In Our Aloneness We Have Each Other

No forced separation in this world can separate us from the Body of Christ

In our moments of loneliness and despondency, we are together. We are together in our celebration of life, and even in our death. When we seem so alone, we are together, for in Christ we are One Body. This pandemic lockdown only seems to be separating us from one another, but in Christ we are closer than ever.

Our Lord is embracing all of us with his love and mercy, and in His embrace we are pulled together. In our imagined separation from others, we find our place of silence, and we realize we are, in fact, not alone. In our encounter with God, we encounter each other in a powerful and permanent way.

In our journey to God, our common goal is the acquisition of a humble and contrite heart, and our common homeland is found in the Divine Liturgy, where we enter Paradise, and participate in the Heavenly Banquet, together.

In truth, we are not alone, for we have unity in the Body of Christ. We have each other, and no forced separation in this world can separate us from the love of Christ. We are bound together in Our Heavenly Father’s embrace, and we, His children, are never alone.

With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Thursday December 24, 2020 / December 11, 2020
29th Week after Pentecost. Tone three.
Nativity (St. Philip’s Fast). Food with Oil
Venerable Daniel the Stylite of Constantinopole (490).
New Hieromartyr Theophan, bishop of Solikamsk (1918) and with him 2 Hieromartyrs and 5 Martyrs (1918).
New Hieromartyr Nicholas priest (1937).
New Hieromartyr John priest (1941).
St. Kuksha (Velichko), hieroschemamonk of Odessa (1964).
Venerable Nicon the Dry of Kiev Caves (1101).
Martyr Mirax of Egypt (640).
Martyr Acepsius and Aeithalas at Arbela in Assyria (354).
Venerable Luke the New Stylite of Chalcedon (979).
Venerable Leontius, monk, of Monemdasia in the Peloponnesus (1450).
Monk-martyr Barsabas, abbot og Ishtar and 10 companions in Persia (342).
All Saints of Georgia (Georgia).
Martyrs Terentius, Vincent, Emilian and Bebaia (Greek).

The Scripture Readings

Hebrews 7:1-6

The King of Righteousness

7 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,” 3 without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.

4 Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils. 5 And indeed those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to receive tithes from the people according to the law, that is, from their brethren, though they have come from the loins of Abraham; 6 but he whose genealogy is not derived from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.

Luke 21:28-33

28 Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”

The Parable of the Fig Tree

29 Then He spoke to them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. 30 When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near. 31 So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.32 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.