Forgiveness is the cure for judgment, anger, and resentment
Our Lord Jesus Christ told us: “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you shall be forgiven (Luke 6:37).” In the Our Father, the very prayer given to His disciples after Christ was asked to teach them to pray, we say the words “forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors”. These strong words make it clear that we are to forgive others if we expect God to forgive us.
Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk, in his book, “Journey to Heaven”, says: “Do we forgive our neighbors their trespasses? God also forgives us in His mercy. Do we refuse to forgive? God, too, will refuse to forgive us. As we treat our neighbors, so also does God treat us. The forgiveness, then, of your sins or unforgiveness, and hence also your salvation or destruction, depend on you yourself, man. For without forgiveness of sins there is no salvation.”
Throughout Christ’s ministry He emphasized the need for us to be willing to forgive others, for if we expect to be forgiven, we must nurture a forgiving heart. If we hold grudges, and remember wrongs, we poison our souls, and love has no place in us.
“The drunkard, the fornicator, the proud – he will receive God’s mercy. But he who does not want to forgive, to excuse, to justify consciously, intentionally… …that person closes himself to eternal life before God, and even more so in the present life. He is turned away and not heard (Elder Sampson of Russia).”
As we are quick to forgive our neighbors, so God also forgives us in His great and loving mercy. If we refuse to forgive, God, too, will refuse to forgive us. Our salvation or destruction, depend on our willingness to forgive others, for without forgiveness of sins there is no salvation.
Love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Photos: The Lay Brotherhood of Saint John the Wonderworker’s retreat is coming to an end. The sunglasses were chosen by the group as a warm, humorous way of connecting everyone to the cause of mutual spiritual and moral support in the secular world.
Monday May 30, 2016 / May 17, 2016
Fifth Week of Pascha. Tone four.
Apostle Andronicus of the Seventy and his fellow laborer Junia (1st c.).
Venerable Euphrosyne (Princess Eudocia) of Moscow (1407).
Martyrs Solochon, Pamphamer, and Pamphalon at Chalcedon (298).
St. Stephen, archbishop of Constantinople (893).
Translation of the relics (1551) of Venerable Adrian, abbot of Ondrusov (Valaam) (1549).
St. Melangell, virgin hermitess of Wales (6th c.) (Celtic & British).
Venerables Nectarius (1550) and Theophanes (1544) of Meteora (Greek).
Venerable Athanasius the New, wonderworker of Christianopolis (18th c.) (Greek).
Great-martyr Nicholas of Sophia (1555).
St. Jonah Atamansk, priest of Odessa (1924).
Scripture Readings
Acts 12:12-17
12 So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying. 13 And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer. 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate. 15 But they said to her, “You are beside yourself!” Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, “It is his angel.”
16 Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. 17 But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren.” And he departed and went to another place.
John 8:42-51
42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. 43 Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. 44 You are of yourfather the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me?47 He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”
Before Abraham Was, I AM
48 Then the Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?”
49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. 50 And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges. 51 Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.”
I’m sure they were singing Rachmaninov’s Vespers in that top picture. Right? (Just kidding)
re : St. Melangell, virgin hermitess of Wales (6th c.) (Celtic & British)
Father, on a recent prayer retreat I was staying in a small cabin (poustinia) in the mountains of Mid Wales above the Church wherein is the tomb of St. Melangell, which I touched.
14 centuries ago she was granted the lands on which she prayed by the Earl of Chester, the city where I live at present (with a Church of England Vicar and his wife) before* I return to my wife who lives in Mill Creek, nr Everett WA.
Today’s reading in your blog tells us that Jesus met Abraham who rejoiced “at my day” as Jesus put it, Abraham being alive, in Heaven.
A question I had had about whether St. Melangell still lived (somehow) was / is thus answered : she does, though in Heaven – not where her mortal remains are interred.
My wife (Ruth, from Malaysia) and I met you very briefly some months ago (October?) on a visit to your Monastery, while being shown around by Father Paul, who gave us a very warm welcome.
Thank you for your exceptional dedication to Christ in your daily prayer and reading, producing this blog which I now read every day.
Blessings in Christ Jesus.