Focus on the task at hand
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
Monday November 2, 2015 / October 20, 2015
23rd Week after Pentecost. Tone five.
Great-martyr Artemius at Antioch (362).
New Martyr Priest Nicholas (Liubomudrov) of Latskoye village, Yaroslavl (1918).
New Hieromartyrs Herman bishop of Alatyr, Zosima, John, John, John, Nicholas, Leonid, John and Alexander priests, Michael and Peter deacons and Martyr Paul (1937).
St. Artemius of Verkola (1545).
Martyrs Aborsam ans Senoe, of Persia (341).
Martyrs Eboras and Eunous of Persia.
Venerable Matrona of Chios (1462).
Martyr Zebinas of Caesarea in Palestine.
Venerable Gerasimus the New, ascetic of Cephalonia (1579) (Greek).
St. Acca, bishop of Hexham (England) (ca. 740) (Celtic & British).
Translation of the relics of New Monk-martyr Ignatius of Mt. Athos (1814) (Greek).
Scripture Readings
1 Thessalonians 1:1-5
Greeting
1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,
To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Their Good Example
2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, 3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, 4 knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God. 5 For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.
Luke 9:18-22
Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ
18 And it happened, as He was alone praying, that His disciples joined Him, and He asked them, saying, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”
19 So they answered and said, “John the Baptist, but some say Elijah; and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again.”
20 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Peter answered and said, “The Christ of God.”
Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection
21 And He strictly warned and commanded them to tell this to no one, 22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.
Dear Father, I have many opportunities to speak of Christ and of our Orthodox church at the High School where I teach. Almost 56 % of our school are Mexican catholics who constantly ask me about the differences between our two traditions. Is there somewhere I could purchase a pectoral cross like you have? Is that something an Orthodox layman can wear? I pray for you each day and have enjoyed the new video offerings. Under the mercy, Dale Whitman (Athanasius)
Thank you, Father, for this timely reminder. I have been stressing too much over the question “Where does God want me next year?” when I should ask Him, “How do I serve Him now?”
Just what I needed to hear this morning. Thank you, Father. Bless you and be well.
Thank you for this reminder. Let us be attentive…