The River of Fire is “an all-consuming fire and an illuminating light”
Upon Christ’s Second Coming, everyone who has ever lived will see Him in His uncreated light, forever. For “those who worked good deeds in their lifetime will go towards the resurrection of life, while those who worked evil in their lifetime will go towards the resurrection of judgment (John.5:29)”. All will be separated at the moment of the final judgement, with the good experiencing paradise as exceedingly good, and radiant, while those who have rejected His love, and whose lives ended without repentance, will look upon Christ as hell, the “all-consuming fire” spoken of in Hebrews 12:29.
It is from Christ’s Second Coming that the river of fire will flow forth. For the saints this river of fire will be a golden light, encompassing them as an eternal joy. Whereas, for the demons and the unrepentant, it will be as a burning hell fire. For this is the very reason we read in Luke 2:34, that Christ is “as the fall and the resurrection of many”.
For those who reject the healing that has been offered, Christ will be their hell, their separation from the eternal bliss. For the saints, Christ will be their resurrection into eternal life. This is why Saint John of the Ladder wrote that the uncreated light of Christ is “an all-consuming fire and an illuminating light”. This is why we say heaven and hell are not about location, but about our relationship with God. Heaven and Hell are within the same realm, which is in the presence of God.
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Photo: Left to right: Monk Nicodemus, Hieromonk Paul, Abbot Tryphon, Monk Martin, and Monk Peter.
Tuesday November 16, 2021 / November 3, 2021
22nd Week after Pentecost. Tone four.
Martyrs Acepsimas the Bishop, Joseph the Presbyter, and Aeithalas the Deacon, of Persia (376).
Dedication of the Church of the Great-martyr George in Lydda (4th c.).
New Hieromartyr Nicholas and Martyr Paul (1918).
New Hieromartyrs Basil, Peter, Basil, Alexander, Vladimir, Sergius, Nicholas, Vicentius, John, Peter, Alexander, Paul, Cosmas priests and Simeon deacon (1937).
Virgin-martyr Evdokia (1938).
New Hieromartyr Sergius deacon (1942).
Martyrs Atticus, Agapius, Eudoxius, Carterius, Istucarius (Styrax), Pactobius (Tobias), and Nictopolion, at Sebaste (320).
Venerable Acepsimas, hermit of Cyrrhus in Syria (4th c.).
St. Snandulia of Persia (380).
Venerable Anna, daughter of Prince Vsevolod I Yaroslavich (1112).
Venerable Elias of Egypt.
St. Achaemonides, (or Hormisdas), confessor, of Persia (4th).
St. Winifred of Treffynon (Holywell), N. Wales, (630) (Celtic & British).
Translation of the relics of St. Edith, nun of Wilton.
St. Theodore, confessor, bishop of Ancyra (8-9th c.) (Greek).
New Martyr Hieromonk George of Neopolis, Asia Minor (1797) (Greek).
Martyrs Dacius, Severus, Andronas, Theodotus, and Theodota (Greek).
St. Hubert of Maastricht (727) (Neth.).
Venerable Nicholas, Radiant Star of the Georgians (1308) (Georgia).
St. Pimen of Zographou, Mt. Athos (16th-17th c.).
The Meeting (1196) of St. Sava (1235) and St. Symeon the Myrrh-gusher (1200) of Serbia at Vatopedi, Mt. Athos.
St. Pirmin, bishop and monastic founder (753) (Germany).
The Scripture Readings
Colossians 2:20-3:3
20 Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations— 21 “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” 22 which all concern things which perish with the using—according to the commandments and doctrines of men? 23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.
Not Carnality but Christ
3 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
Luke 11:34-41
34 The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness.35 Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness. 36 If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light.”
Woe to the Pharisees and Lawyers
37 And as He spoke, a certain Pharisee asked Him to dine with him. So He went in and sat down to eat. 38 When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that He had not first washed before dinner.
39 Then the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness. 40 Foolish ones! Did not He who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But rather give alms of such things as you have; then indeed all things are clean to you.