That our Orthodox Church possesses the Fullness of Truth is a given, yet in our weakness as believers, the obviousness of that Truth is often invisible to others. In our weakness as sinful people, we Orthodox clergy, as well as the laity, often fail to demonstrate the love and joy that would make our faith attractive to others.
When people visit an Orthodox temple for the first time, if all they see is beautiful ritual, and a mystical interior, but are not received warmly by the Orthodox worshipers, they likely will walk away thinking this Faith has no impact on the soul. Beautiful worship and sublime theology mean nothing if we don’t live it out in love for others.
Grand services can be performed on any stage as reenactments of ancient Christian worship, complete with beautiful costumes, and authentic images of an ancient faith. Yet these rites will be nothing but empty externals, devoid of any meaning, if we Orthodox Christians make no effort to breathe in the faith, and allow Christ to change our hearts, and transform us into a holy people.
It is only when we invite God to make us His holy people, that the spiritual power of the services, and the beauty of our temples, become irresistible to others, and they, by God’s grace, become seekers themselves.
Love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon
Thursday, July 19, 2024 (7532) / Thursday, August 01, 2024
Thursday of the 6th week after Pentecost; Tone IV
No fast
Venerable Macrina, sister of Saint Basil the Great († 380)
Venerable Dios, Abbot of Antioch († c. 430)
Finding of the relics of Venerable Seraphim the Wonderworker of Sarov (1903)
Blessed Roman (Olegovich), Prince of Ryazan († 1270)
Blessed Stephen, King of Serbia († 1427) and his mother Saint Militsa († 1405)
Venerable Paisius of the Kiev Caves (14th C)
Daily Quote
“When a person accepts anything Godly, then he rejoices in his heart, but when he has not accepted it, he is troubled.”
– St. Seraphim of Sarov
Daily Scripture Readings
1 Corinthians 3:18-23
18 Let no one deceive himself. If any of you thinks he is wise in this age, he should become a fool, so that he may become wise.
19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness.”
20 And again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”
21 Therefore, stop boasting in men. All things are yours,
22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephase or the world or life or death or the present or the future. All of them belong to you,
23 and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God
Matthew 13:36-43
37 He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.
38 The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one.
39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels.
40 Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age.
41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness,
42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!