus For Peace

How often we allow our minds to search in all directions, wondering what we should be doing or where we should be going. It is better to focus in all humility on the task at hand and trust the Lord to bless our efforts. If we allow our focus to be too broad we will fail to attain excellence and our struggle will have been in vain.

Love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

 

Quote of  the Day 

“Here on earth we are given the chance to conquer all evil with peace and stillness. We can have peace when we live in surroundings that are peaceful and quiet, but that peace is not as stable and as permanent as the peace we acquire while living in chaotic conditions. When you move from quiet surroundings to chaotic ones, your mood changes instantly, and you become irritable – all of a sudden, evil thoughts assail you, and your mind is in hell. That is the end of our peace. This is why the Lord guides us through sufferings and sorrows – so that we may, through them, acquire real peace. Without Him we would not have the strength to overcome these things.”

– Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica

Saturday, July 28, 2024 (7532) / Saturday, August 10, 2024

Saturday of the 7^th week after Pentecost; Tone V

No Fast

Appearance of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God, named “Hodigitria” (1046)
Apostles of the 70 and Deacons: Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon and Parmenas (1^st C)
Martyr Eustathius the Soldier
Martyr Akakius
Martyr Julian of Dalmatia
Martyr Drosida
Holy Hierarch Pitirim, Bishop of Tambov († 1698)
Venerable Irene of Cappadocia
Venerable Paul of Xeropotami, Mount Athos
Venerable Moses the Wonderworker of the Kiev Caves, far caves (13th-14^th C)
Icon of the Mother of God “Umilenie” of Diveevo

 

Daily Scripture Readings

(Smolensk Icon)

Philippians 2:5-115 (240) ** Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (End for feasts of the Theotokos)

Luke 10:38-42, 11:27-2838 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.
40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
27 And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.
28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

(Saturday of the 7^th week after Pentecost)

Romans 12:1-31 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Matthew 10:37-11:137 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
41 He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.
42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
Chapter 11

1 And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities.