IMITATING CHRIST

We Must Become the Image of Christ to Others

If we are to 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 might see in us, the Light of Christ.

Each and every hour must be closely scrutinized, so that we make sure the Image of the Saviour shines forth as we interact with others. If we find ourselves growing angry towards a family member, or a coworker, we must sincerely repent at that very moment, and with Christ’s help, turn ourselves around. In our journey to God, time must not be wasted, for we never know the day or hour when we will be held accountable.

Tomorrow is never early enough, for the day of our repentance must be today! Tomorrow can not be the day we start treating others with love, for tomorrow may never come. If we see another person abused, now is the time to act. If we see an old woman needing help paying for her groceries, now is the time to reach into our own pocket book. If we see a woman being abused by her boyfriend, now is the time to speak out on her behalf, or to call the police.

If a homeless person approaches us for help, we must not refuse to give them at least a dollar, and a kind word of encouragement. If a clerk is rude to us, a smile must be our only response. If, returning to our car, we see a parking enforcement officer writing a ticket, we must receive it with a smile. If a police officer has pulled us over for speeding, we must thank them for doing their job to keep us all safe.

If a neighbor is speaking unkind words about another neighbor, we must not remain silent, lest our silence be interpreted as agreement, and their own day of repentance be avoided. If a stranger is in need of a word of encouragement, we must not let our own needs be a deterrent to our becoming a vehicle of the mercy of Christ.

Church services, personal prayer, and fasting, are all required components of the Christian life, but are never enough if we wish to be saved. We must see ourselves as “our brothers keeper”, for if we do not love our neighbor, we will not inherit the Kingdom of God. As daunting as this all may sound, it is never impossible, for we have the help of the Holy Spirit. Only the Holy Spirit can ignite our soul for love of God, and the love of neighbor, but we must cooperate by working to make our hearts open to Christ.

Christianity is not meant to be an easy path, for how can anyone hear the words of Our Saviour, requiring that we love even our enemies, and not know how hard this journey will be. Yet if we take up our cross, hourly, we will have victory over our fallen nature, and we will be given the power to love everyone, even as we love ourself, and the love of God will grow stronger in our own heart, ever remembering the words of scripture, “Without Me you can do nothing (John 15:5)”.

Love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Saturday September 18, 2021 / September 5, 2021
13th Week after Pentecost. Tone three.
Holy Prophet Zacharias and Righteous Elizabeth (1st c.), parents of St. John the Forerunner.
Martyrdom of St. Athanasius, abbot, of Brest, by the Latins (1649).
New Hieromartyr Alexis, archbishop of Velikoustiuzh, Martyr Euthymius (1937).
Uncovering of the relics of Venerable Alexander Urodov (2001).
Martyrdom of the Holy Passion-bearer Gleb of Russia, in holy baptism David (1051).
Martyrs Thiphael and his sister, Thivea (or Vivea) (98-138).
Martyr Sarbelus of Edessa.
Virgin-martyr Rhais (Raisa) of Alexandria (308).
Martyrs Juventinus and Maximus at Antioch (4th c.).
Martyrs Urban, Theodore, Medimnus, and 77 Companions at Nicomedia (370).
Martyrs Abdas, Hormizd, and Sunin of Persia (ca. 424).
Icon of the Mother of God Orshansk (1631).
Appearance of the Holy Apostle Peter to Emperor Justinian at Athira near Constantinople.

The Scripture Readings

1 Corinthians 2:6-9

Spiritual Wisdom

6 However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

9 But as it is written:

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

Matthew 22:15-22

The Pharisees: Is It Lawful to Pay Taxes to Caesar?

15 Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk. 16 And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men. 17 Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”

18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, “Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? 19 Show Me the tax money.”

So they brought Him a denarius.

20 And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?”

21 They said to Him, “Caesar’s.”

And He said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 22 When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way.

Hebrews 6:13-20

God’s Infallible Purpose in Christ

13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, 14 saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” 15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. 16 For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. 17 Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, 18 that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.

19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, 20 where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

Matthew 23:29-39

29 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, 30 and say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.’

31 “Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers’ guilt. 33 Serpents,brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell? 34 Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, wise men, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, 35 that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. 36 Assuredly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation.

Jesus Laments over Jerusalem

37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! 38 See! Your house is left to you desolate; 39 for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”