Joy is the infallible sign of God’s presence
Although we have no written evidence that Our Lord Jesus Christ laughed, I am personally convinced that he did. How could He not have shared in our humanity with perfection had he not had a sense of humor, and shared moments of laughter with His disciples? Laughter is such a precious gift, for it allows us to share circumstances in our lives in a special way. When we allow ourselves to see with joy those often funny events that take place around us, we are able to put ourselves in a proper perspective. Our ability to laugh at ourselves helps reduce our sense of self-importance.
That a Christian can laugh in no way suggests it is proper to smile at dirty humor, or make light of another persons infirmity or failure. Our humor must never be based on ridicule, or the demeaning of another. Christ used humor when He depicted a camel struggling to get through the eye of a needle. (Matt. 19:24). And we read in Proverbs 17:22, “that a merry heart does good, like medicine”.
A sense of humor demonstrates to others that we live with joy and gladness in our hearts, because we have reason to be happy. We believe the gift of salvation is good reason to be happy, since the Lord’s ministry did not end on the Cross, but was followed by His Holy Resurrection. Living with a joyful heart adds value to our faith because it makes others want to share in the joy they see in us.
We can laugh because we know that all will work out in the end because God loves us, and we believe His providential hand is at work in our lives. We believe that God knows there is plenty of sadness, sorrow, and sickness in this life, but that it will not prevail, because His plan for our salvation is at work. The old Celtic saying, “Life is all about loving, living, and laughing, not about hating, dying, and moaning,” has as it’s basis the Orthodox Christianity of the Celtic people. That is way it is an oxymoron for a Christian to be crabby, griping, and whining, and why “Joy is the infallible sign of God’s presence”.
With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Photo: Father Artemy of Moscow, Russia.
Monday October 13, 2014 / September 30, 2014
19th Week after Pentecost. Tone one.
Hieromartyr Gregory, bishop of Greater Armenia (335).
Venerable Gregory, abbot of Pelshme, wonderworker of Vologda (1442).
St. Michael, first metropolitan of Kiev (992).
New Hieromartyr Prokopius priest (1918).
New Hieromartyrs Peter, Viacheslav, Peter, Symeon, Basil priests, Seraphim deacon, Virgin-martyr Alexandra, Martyrs Alexis and Matthew, Virgin Apollinaris (1937).
New Hieromartyr Leonidas priest (1938).
New Hiero-confessor Hieromonk Seraphim (Zagorovsky), of Kharkov (1943).
Martyrs Rhipsima and Gaiana and companions, of Armenia (4th c.).
St. Meletius, archbishop of Alexandria.
St. Honorius, archbishop of Canterbury (653) (Celtic & British).
St. Michael, great prince of Tver (1318).
St. Theodore Yaroslavich of Vladimir (1246).
Martyr-hermits Tancred, Torthred and Tova, of Thorney.
Martyr Stratonicus (Greek).
Martyr Mardonius (Greek).
The Scripture Readings for the Day
Philippians 1:1-7
Greeting
1 Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ,
To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops[a] and deacons:
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thankfulness and Prayer
3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, 5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; 7 just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace.
Luke 6:24-30
Jesus Pronounces Woes
24 “But woe to you who are rich,
For you have received your consolation.
25 Woe to you who are full,
For you shall hunger.
Woe to you who laugh now,
For you shall mourn and weep.
26 Woe to you[a] when all[b] men speak well of you,
For so did their fathers to the false prophets.
Love Your Enemies
27 “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. 29 To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back.